Honeyed Poison

'.'

He's going to bathe your perfect skin

In your own filthy blood—

He's going to feed your mouth

Your own rotten fruit.

.'.

Klavier was stirred awake by movement beneath his fingers and he instantly lifted his head off the hospital bed, looking at Ema's fingers. His bloodshot eyes snapped to her sleeping face which remained disconcertingly serene.

"Ema?" he whispered.

When she didn't respond, disappointment crushed him when he realised he'd probably been dreaming again. He cursed his heart and mind for playing cruel tricks on him.

He leaned forward, tightening his hands around her cool fingers, closing his eyes as he kissed them. His entire being screamed for her to reply, to squeeze his finger and to show him that she could hear him. Klavier wanted her to wake up and scream at him, to call him a fop, to throw Snackoos at him for his soppiness and tell him that she was fine, that she loved him and she would never leave him…

Ever since he'd found her, Klavier had died over and over again, his fear slowly transforming to a throbbing ache; he needed to hear her voice again and bring him to life as only she could. She was his beginning and she was his end. He depended upon her – there could be an Ema Skye without a Klavier Gavin but there could never be a Klavier without Ema. He loved her. He needed her.

"Please, Ema," he said softly, his lips still pressed against her skin. "Please wake up…"

Suddenly, a hand fell on his shoulder but he didn't turn around; he didn't care enough to look. It could have been the Angel of Death and he wouldn't have given a damn. A thousand men wouldn't have been able to drag him away from her.

"You need to get some sleep, K," Deston said.

"I have slept enough."

"Go home," Deston said. "Get some sleep."

"I will not leave her," Klavier repeated for the millionth time.

"I'll stay."

"Stay then," Klavier said dully, raising his head and looking at Ema. "But so shall I."

Apparently realising he was fighting a losing battle, Deston sighed and pulled up a chair next to Klavier, before falling into it tiredly.

"Have you found Sloan?" Klavier asked.

"No," Deston said heavily. "I don't know how he got away. The doctors said the rohypnol was administered less than 10 minutes before we found her which means he – or anyone else – must have been in the vicinity when we entered the building but there's no trace of anyone."

Klavier said nothing.

"She's going to pull through, K," Deston said quietly. "Ema's tougher than we realise."

"Tell me something, Deston," Klavier said, turning slowly on his friend. "Why is it that rohypnol is still available after all of the effort the DEA put into banning it?"

The drummer rubbed his eyes wearily. "You know we're dealing with a crime ring, K."

"A crime ring that has thrice tried to kill Ema," Klavier said.

"I don't think they tried to kill her this time."

"Do you require more evidence than the possible threat of Ema falling into a coma?" Klavier said icily and Deston flinched. "Perhaps more than the fact that she shows clear signs of torture and has been mutilated the same way that Raina was?"

The air thickened with tension and anger as both friends sat in stony silence. Out of the corner of his eye, Klavier saw Deston's knuckles tighten around a folder, the skin stretching until it was white. He felt a pang of guilt.

"I am sorry, Des," Klavier sighed. "That was out of order."

"I'm not pissed off at you, Klavier," said the Gavinner, not looking at him. "It's just—" He took a shaky breath and Klavier finally turned to look at his friend; the man was looked mentally and physically exhausted. "After all these years, I finally know who's behind her murder… I know who I need to take down and I don't really know how to deal with that shit without taking the bastard by the throat and ripping his innards out."

"We will take them down, Des. All of us," Klavier reassured him. "I have made up my mind." Deston looked at Klavier whose mouth was set in a grim smile. "I am bringing Rafael's execution date forward."

"What…?"

"He is no good to us. Alive he is nothing but a danger." Klavier's eyes flashed. "And if I am able to do this, he will not be expecting it and any possible attempts to escape…"

"…will go to hell," Deston finished with a dark laugh. "It's perfect."

"And then we will move on to destroying the work he has spent his life building," Klavier said menacingly, seeing Rafael's demonic face before his eyes. "I will tear it all apart until there is nothing left of his memory except the banner of failure."

Something was taking hold of him, something cold and powerful that he had never felt before. He turned his gaze to Deston sideways, wondering if his friend had heard the disturbing tone of his voice but found his own intense hatred reflected in the other's face and when he spoke, his voice was laced with the same darkness.

"Speaking of failure," Deston said. "I bring you testament to his stupidity." Klavier glanced down at the folder he was holding out.

"What is it?"

A smile of deep satisfaction flowered on Deston's haggard face. "The key to destroying this crime ring once and for all." Doubt flickered through Klavier as he wondered how Deston could have acquired such a weapon. His friend laughed at his expression. "Rafael has branched out too far – and caught the attention of too many departments."

