Chapter 26 #2
Nova leaned forward first, flipping a strand of hair over her shoulder while she talked about the several hidden bases she’d tracked down recently, though irritation flickered across her face the longer she talked.
“They’re drying up,” she muttered, tapping one finger against her desk. “Either they’re abandoning locations faster or someone’s warning them.”
Ezra replied, “Send everything to the archive location.” Nova didn’t argue, just nodded.
Aniyah dramatically sprawled out in her chair before lifting one finger. “Lucus heard a few whispers from overseas, following the threads as we speak.” Her eyes sparkled mischievously for a second. “Apparently, British business men are useful sometimes.”
Riot spoke next. Or… barely spoke.
“The killing business is good.” That was it. No elaboration. No explanation. Just Riot being Riot.
Silence lingered for half a second before I cleared my throat. “I have one more thing.”
Every single one of my sisters turned toward me, and for the first time in a long while, nerves actually crawled into my stomach.
I pressed the button on my watch, which removed the glamor. The illusion peeled away from my neck, revealing the tattoo underneath.
Aniyah squinted at the screen. “What the fuck am I supposed to be looking at?” She leaned closer like that would somehow help.
Nova shook her head at her and tutted. “Oh, Aniyah, look at his neck.” She quickly looked back at me with a large smile. “Congratulations, Calix!”
I smiled back at her automatically, grateful someone in this family possessed functioning brain cells.
Aniyah’s mouth fell open, then she screamed so loudly I physically recoiled from the volume.
“ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!” She slammed both hands against the table. “Big bro actually found someone willing to be with his ancient ass?”
She winked after she said her piece, but I still narrowed my eyes at her.
Riot nodded to me, giving me a forlorn look I did not understand, before it was gone. Softly, she said, “Many good wishes to you and yours. I’m happy for you, brother.”
Then I looked at Ezra, and my smile weakened instantly.
She hadn’t moved. Not even a little. No blink. No shift in posture. Nothing. It was like someone had carved her out of stone.
I tried to coax something out of her. “I know it wasn't part of the plan, but it just kinda… happened.” When she still didn't say anything, I quickly blurted out, “Her name is Olivia, and I think you all will really like her. She's sweet and sassy, the perfect mix.”
“Oh, so she’s like me,” Aniyah announced proudly.
I looked at her flatly, giving her my deadpan voice. “Not even remotely.”
Aniyah burst into laughter while Nova covered her mouth, trying and failing to hide hers.
“The woman you turned.” Ezra’s words came sharp and immediate, cutting straight through the noise. “The mechanic.” My smile faded. “The human who crossed paths with Manshu.”
Her eyes locked onto mine now, intense enough to pin me in place. “That’s who she is, correct?”
The room suddenly felt smaller as I glanced toward my other sisters before lowering my voice. “I’m going to talk to Ezra about this after you guys leave, but I do want you all to meet her soon.”
Then, because apparently I enjoyed casually detonating bombs, I added, “And she’s also Rack’s Flame.”
Nova blinked once before smiling again, though worry lingered behind it as her gaze flicked toward Ezra.
I gave her a tiny nod. It’s fine.
“I knew it!” Aniyah yelled, pointing at me. “I knew you and Rack were just too close. How does it feel when his dick’s next to yours? Do you like it? You do, don’t you, you dirty dog.”
“Aniyah!” I snapped. She dissolved into cackling.
“Okay, okay!” She waved both hands innocently while still laughing. “I’ll interrogate Rack later instead.”
Before I could threaten her further, she clicked off the call entirely. The silence afterward felt blessed.
Riot inclined her head toward me. “I’ll see you soon.” Then she vanished too.
Leaving only me and Ezra staring at one another.
I folded my hands together slowly. “Okay. What’s going on?”
The second we were alone, the frozen mask fell right off her face.
Concern hit her features hard enough it almost startled me. Her brows drew together while she rubbed a hand against her mouth like she didn’t know how to start.
“I just…” She exhaled shakily. “Calix, I’m…”
I waited patiently, knowing she would get it out eventually because she and I never kept anything from each other. Nothing.
“What if… something happens to her?” The words started coming faster after that. “What if she isn’t strong enough?” Her jaw tightened. She’s a turned, Calix! She’s not as strong as you or Rack. She’s…” Weak.
She didn’t say the last word aloud, but I heard it anyway.
Ezra had seen me break once already. Seen what losing Valentina did to me. She trusted Rack to keep me stable because she genuinely believed if I shattered again, I might not recover from it next time. As the person in the head seat, she had to think of these things.
