Leon sipped at his brandy, savoring it like the taste of victory on his tongue. They'd trapped the Rising Sun between them and the Italians, thinning the numbers of two of their main rivals simultaneously. The Italians blamed the Rising Sun, the Rising Sun had tasted bitter defeat, and Leon had the distinction of organizing the whole thing. And to top it all off, Lovino Vargas was dead. Shot through the head by a sniper. If anyone knew who was responsible, no one was coming forward. Leon had insisted to Feliciano that it had been the Rising Sun, and that obviously the Italians had been their target. He had just happened to be fortuitously late to the meeting. Feliciano, idiot that he was, had probably bought it.
Yes, things had worked out well for Leon.
But one thing nagged at him. The man Gilbert had mentioned, the one who had been with the Rising Sun at the botched meeting, the tall one with violet eyes and hair so pale it was almost white. The mess with the backpack was more than just concerning. If people in Kiku's inner circle were working with the cops, Mei had to be informed. The police could do whatever they wanted with Honda, it would get him out of the way for a while if nothing else. But Mei was still necessary. He couldn't allow that pawn to be taken yet.
"Leon, I have something for you." Chen said as he came into his office. He carried a file folder stuffed full of papers, looking giddy like a kid on Christmas morning. "You'll never fucking guess who that idiot Honda has hired." He grinned, slapping the file down on the table. "They really shoulda picked someone who stands out less. Tracking this pig down was dead easy."
Leon frowned and grabbed the file off of the desk, opening it to reveal two driver's license pictures of their new friends. Chun worked fast, he approved. Leon looked through the file, his eyebrow inching higher as he read. "A cop?" He snorted, almost not believing it. But the evidence was right in front of him, two faces smiling at him from their official piggy portraits, all gussied up in their dress uniforms.
"Alfred Jones." He murmured, brow furrowing as he stared at the four-eyed bastard's picture. "Alfred Jones. Where have I heard that name before?" He asked. It sounded familiar, especially that last name. Fairly common, but something in the back of his head pinged it as important. Why?
"He's the Chief of Police's son." Chen grinned, a dangerous light in his eyes. "And it gets so much better, boss. His former step mom, his brother's mother, is in debt with us up to her eyeballs. She's hooked on that shit."
Leon grinned. "Hooked enough to sell out her kid?" He asked.
"Bitch hasn't seen him since he was a baby. She'd probably sell her own mother for a fix." Chen said. Leon thanked every lucky star in heaven. God had delivered these two dumbass cops to him. Honda couldn't have orchestrated his own downfall better if he had hogtied himself and mailed himself right to Leon's office.
"Tell her I'll keep her in drugs for the rest of her life if she brings me the brother." Leon told him. "When she agrees, and she will, bring her here. What about the other one?" He asked, waving his hand towards Ivan's picture.
"Braginsky has two sisters. One is a little kid, perfect size for a snatch and grab." Chen said. Leon could hardly believe his luck. Everything was coming together so well he was almost afraid he was dreaming.
"Grab her. But for fucks sake, don't be rough unless you need to be." He told him. He drew very, very few lines. Needless cruelty towards children was one of the few. Chen nodded and left Leon to his planning. The man had done well, and would have to be rewarded.
He looked at the two photos, a razorblade smile cutting across his face. "Ivan Braginsky and Alfred Jones. Well, well, well...welcome to the game, boys." He chuckled, finishing his drink. It still tasted like victory.
~*°•°*~
The sound of his ringtone woke Matthew from the impromptu nap he'd been taking on his textbook. He scrubbed the drool off of his face and book and looked at the phone. An unknown number flashed across the screen. He frowned and answered it
"Hello?" He asked.
"Matthew?" Came a woman's voice from the other end. He didn't recognize her, immediately annoyed at the increasingly likely possibility that she was a telemarketer.
"Speaking. Who is this?" He asked, wondering who was calling him from an unknown number in the middle of the work day.