Klavier frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I was doing a little digging into a colleague's extra-curricular activities when I came across an interesting little tid-bit about Raoul." Klavier cocked an eyebrow at Deston who ran a hand through his messy hair. "Seems I'm not the only one getting secretly getting promoted."

"Raoul was promoted?"

"Yeah. According to the grapevine, he's been doing some extra work for the Office of International Operations as well as the Criminal Investigative Division," he smiled with amusement, "following Rafael's drug, slave and organ trafficking."

Klavier's body straightened with surprise. "Raoul is after Rainsford too?"

Deston smirked. "Not only is he after Rafael, he's been hiding the biggest weapon of all. In here," he flicked a hand at the folder in his lap, "I found evidence of a witness protection programme that he initiated…" Deston's grin widened, "…for one, Kade Richards."

Klavier felt as though someone had dumped a bucket of ice cold water on him and then tried to set him on fire. The shock rendered him speechless for a moment before he shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "I was informed Kade died—"

"Of cyanide poisoning?" Deston said, quirking an eyebrow. "No. He was injected with pyrarodotoxin – a chemical that induces death," he explained seeing Klavier's confused expression.

"Kade Richards is alive?"

Deston nodded. "Seren took him abroad. Yeah, I know," he said, rolling his eyes when he saw Klavier's look. "I guess Seren and Raoul were a little sour that we don't tell them everything and decided to start keeping things from us."

The prosecutor didn't hear him – there was a roaring in his ears that was deafening him and he turned fiercely triumphant eyes on Ema, squeezing her hand again. I have found a way to make him pay, Ema, he thought. I will turn him inside out with crippling rage for what he did to you.

"Apparently, Raoul and Seren also have some rather interesting information that Kade gathered on Rafael's little gang," Deston continued.

Klavier turned to look at him sharply. "Was there a journal?"

His friend looked a little taken aback. "Yeah, actually, there was."

"I want it," Klavier said bluntly. "Tell Adagio to have it to me as soon as he can and if he tries to pull any of that jurisdiction shit, tell him—"

Deston was laughing. "I already have it, K. It was a wrench getting it off him but I worked my way around the stubborn bastard. I think that we need to sit down and have a talk. We're all after the same thing so it only makes sense to work together."

Klavier was about to respond, affirming the wisdom of his suggestion, when the unthinkable happened, something that made him believe in the mercy and goodness of life – Ema's fingers curled around his.

He turned his neck so fast that there was a loud crick! but he barely noticed. His blue eyes were on her twitching fingers and then her face where her lips were moving around an inaudible word.

"Ema?" he said, instantly rising to his feet and bending closer to her face. "Can you hear me?"

Her answer was to murmur incoherently.

"Get the doctor!" he shouted but Deston was already out of the door. "Ema," he breathed. "You are safe… I have you."

"Klavier."

His heart turned over at the sound of the desperation in her voice, the fear and the weariness.

"I'm going to have to ask you to step outside, gentlemen," said a female voice and Klavier glanced at the doctor to entered briskly, followed by her barrage of nurses.

"C'mon, K," Deston said, tugging on his arm.

"Doktor…" Klavier said pleadingly. "Please do everything you can."

"I will, Mr Gavin."

With Deston's voice in his ear, Klavier exited the room and every step he took hit him in the chest like a bullet until he fell against the wall outside. His shaking hands came up to cover his face and a small moan escaped him.

"C'mon, man," Deston said in a quiet voice. "Have faith. She's gonna be fine."

Klavier didn't answer. His mind was a mess of memories that only dragged him further into the bleak possibilities that lay before him. He thought of his mother, dead because she'd loved her children so much, of his father who hadn't loved anybody, of Kristoph who had discarded their honour and of himself, who had lost his family.

Then, unexpectedly, he thought of a man that he'd only met twice but now suddenly felt closer to him than anyone else; had Mia Fey felt this way when Diego Armando had been brought to the hospital? And then, quite suddenly, he knew that if he lost Ema today, he would be just as destroyed as Diego had been – if he lost Ema this night, he would fall too.

"Klavier," Deston said, shaking him. "I know what you're thinking but you're worrying for nothing. I've dealt with about a hundred thousand cases of rohypnol overdose and they nearly always pull through. The few that fall into coma are the ones who consume it with alcohol. Ema was injected with too much rohypnol but it was pure." He shook his head. "There's no trace of alcohol in her system. The doctor's just being cautious."

"I do not think the doctor would go to the extreme of saying she feared Ema could become comatose unless she—"

"Klavier, I'm telling you, man," Deston said solemnly, cutting across him. "Ema's going to pull through. The worst case scenario is she's going to suffer memory loss."

Klavier didn't say anything but only because he was too tired to argue with his friend. He wanted to tell Deston to stop trying to get his hopes up when this night might—

No.

