33 Failed Experiment
I'm going to kill him.
As soon as Lucian laid out the plan he and Jace stitched together behind all of our backs, the heat started building low in my ribs. It was slow at first, but it became hotter, and constant.
It's only been a few days, but the anger hasn't faded. It's only fermented and I'm about ready to bust.
And Luca, of course, won't let it go unnoticed.
He keeps trying to drag it out of me. Stretching after training, ball tossing back and forth. Always with that furiously charming grin on his face as he leans close.
“Come on, Iz,” he purrs into my ear as he stretches out beside me in bed. “Either talk or rub it out. Preferably the second one. I can watch. Maybe even help.”
I shove him and hit him with a pillow.
“Seriously,” Luca chuckles, propping his chin on his hand, eyes flicking over me with a mix of heat and humor. “Give yourself a few orgasms, get the stress out. I'll supervise. Make sure your form is on point.”
I jump on him and smother him with the same pillow.
When he finally leaves, after enough teasing that my face feels too warm and my chest too tight, I realize he isn't just being Luca. He’s worried, too.
As angry as he is with Jace, he still cares about him. He still loves him like a brother.
Maeve keeps checking in on me, and Noah keeps scanning the computer for Jace's tracker to activate.
Jace… I can only hope he was right and that he survives long enough to activate the tracker.
A small part of me knows it shouldn't matter, but the majority is furious being stuck on the sidelines, forced to trust another plan I had no say in.
I know why he did it. That only makes it worse. There's a storm raging inside me. Mainly anger and fear just whirling around.
So yeah, I'm going to kill him.
“It’s active!” Noah’s voice snaps me out of my haze.
My head shoots up from Luca's lap. We'd been using the theater room almost as a base of operations. I run over to Noah's setup and flop beside him.
“Where is he?”
“He's in one of Gideon's smaller office buildings, compared to his main business. This was one possibility Jace pointed out because most people are paying Gideon for protection, and he holds blackmail over their heads to make sure they fall in line and see nothing.” Noah taps away.
“Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!” I stand up, Noah grabs my wrist, pulling me back down.
“No, you can't go.”
“Fuck that, I'm going.” I glare at him.
“We just don't want anything to happen to you, pretty girl.” Luca puts his hand on my head.
“Don't try to sweet-talk me right now, Silvain. Jace is in there with Gideon. I deserve to be there to watch him fall.” I grit my teeth, refusing to stay back this time around.
Noah sighs. “Take it up with your dad.”
He closes his laptop, getting up.
“Let's go tell him.”
The engine hums beneath me. My pulse feels like it’s in my throat. Lucian acquiesced to my reasoning of why I should be there, not because he agreed, but he understood that there was no universe in which I stayed behind.
Not when Jace is out there, most likely hurting and bleeding.
Because of me.
Lucian didn’t even argue long, just gave me one long, assessing look then simply said, “Fine, you follow my lead.”
Follow.
Sure.
Luca sits beside me, not touching but close enough that his warmth reaches through the cold metal interior. His knee brushes mine briefly when the van hits a bump. When I glance at him, he gives me his charming, crooked smile.
It grounds me. Settles something in my chest.
“Tracker’s signal is holding; it hasn’t moved in a while. He’s alive.” Noah reports as we get closer.
For now.
My stomach twists. My fingers curl into fists on my lip. I tell myself I’m not scared, that I’m furious.
He knew this would hurt me, but he did it anyway.
Because he thought it was the only way, because he thought he would be protecting me. Because he didn’t trust me to be able to handle it. My throat burns, I blink hard and focus on the map, on the blinking light that represents him.
The van slows. Then stops.
The sudden stillness hits harder than the brakes. My pulse spikes as Lucian’s voice cuts through comms from the lead vehicle. “Positions. No one moves until I say.”
The back doors open, letting in a blast of stale city air—damp asphalt, rust, something sour from a nearby dumpster. We spill out, boots crunching on broken glass scattered across the parking lot.
The building in front of us has seen better days. A sagging four-story office block with half its windows boarded, the rest spider-webbed with cracks. With faded lettering, and only a few cars in the parking lot.
Nothing about this place is normal.