"It's, uh..," The woman took a shaky breath. "It's your mother."
Matthew didn't even feel the phone slip from his hand.
His heart pounded in his ears, his hand hanging frozen where he had been holding the phone to his ear. Time seemed to stop as his mind tried to process the information. But no matter how hard he tried to parse it out, it just wouldn't compute. He had to be dreaming. He fell asleep at his desk and he was dreaming. It wouldn't be the first time his sleeping mind had conjured up his mother.
"Matthew?" Stephanie's voice came from where the phone had fallen on the desk. He scrambled to pick it back up, hands clumsy and numb.
"Yeah! Yeah, mom, I'm here!" He assured her, breathless. "How are you?" He asked, wincing at the overly casual question. It couldn't be a dream, he was being as awkward as he always was.
"I'm...I'm good. How about you? How are you doing?" She asked, her voice trembling.
"I'm great! Just studying." He told her. It was all so surreal, he didn't know how to act. He had no idea what to say to his own mother. The thought was almost funny.
"Oh, what do you study?" She asked.
"I'm in law school." He said. He clutched the phone like a lifeline. He still remembered the day he got accepted into his top choice. He'd called Emily, and it had been nice. She'd been happy and excited for him, supportive and encouraging as she always was. But after he had hung up the phone, he had stared at it for over ten minutes wondering where his own mother was and if she'd be proud of him. Eventually he'd chucked the phone at the wall and broken it.
Usually that memory filled him with rage. Now, he was just so blown away that she'd actually called that he couldn't muster up his usual anger.
"Law school? Wow, that's... that's so great!" She gave a watery little laugh and started to cry. "Mattie, baby, I am so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I'm the worst mother in the world!" She sobbed. Pain laced through Matthew's chest.
"Please don't cry, mom. It's okay. Just please don't cry." He begged her.
"Let me make it up to you, baby. I'm living in the city now. You could...you could come over. I'd love to meet you." She said.
Silence fell. His mind raced a mile a minute, his heart keeping pace. His mom wanted to meet him. His mother, the woman who'd walked out on him so young that Al had better memories of her than he did, wanted him to come to her house. Anger rushed over him like a tidal wave, and he contemplated just hanging up on her. It was what she deserved, a small voice in the back of his head said. She left him, why should he run when she called? He took a breath and loosened his grip on his phone. People make mistakes. Its never too late to change. He firmly, truly believed that. And it was his mother. He owed her at least one do-over.
"Where do you live? When do you want to meet up?" He asked.
"I'm free now? I could text you the address?" She said, sounding uncertain. Matthew hesitated. Was he ready for this right now? Maybe he should wait for Al to come home. But Al would tell him not to go. Al would let that angry little voice inside him win.
"Now is great! I'll be right over. Just text me the address." He told her.
"Great! I will!" She said, he could practically hear her smile through the phone. "I'll see you, then?"
"Yeah, I'll see you soon, mom." He grinned, hanging up the phone. He tossed it on the desk and hurried to his closet, grabbing a nicer shirt and a new pair of pants. He wanted to make a good first impression, after all. He threw on the clothes and grabbed his phone, wallet, and keys, practically running out the door.
Most of the drive was spent half regretting his decision and fighting the urge to turn back out from nerves alone. He knew it was going to be awkward, and he loved nothing more than avoiding awkwardness. But he wanted, needed, a relationship with his mother. He loved Emily, but she wasn't his mother.
He parked outside of the small, crooked house in a run down suburb and spent a moment in the car just gathering up his courage. If he went in there, he could never go back. She'd be real, not just the spectre of a memory. He'd know if he passed her on the street, and she'd know him. They would never be strangers again.
He got out of the car and knocked on the door.
A short, petite woman with fading blonde hair and tired eyes opened the door. Her face was rough and lined, like she'd lived a hard life since she'd disappeared. When she smiled, her teeth were crooked and browning. "Matthew?" She asked, her voice high and hopeful.