Klavier turned away from his friend and punched the wall, causing a few nurses walking by to look at him in surprise. He was gulping lungfuls of air, trying to steady his spinning head. Ema cannot die, he told himself. She couldn't die because he loved her and how could it happen to him again? Whatever higher power there was, it couldn't take Ema away from him too. She was the one woman who had come close to replacing the inimitable feeling of loss he carried inside every day…

So he waited, the reassurance like a droning mantra in his aching head while Deston paced nearby, only stopping every few minutes to look at him and make sure he hadn't broken into a thousand pieces. The patients, visitors and staff that passed the two didn't attempt to talk to either Gavinner, so clear was the intense look of anxiety on both their handsome faces. They walked on, some casting pitying looks and others, curiosity, wondering who was fortunate enough to have the attention of both these men and whether the patient they worried over wasn't another Gavinner…

The door opened and Klavier rounded instantly on the doctor who's stressed face nearly stopped his heart but then she smiled with relief at both of them. "She's out of the woods. The drug hasn't worn off completely but when it does she might not remember much of what happened and she'll probably be a bit drowsy. For the most part, she's fine."

At last the heaviness disappeared from inside him, so suddenly that it was almost painful. The oxygen that he'd been drinking finally filled his lungs deeply as it should have and he laughed, shakily, grabbing the doctor's hands and kissing them for their service.

"Thank you!" he sang. "Thank you, Fräulein Doktor! Thank you!"

A slight blush crept over her neck and when she spoke it was in a very flustered manner. "Yes – well – that's – it's my job."

"May we see her?" Deston asked, sighing with relief.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to say no," the woman said, suddenly stern. "You've been here since she was brought in. She needs her rest and so do the both of you. Normal visiting hours apply now."

"Please doctor," Klavier implored. "Just for one minute – no wait, thirty seconds. You may even time me. I just want to see her face."

The doctor struggled with herself for a moment and then gave an exasperated nod. "Just a moment, though."

Klavier was already past her, throwing the door open and staring at Ema who was still asleep, and though she was physically unchanged, she suddenly seemed more at peace, less restless… less in danger…

There was a sense of amazed reverence for her strength and his heart swelled with pride. He felt a stab of shame for ever doubting that she would pull through, that she would leave him…

And suddenly, just the sight of her was more than enough and he didn't even mind when the doctor told them to step out and to go home because it meant that Ema really and truly was going to be okay and that he would look into her eyes again, he would see her smile again, he would hear her voice again…

And he would have the chance to be with her again.

"So, K," Deston said, slapping him on the back as they headed for his car through the parking lot. "What next?"

Klavier looked at Deston, asking himself the same question and the answer came to him almost instantly; it was reflected in his friend's face and in the memory of Simon and what he had lost.

The bandaged burn on Ema's wrist made one thing clear to all of them – that Rafael had somehow been tied to Raina's death because her body had been severely branded the same way. Deston had lost the love of his life to Rafael, Simon had lost Gale and Klavier had almost lost Ema. He suddenly felt closer to Deston and Simon than he ever had before.

So when the question was posed, Klavier needed little time to answer.

Leaning against the roof of his car and staring at his friend, he smiled coldly. Deston's victorious expression told him his friend had read the decision in his face – they were both thinking the same thing.

"Now," he said in a voice raging with fire, "it is time for Rafael's reckoning."

"Sure," the warden said with a nod. "We've been expecting you."

Klavier was surprised. "You have?"

"Yeah. Rainsford said you'd be by to meet him."

"Rainsford knew Klavier was going to be here?" Deston said, pushing himself away from the wall where he was leaning. "How the hell did he know that?"

"Beats me, gents," the warden replied, shrugging. "One of the guards said he asked me to confirm it."

"You've lost me, Warden," Deston said, shaking his head. "Start from the beginning."

The short man scowled. "It's not that difficult to understand, boy. Rainsford said, to one of the guards, that he was expecting him—" he pointed at Klavier "—and that I was meant to confirm it. In other words, I was supposed to know about this visit. I didn't so I told him not to get his hopes up."

Klavier frowned, still confused, and looked at Deston who shrugged. Together, they watched the warden lock his office door. Then, he gestured for the two men to follow him. Unperturbed by the warden's strange revelation, they smirked at each other, anticipation giving their steps speed.

The first and last time Klavier had visited Rafael, the crime lord had caught him off-guard with his casual behaviour, his manipulation of Klavier's feelings and his unexpected knowledge of Klavier from his brother. The young prosecutor had walked out of the cell with a horrible taste in his mouth and consternation running through him.

But this time, the tables had turned.

Klavier was going back into the lion's den armed with ammunition more powerful than anything the animal possessed – he had the power of truth on his side. It was a truth that would wipe that smirk off his face and shake his confidence. But this time, Klavier was using a darker weapon – he was going to combine the truth with its antithesis so that when he revealed his deception, it would hurt all the more. Criminals like Rafael deserved no more and no less.