Noah taps away on his tablet as I grab a rifle, swinging the strap over my head and tightening my grip.
“From the notes I have, there’s an underground level where Gideon has cells where he holds people. Jace is most likely being held there. Since in his sketches, the interrogation room Gideon has is on the other side.” Noah shows Lucian the tablet.
He nods, “Luca, you and your team will go for Jace. Make sure you guys stay on comms. Keep an eye out for Gideon.”
“Alright. You all know what you need to do. Let's do this,” Lucian calls out and everyone scatters.
Before I can move, Lucian grabs my shoulder.
“Please, be careful,” he looks down at me with worry in his eyes, “I can’t handle something happening to you again.”
“I promise I'll be good and use my gun. No hand-to-hand.” I give him what I hope is a reassuring smile.
“I love you, Gracie.” He pulls me into a quick hug.
“I love you too, Dad.” I take this moment with him.
“Be safe, I'll see you after.” He squeezes my arms before turning to go back to be Lucian, the head of the Guild.
The fire blazes in my chest as I get in position with Luca, Kellan and Felix.
“Let me know when all teams are in position and I'll start camera looping. This building is old and run down. I don't want to chance alerting their system until teams are in place.”
“Copy,” Luca says for our team. The other team leaders echo him.
We move, our boots soundless as we move into position.
“In position,” Luca whispers as we crouch down.
We wait as other teams get in position as well, which doesn't take long.
“All teams in position,” Noah relays. “Prepare to move. Looping cameras now.”
We wait for about thirty seconds until Noah gives the all clear. All teams start moving. Felix opens the side door we're positioned at and we slip inside.
We're moving down the side corridor when we hear a shot.
“Cameras are down, shitty old fucking building.” Noah curses.
“We've lost the element of surprise. All teams go!” Lucian barks.
We take off running down the corridor toward the stairs. Luca opens the door and peeks his head in. Someone shoots and Luca pulls back.
“Can you try not to get your head blown off, please?” My heart is racing.
“I will do my best.” Luca chuckles.
Kellan moves to the door, cracking just a sliver.
“I can charge the guy. It's risky, but he's just standing in the open.” Kellan shrugs.
My brain doesn't have time to process before Kellan is whipping open the door and barreling through, knocking the guy back down a flight of stairs. The guy’s shot goes wide and Kellan goes tumbling down the stairs with him. A swift punch and he's out.
“Are you okay?” I rush to the edge of the stairs.
Kellan stands, rolling out his shoulders. “Yeah, I'm fine, might just be a little sore tomorrow.”
These men.
“Let's keep going.” I raise my gun back up as we fall back into position. Luca in front, Kellan and Felix flank me. We move down the flight of stairs. Luca opens the door, Kellan and Felix go in first, clearing the area before we follow.
Our steps are silent on the concrete as the air smells damp and moldy with a hint of iron.
Blood.
Cold air rushes over my skin as I pray we're not too late.
As we turn the corner, we see the open room with cells lining either side.
Gideon is standing there in a cream outfit that looks more fitting for a vacation rather than business. He's holding something out in front of him. His voice carries down to us.
“How do your friends know where you are?” he snaps at Jace.
I can't hear Jace's reply.
“Well, I wonder how they'll feel when they find you dead.” He raises his arm to slash down.
“Stop!” Luca calls out, all of us with our guns trained on him.
“Lower the knife and step away.” Kellan's voice booms across the small space.
Gideon moves fast, reaching into the cell and hauling Jace in front of him, holding the knife to his neck.
Jace.
He isn't standing so much as hanging—held upright only because of Gideon's fist twisted in the front of his shirt. He looks nothing like the controlled, calculating version of himself I know.
His face is a wreck.
One eye is completely swollen shut, the lid puffed so badly it's almost purple-black.
The other is half-open and bloodshot. His cheekbone is split, a long cut tracking down to the corner of his mouth.
Dried blood has streaked down both sides of his face from a head wound somewhere.
As well as his chin, disappearing into the ripped collar of his shirt.
His lip is busted open, split in two places. His nose is crooked, smeared with blood. His hands are zip-tied in front of him, knuckles torn open, dried blood running down his arms.
His shirt is shredded and I can see bruises and cuts through the holes.