"Mom?" He asked, unsure of what else to say. She looked at him, her eyes drinking him in. They hung suspended for an instant, neither sure what to say.
"Look at me, leaving you out on the porch in the cold." She said bashfully. "Come in!" She urged him, stepping back.
He ducked his head in a quick nod and stepped inside after her. The house was small, cramped, and dirty. Nothing seemed to have a place, much less be in it, and the whole space seemed dark and dingy.
"Have you lived here long?" He asked, wondering what had happened in her life that such a promising young woman had ended up like this.
"Hopefully not much longer." She said, smiling cryptically. "Why don't you come into the kitchen? I'll get you something to drink."
"Sure, sounds great." He said, following her into the kitchen. "What do you have?" He asked, going to sit down. As he reached for the chair, he was grabbed from behind, his arms caught in an iron hold.
"What the hell!?" He shouted, struggling against whoever had him. "Mom! Run! Call the police!" He said, fighting harder. He couldn't let them get her!
Stephanie stayed put, not looking at him.
"Mom?" He asked, fear creeping into the edges of his voice.
"You shouldn't have come here, Matthew." She said quietly, turning to look at him with weary, tired eyes. "Who taught you to be so trusting? It was probably Alfred, he was always so protective of you. He's a good boy." She sighed.
"Mom...mom, what's going on?" Matt asked, the bottom dropping out of his stomach as it clicked.
"I'm sick, Mattie." She said, looking away. "These guys, they're going to give me what I need. All I had to do was get you here. You-" She choked up, tears coming to her eyes. "Why did you make it so easy!? You weren't supposed to come!" She sobbed, shaking her head furiously. "I abandoned you! You weren't supposed to come!" She repeated, voice hitching.
"You're sick?" Matt asked. "Why didn't you tell me? I would have helped you! What do you need? Just tell me and I'll get it!" He promised. Stephanie gave a watery, frustrated laugh.
"I'm not...I'm not ill, Mattie." She told him. "I'm...I'm a junkie." She spat venemously, burying her face in her hands and giving a broken sob. "They said if I gave you to them, they would supply me for life. They promised you wouldn't get hurt if Al did what he was told. And I know he will! Al would never, ever let you get hurt! It'll be okay, baby. Al will do what he needs to do and you two can go home. You'll never, ever have to see me again."
Matthew went slack in his captor's arms. Everything felt numb and far away, the only sound he could hear was the rush of blood in his ears. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Drugs?" He croaked, his eyes burning as fat, hot tears began to roll down his cheeks. "You called me out of the blue after years of nothing...to sell me for a lifetime supply of drugs!?" He screamed, renewing his struggle as he tried to lunge at her. "I can't believe you!"
"I'm sorry, baby!" She sobbed, dropping to her knees. "I'm so sorry!"
"Shut up!" He snapped, eyes wild as he fought to get at her. "Just shut up!"
"Actually, kid, I think its time for you to shut up." His captor said, holding a rag to his mouth and nose. Matthew fought harder, yelling muffled threats through the cloth. But his limbs quickly grew heavy, his mind foggy. Eventually he sagged in his grip, just trying to stay awake. The last thing he saw before he passed out was the man holding him toss a sandwich baggy fully of dirty white crystal shards on the kitchen table.
~*°•°*~
"It was really nice of your sister to let me come over for dinner." Toris said, adjusting his backpack as they walked together down the sidewalk. School had just let out, and children ran laughing and shouting past them as they went. Natalia was quiet, she was usually quiet these days, and Toris had been trying to get her to engage. She appreciated her friend's efforts, but her mind was firmly on her brother.
"Do you think he's okay?" She asked, glancing over at Toris.
"You said he's the best, bravest, coolest cop ever! I'm sure he's fine. Plus, how much trouble could he get into at a policeman convention?" He asked, a little confused at the question.