A quiet laugh slipped out of me before I could stop it. Her head jerked upward immediately, and I saw the first hints of confusion.
“You know,” I said gently, “I am your older brother.”
Ezra snorted softly in disbelief. Rude.
“I can take care of myself.”
The look she gave me said she absolutely did not believe that statement, but it didn’t change the facts.
“Bad things are going to happen,” I continued more quietly.
This time, she nodded because we both knew it was true, and that was exactly why she was terrified.
As far as the others were concerned, she had more faith. She was confident that if they lost someone they loved, they would pull through. With me… She had seen me crumble, and she was extremely wary about it happening again.
“And I know exactly what you’re afraid of.” I watched her shoulders tighten before I even finished speaking.
“You think if something happens to her, I’ll lose myself again.” I rubbed a hand over my jaw and let the truth sit between us instead of dodging it. “And maybe I will.”
Ezra’s eyes flicked away at the admission, like hearing it out loud physically hurt.
“But,” I continued, leaning forward slightly, “I’ll come back.” That got her attention again.
“I’ll always come back to this family.” My voice lowered. “To the Syndicate. To you.” The muscles in her face softened little by little while I held her gaze. “And I know that because you’re my strong sister, the one that would never let me break completely.”
Ezra dropped back into her chair heavily, one hand dragging down her face before she sighed, her head tilted toward the ceiling like the universe itself had become exhausting.
“God, this is not what I wanted to emotionally process today.”
A grin tugged at my mouth. “Well, tough luck.”
Her eyes rolled, but the corner of her lips twitched despite herself.
“You do know I’m happy for you, right?” she asked quieter this time.
Her head tilted while she looked at me, worry and love tangled together so tightly in her expression that they were impossible to separate.
“Really.” She pressed her lips together before continuing. “If you’re happy… and Rack’s happy… then I’m happy.”
Then her shoulders sagged again. “But I’m still terrified.” Suddenly, I didn’t see the Syndicate leader sitting in front of me anymore.
I saw the tiny baby girl who used to wrap her whole hand around one of my fingers and refuse to let go. The kid who followed me through the halls like my shadow. The teenager who stood beside me through every fight, always having my back.
The woman who dragged me out of the darkest period of my life piece by piece when I couldn’t do it myself.
Every word she said came from love. I knew that better than anyone.
“I know,” I said softly. “I know you do.” She looked down for a second, blinking hard, before I kept going. “But I think you’ll understand once you meet her.”
That earned a tiny glance upward.
“She’s different.” I couldn’t stop the smile pulling at my mouth now. “Yeah, she’s turned, but she learns frighteningly fast.”
My fingers tapped lightly against the desk as excitement started creeping into my voice. “And the way she thinks?” I shook my head once, laughing quietly. “She approaches problems sideways. It’s fascinating.”
The more I talked, the softer Ezra’s expression became.
“I can’t wait to see what we create together.”
That finally did it. A real smile broke across Ezra’s face. Rare enough to feel historic.
“There he is,” she murmured. “That obsessive little inventor look.”
I pointed at her dramatically. “Rude. There is nothing little about me.”
“You’re right though,” she admitted, still smiling faintly. “I’ll have to meet her.” Her eyes narrowed mischievously. “Especially if I can recruit her to help keep you under control.”
I gasped in offense. “Absolutely not!”
She laughed softly as I pointed at her. “I cannot survive two people reporting my crimes to you behind my back. You already have spies for that.”
Her expression gentled again at that, knowing exactly what I meant.
“I worry because I love you idiots,” she admitted quietly. “All of you.” Her fingers curled against the desk. “I just want to keep everyone safe. It's my job.”
“You are keeping us safe.” I softened my tone immediately. “But you can’t carry every piece of the world by yourself forever.”
Her jaw tightened slightly. Watch me, she said with her eyes, daring me to tell her again that she couldn’t.
“If you keep piling pressure on yourself,” I continued carefully, “ something’s going to crack. It’s just a matter of when.”
Silence stretched for a second before she slowly inhaled through her nose. Then, like watching ice freeze over water, the familiar Ezra mask slid neatly back into place. Calm. Controlled. Untouchable.
“Alright,” she said briskly. “Well, looks like we have another person joining this family.”
I laughed quietly. “Yeah. We do.”
“We’ll celebrate soon.”
I nodded once. “Soon.”
For a second, neither of us moved, then I smiled at her softly. “Love you, E.”
Her hand hovered over the disconnect button, but she paused long enough for her expression to warm one last time.
“Love you, big bro.”
Click.