This is not a Jace that I know, but I know Gideon would not have let Jace have a fair fight. He's been in restraints from the moment he arrived.
“Isobel…” he croaks out.
I have to swallow past the lump in my throat. Ghosts haunting the sides of my vision. I fight to stay present.
“It's over, Gideon, let him go,” I call out, tearing my eyes away from Jace's beaten state.
“Isobel,” Gideon says my name and it makes me want to throw up. I hope he never says it again. “How nice to see you. You're looking… healthier.” He smiles.
“Leave Jace and step out, don't make us kill you.” I grit out between my teeth.
He tsks at my words, “You're not the one in the position to make demands, little girl. Though there is a question I would like for you to answer.”
“Not likely,” Luca growls out.
Gideon smiles sardonically, “Tell me why a girl like you would come and save the man who betrayed you?” He tilts his head as he studies my face, looking for an answer.
“I'm not going to tell you again, drop Jace or get a bullet through the skull.” I move my finger to the trigger.
Gideon throws Jace to the floor beside him and I have to fight every instinct to check on him. He holds his hands out by his thighs, though the knife still gleams in his right hand.
“I did something for you, maybe you can do something for me and answer my question.” Gideon's eyes gleam. “Look at you,” he drawls, “charging in here like some little warrior princess. All this—” he gestures to the wreckage of Jace's body, “—for him?”
He chuckles, “Tell me, sweetheart...why save a man who betrayed you? A boy who didn’t lift a finger to stop your months of suffering?”
I clench my jaw.
I debate on just ignoring him, just having Kellan go and try to restrain him so we can take him back to headquarters, where he'll be taken to the Guild's own personal prison of sorts. But Gideon has speed, and Jace is not within our grasp.
My eyes flick down to Jace, who is pushing himself off the ground. He gives me a small nod.
“I came because he made a terrible choice trying to protect me in a way only he understands. And you're the reason he thought he had to. You did this. Not him.” My voice is surprisingly steady.
“How touching.” Gideon’s smile is thin. “A worthless girl defending her traitorous lover.” He steps closer to Jace, “You want to know the truth?” he murmurs. “This—” he gestures to Jace with the knife again,”—isn't new. This is who he has always been.”
His voice is cruel, dripping with loathing.
“A disappointment, a waste of legacy, of space.
I trained him, built him. Shaped him like a sculptor creating a masterpiece.
And still, he grew into nothing. A failed experiment.
All that potential and he threw it away the moment you opened your whore legs.
I told myself he'd wake up, that he'd finally understand what power requires. But instead? He chose you. A soft, weak, slut,” he sneers.
Jace bolts up with surprising speed from the ground, using the knife Gideon is holding to cut through his own restraints in one quick motion.
He hits the back of Gideon's knee, then drives him backward into the ground. Jace braces a knee to his chest and presses the blade Gideon dropped to his throat.
“Don't you dare talk about her like that.” His voice is feral.
Kellan and Felix quickly rush over to secure Gideon, and Luca helps Jace off of Gideon.
“You're quick even while bleeding out.” Luca claps a hand on his shoulder.
Jace winces.
“Oh, sorry,” Luca says quickly.
Jace turns to look at me as I walk up to him.
“Are you okay?” I feel dumb asking the question. Of course, he's not okay.
“Just a couple of cuts and bruises, nothing that won’t heal.” Jace forces a smile on his swollen face.
“We've got Jace and Gideon, leaving now,” Luca says into the comms.
“Yes, please, let's get out of here.” I agree. I’ve only taken a couple of steps when Jace lets out a strangled, ragged gasp. A heavy thud and the metallic clatter of the knife dropping.
I whip around to find Jace on the ground, a horrible wet hitch in his breathing, a rattling, bubbling, choke escaping him.
“Jace!” I yell and before I can move, Luca is rushing back over to his side.
“What's going on?”
Luca checks over him, patting him gently.
“It must have been a rib or something. When he used that last burst of adrenaline, he might've seriously damaged something but his body didn’t recognize it yet.”
Then Jace lets out a weak, broken exhale, thin, and painful. It cuts off halfway through, then nothing.
“Jace!” I call as his eyes roll back into his head.