Natalia sighed. Ivan had told her he was going to a convention, but she knew it wasn't true. She'd spread the lie anyway, not wanting her brother to get in trouble. She didn't know why he was lying, or where he really was, but she would protect him from here. She was a big girl, and brave. She would keep everything at home going until he got back.
"Let's go to the store. I have to pick up some stuff for Katya." She said, leading Toris down a side street. Katya had dropped the rest of their eggs that morning and had a catastrophic meltdown. Natasha had gone to her and done all the things Ivan usually did when she had a fit. She stroked her hair, told her it would be okay, and cleaned up the mess.
Katya had just held her and kept crying and apologizing. Confused, Natalia had assured her the eggs weren't a big deal. Katya had just shaken her head, sobbing, and hugged her tighter. Natasha didn't understand, but she let her sister hold her until she stopped crying.
"Where are they going in such a hurry?" Toris asked, tearing Natasha out of the memory. She frowned as he pointed to a big black van with no windows speeding down the street. The hair on the back of her neck stood up, and she grabbed Toris' wrist.
"Let's go." She said, starting to pull him away. But before they could get more than a few steps, the van had screeched to a halt beside them. The doors flung open and two towering figures stepped out. Natasha's blood ran cold as they grabbed her, freezing in fear.
"You leave her alone!" Toris shouted, throwing his backpack at the man who grabbed her. The impact jarred Natasha out of her fear and broke the man's grip on her arm. Taking the opening, Natasha tore away from the men and grabbed Toris' hand, booking it away from the van with her friend in tow.
"Who were those guys!?" Toris asked as they ran, their feet pounding against the pavement and their hearts pounding in their chests.
"I don't know." Natalia said, jerking him down an alleyway.
"Why did they try to grab you?" He asked, panic creeping into his voice.
"I don't know!" Natalia hissed. "Now be quiet and concentrate on running!" She dragged him into another alley guarded by an old, crooked fence. The gap between the gate and the posts was just big enough for a child to fit through, and Natasha hurried Toris through the gap before squeezing through herself.
"There. We should have lost them." She said, panting and doubling over to catch her breath.
"Natasha," Toris said, his voice shaking. "What's happening? Why are those guys after you? I'm scared." There were tears in his eyes and he was trembling, and Natasha vowed violent revenge on whoever those guys were.
"I don't know what's going on, Toris. I don't know who they are or what they want. I just know that it isn't safe for you to come over tonight. You have to go home." She said.
"No!" Toris cried, looking like she'd asked him to shoot her himself.
"Don't argue with me!" Natasha spat. "You're going straight home, away from this mess!" She put her hands on her hips and drew herself up to full height like Ivan did when she was in trouble.
It didn't seem to phase Toris at all. "Natasha! If I hadn't been there...if I hadn't thrown my backpack..." He cut himself off with a choked sob. "What if I go home and they catch up to you on your way home?" He asked, voice strained. "What if they come tonight-"
Natalia cut him off. "What if they come tonight and you're there? You think you'll rescue me? That you'll save my sister? You think you can protect me better than a grown up, you dummy? If they come again, they'll get you too and it'll be my fault because I didn't make you go home. You'll just be one more kid for Katya to worry about. If they kill us, how will your Mama feel?" She asked her eyes hard and her little mouth set in a thin line.
Toris started to cry. Natasha sighed and hugged him, petting his hair like she had her sister's. "It'll be okay, Toris. But you have to go home. I'll be alright, I know a twisty way home, and Katya is there to protect me. And Eloise lives right next door and her brother has a billion guns." She told him, stepping away to let him wipe his eyes.
"I don't want them to get you, Natasha! I don't want you to die! You're my best friend!" He sobbed, scrubbing at his eyes. Natasha's face warmed, and she blinked at him in wonder. She was his best friend? She'd never had a best friend before, not even in Russia.
"You're my best friend, too. That's why I can't let you get caught up in this more than you already are. If something happened to you because of me, I would never forgive myself. Please, Toris. Go home." She begged him, tears suddenly springing to her own eyes as she considered the possibility that it might already be too late. They saw him with her. He saw them. Who knew if Toris was safe even at home?
Toris looked at her for a long time, wavering, but he finally nodded. Natasha took his hand in hers and pulled him towards the other end of the alley. "It'll be okay, Toris. I promise." She said, squeezing his hand.
"Well," a man said from the mouth of the alley as he stepped out to block their way, "it's certainly looking up for me, at least." He chuckled. The blood drained from Natasha's face and she looked at Toris. Her best friend.
She had to protect him.
"Get ready to run." She said, her face set in a hard mask.
"Natasha, what are you going to do?" Toris asked, sounding frightened.
"Don't worry, just run." She snapped. She braced herself for a moment and took off like a shot. "Toris run!" She shouted, barrelling into the man blocking their way. She smacked into him hard enough to knock him back, letting Toris slip past.
As he grabbed her and hauled her over his shoulder, she looked up at Toris. He was standing in the middle of the street, eyes wide and jaw slack. He took a step towards her and Natalia didn't know if she wanted to slap him or hug him. He was being so brave.
"Run, Toris! Run!" She screamed. He stood for a few seconds, debating, but eventually took off down an alley, hopefully towards safety. As Natalia was shoved into the van, she breathed a sigh of relief. If Toris was okay, it had been worth it. She would just have to find a way to rescue herself, like Ivan would. She would be brave, just like her brother.
~*°•°*~
Light filtered through ice cubes and amber liquid as Alfred held his glass of whiskey up, swirling it around in tempestuous contemplation. He and Ivan were sitting in the living room, the question burning in both of their minds hanging in the air unasked for fear of being overheard.
After a whole day of silence on the matter, Alfred was the first to crack.
"Why didn't they show up?" He asked quietly, leaving the who intentionally vague in case the mics picked it up.
"I don't know." Ivan answered back, frowning into his own glass. That was the worst part, that they just didn't know what had gone wrong. It could be nothing. Someone grabbed the backpack, a dog took off with it, it got put back in the dumpster and thrown away with the trash. But the possibility that it could mean everything weighed heavily on both of them.
"We have to lay low. It's the best way." Ivan reminded him. "Don't give anyone a reason to look twice." Alfred nodded. He knew that, but that didn't make the not knowing any easier. If he had been tense before, he was half panicked now.
They both jumped when the phone rang. Alfred took a deep breath and picked it up, frowning when he saw it was Mei. "Hello?" He answered.
"Jaime. Got something for you, to apologize for hardly getting any of the action last night. That lovely gentleman you persuaded to pay his protection tax just called. Says a couple of Red Dragons are down there roughing up customers, trying to shake him down." She told him
"The nerve of them, trying to extort money from a poor, hapless citizen." Alfred tutted. "Someone should teach them a lesson." Mei chuckled.
"I agree. Would you like to do the honors?" She asked, "I know you and the fine businessman in question are already well acquainted."
"It would be a pleasure. We'll head out right now." He assured her, hanging up the phone and turning to Ivan. "They paid these guys how much money, and they're just using us as muscle? Dumbasses." He snorted.
"Well, let's just go ahead and get it done with. If we refuse, questions." He reminded him.
"Yeah, yeah. I know. Let's just go." He sighed, grabbing the keys and beckoning for Ivan to follow him. Ivan could see the rising agitation in the way he stomped to the car, and the way he shut the door a little harder than normal. He could empathize. He was just waiting for the other boot to fall and the bullets to start flying. He knew, just knew, that the police hadn't missed the drop off on accident.
The nightclub was different by night. Music pulsed outwards from the doors as they approached, people lined up around the block to get in. Inside, lights strobed and flashed to the music as bodies pushed and slid against each other. Gilbert stood by the door in an expensive, well-tailored suit with a harried look on his face.
"Snow White! Long time, no see. How's it hangin'?" Alfred asked, sauntering up and clapping him on the shoulder. Gilbert gave him a look of pure disgust and stepped away from him like he had been burned.
"Shut it, glasses. Just do your damn job and fuck up the assholes ruining the vibe of my awesome nightclub!" He demanded, jabbing his finger at a pair of tall, lean Asian men leaning up against the building across the street, smoking and watching the clubgoers closely.
"Fine, fine. Why don't you take the stick out of your ass while I'm gone, yeah?" Alfred sneered, turning and following Ivan as he started across the street. He really had to look into that guy's coding and licences when he got back to the precinct.
"Hey, fellas. Having a nice night?" Ivan asked the men as they approached, his hands shoved casually in his pockets, his posture cavalier. The men stamped out their cigarettes and shoved off of the wall.
"How about we do this somewhere more private?" The shorter of the two asked. "Wouldn't want the police breaking up the party." He grinned, a harsh, feral expression. Ivan raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"Why should we go anywhere when the point is to get you to leave?" He asked.
"To get us to leave." The other man answered. "And get us to stay gone. If you think you can." He challenged, laughing like the thought was absurd. Suddenly, Ivan felt the need to let out some of the frustration that had been building up over the course of the mission.
"Where." He growled, clenching his jaw.
"There." The man pointed, indicating what looked like an abandoned warehouse. Ivan looked at Alfred for confirmation.
Alfred bit his lip, considering the possibility that this was a trap and they were about to get jumped. But if they left without confronting these guys, there would be questions. And they really didn't want the cops involved, ironically enough. He blew out a short breath and nodded.
"Excellent." The shorter gangster grinned. "This should be over quick enough." He laughed outright at that. Ivan felt his blood boil, and he was looking forward to smashing this asshole's face in.
Ivan stalked behind the men with Alfred bringing up the rear. They slipped in through a side door into darkness. Ivan grabbed Alfred's hand so he wouldn't lose him in the gloom, and started feeling along the wall for a light switch. He would rather not wait and give the gangsters the opportunity to attack them in the dark.
The door shut behind them with a click, followed quickly by the lock turning. Alfred and Ivan turned to see what was going on behind them as light flooded the space and Leon Chun, second in command to Yao Wang, clapped slow and sarcastic from the middle of the warehouse floor, flanked by a dozen armed guards and a black, windowless van than no doubt held more.
"Well, well. Ivan, Alfred. So nice of you to join us!" He called from across the warehouse floor. "We've been waiting for you." He spread his arms wide, indicating his assembled party. Ivan's blood ran cold and drained out of his face as he struggled not to shake. Heat surged through Alfred's veins as he grit his teeth and clenched his fists.
"How did you find out?" He demanded, spitting the words at Leon like venom.
"You fucked up, Al. Your drop off point was shit, and your dumbass partner didn't even see the guy sleeping behind the dumpster. Wouldn't have been too bad, actually, if he didn't work for Beilschmidt. Gilbert's a fucking genius, you know. Surprising, I'm aware." He chuckled. "But he is. He cracked your code in one night and came to me with everything. After that, it was dead simple tracking you down. I mean, how many guys over 6 feet with purple eyes do you think there are in this city?" He scoffed. "What is this? Amateur hour? Kiku is stupid enough to hire cops, and those cops are stupid enough to get caught this easily? Its almost disappointing." He sneered.
"So, what? Are you gonna kill us?" Alfred asked, snarling. He kept his hand poised over the gun at his hip. There was no way he was going down without a fight.
"Oh, no. I have something different in mind." He said, snapping his fingers. One of the guards opened the door of the van and Matt and Natasha were drug out, kicking and screaming through the rags tied around their mouths.
"Let her go!" Ivan roared, pure rage twisting his face. Seeing her brother, Natasha's struggling took on new vigor, and she slammed her foot down on the toes of the man holding her. She ducked out of his hold and started to make a run for her brother. One of the guards casually grabbed his rifle and smashed the butt into her head, sending her tumbling to the ground.
"Natasha!" Ivan cried, lunging for the man who had hit her. Alfred caught him around the middle and held him back, shouting at him not to escalate the situation. Ivan could barely hear him through the blinding, white hot rage surging through him. His sister, his baby sister, lay still on the ground and Ivan couldn't even go to her.
Natalia stirred, attempting to struggle to her feet. Suddenly, he felt the barrel of a gun pressed against her head and she stilled, beginning to tremble. "I wouldn't move if I were you, little girl." He cautioned her coldly. "Or you'll get more than a bump on your head."
"What do you want?" Ivan spat, standing down. He could feel Leon's neck under his hands, he wanted it so badly.
"Oh, not much. A monopoly on organized crime in the city, to be fantastically wealthy, to take down everyone who stands in my way. Simple goals, really." He answered, shrugging. "And you're going to help me." He grinned.
"How?" Alfred asked warily.
"You're going to kill Kiku Honda." He said simply, as if discussing picking up milk. "If you don't, I shoot the brat and the twink. And you, of course. That goes without saying, though."
"Why not just let us arrest him? Doesn't that achieve your goal?" Ivan asked, dropping his American accent. He hoped it would make Natasha feel better to hear his voice without the flat, broad tones he's taken to using undercover.
"No!" Leon snapped, reigning himself in quickly. "No, it doesn't. You're a cop, you know better than anyone how easy it is to run a criminal empire from a prison cell. I need him out of the way. That means dead, not locked up."
"We'll do it." Ivan said immediately.
Alfred balked, "What the fuck? Ivan, we can't!" He said, shaking his head, dumbfounded. He couldn't believe Ivan had agreed that quickly! To just agree to become assassins like that?
"I'll do it. If Jones is willing to let his brother die, that's his problem." Ivan told Leon, not even looking at Alfred.
Alfred looked at Matt, eyes wide and hurt at Ivan's implication. Matt just shook his head, trying to tell him something through the gag. But he couldn't understand it, couldn't interpret what he meant. Maybe he was telling him not to do it. Maybe he was telling him not to listen to Ivan. If he backed out, would he ever hear Matt say anything again?
"Fine." He snapped. "Fine, we'll do it." He squeezed his eyes shut and pulled in a shaky breath. What had they just agreed to? What kind of devil had they just sold their souls to?
"Good choice." Leon said, smirking. The guards loaded Matt and Natalia, both much more subdued that they had been. "I'll be watching the news very closely, boys. Don't disappoint, and don't keep me waiting. Go." He commanded.
The two men who had led them in ushered them back out into the street. When the door clicked shut behind them, Alfred fell to his knees. Ice crawled through his veins and a scream he refused to let out clawed at the back of his throat. He trembled, lightly at first and then more violently until he was shaking like a leaf.
"Alfred?" Ivan asked softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. He knelt down beside him, tilting his chin up to look into his eyes. "It's going to be okay." He murmured, drawing his partner to his chest in a comforting hug. Alfred choked out a small sob he immediately squashed, burying his face in Ivan's coat and huddling close to him.
"We have to go, Alfred. We can't do this here." He said, gently leading Alfred to stand up. He wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him close. Desperate for any scrap of comfort, Alfred leaned into him as they walked. He wasn't sure he could have even walked without Ivan there.
"I never wanted to kill again." He rasped, starting to tremble again. Ivan squeezed his waist and shook his head.
"I'll do the killing, Alik. Don't worry. It'll be okay." He assured him softly, opening the car door for him, grabbing his hand for a moment as he climbed in as a show of support. Somehow, it didn't seem to comfort Alfred. Leon Chun had Matt, he was going to kill him. He was going to kill Ivan's little sister. The adorable one who had almost held her own in the pie eating contest at the annual picnic.
"We fucked up, Ivan." He said, voice small and weak and tired. "We really fucked up."
"Yeah." Ivan sighed, starting up the car. "Yeah, we did."