"You armed?" the warden asked suddenly as they stopped before a large metal door, glancing at Klavier.

"Why?"

"If you're gonna step past them bars, you should be," the man warned. "Rainsford isn't happy with you, I should imagine."

"In that case…" Both Gavinners suddenly waved their guns in his face and Klavier gave a sly smile. "Would this suffice?"

"Celebrities," the man muttered irately before turning around and swiping a card through the electronic device next to the door. A small beep ensued and he pushed the door open, gesturing for them to go inside. "Knock on the door when you're done. Here's the key to the cell."

"Are you afraid to come inside, Warden?" Deston teased, taking the key.

"What do ya take me for, kid?"

"Just kidding, pops," Deston said with a grin.

Klavier ignored them, moving past and pushing the door open. There was no hesitancy in his walk now – only confidence. With every step he took closer to Ema's attacker, his countenance turned black. When he held the door open for Deston, his friend handed him a little book that was wedged with sheets, thickened beyond its normal size and he took it in his hand, gratified by the weight of it in his hand.

"Ready to fill the big bad wolf with stones?"

"Ja," Klavier said, nodding slowly. "I am."

Both of them turned together and walked down the narrow passage together, every footstep bringing them closer to their personal revenge. Blue and gray eyes burned with a deepening hatred which swirled around a determination that today would mark the beginning of the end.

Klavier entered the room and he turned slowly towards Rafael who stood in the shadows, his back to them. As Deston came to a stop beside Klavier, his fingers ran smoothly over the sheet of paper in his hand but the sound didn't seem to attract Rafael's attention. He stood still, tall and dominant. The prosecutor surveyed him calmly, taking in the feet spread apart confidently, giving support to a straight, strong back. Curled fists fell from powerful, broad shoulders resting beneath a raised head of dark hair. Now he understood Rafael's cocky behaviour, the blatant disregard he'd shown for the impending death sentence. Anybody would have laughed if he knew he was going to escape the confines he had allowed the establishment to believe trapped him.

Klavier couldn't help but smirk at Deston sideways who was examining Rafael too.

"So you're finally here, Mr Gavin," Rafael said suddenly, his voice soft. "I confess I was becoming impatient."

"I am sorry to have kept you waiting, Herr Rainsford," Klavier replied mockingly.

Rafael's back stiffened but a moment later, when Rafael turned around, he was sure he'd imagined the reaction. The man's handsome face was as genial as always and there was an amused smile on his lips as his electric blue eyes fell on the prosecutor.

"Ah," was all he said.

"It has been a while since our last meeting," Klavier said, gesturing towards the bars that separated them. "How are you enjoying your new lodgings?"

Rafael's arms came to fold over his chest and Klavier thought he saw the man's eyes flash. "They're incredible, Klavier." He took a few slow, deliberate steps forwards, before suddenly smiling at the other Gavinner. "Ah. This must be Deston. Deston Cavatin."

Klavier threw his friend a sharp look, momentarily anxious that he might lose his cool – Deston's earlier threat came back to him and his need for vengeance had made Klavier uncertain about the wisdom of letting him come. Of course, Deston had insisted on being here and the blond had known that denying him that was not an option. He need not have worried though; Deston was relaxed and smiling at Rafael like he was finally meeting someone he'd heart a lot about.

"Rafael Rainsford," Deston said pleasantly. "How're you doing?"

Rafael flashed a perfect smile at him. "Quite fine, thank you."

"Glad to hear it," Deston said with a nod. "I've brought you a little gift. My Mama always taught me it was good manners to bring a housewarming present."

This time, Klavier was sure of it – there was a definite anger lurking behind Rafael's façade. By moving him to another cell and cutting off his contact, Klavier had obviously messed with Rafael's plans… and their arrogant visit was doing little to improve his mood.

"Your… Mama sounds like a lovely woman," Rafael said silkily. "I should like to meet her some day."

"Oh you'll meet her soon," Deston said with dark amusement and Klavier chuckled inwardly – Mrs Cavatin had died two years ago.

"The key," Klavier said, extending a hand to his friend while keeping his gaze fixed on Rafael. "Step away from the door, Herr Rainsford."

Rafael didn't move for a while and the silence that followed seemed to thicken with questions, games, double entrendes and disgust. He stared at the young men intently as if he was trying to read them but the Gavinners kept their faces devoid of all expression except for a glimmer of derisive amusement. Rafael seemed to understand because he flashed them another smile and stepped backwards, gesturing lazily towards the door. Klavier unlocked it and threw a glance back at Deston who was still watching Rafael cautiously. He knew that his friend had his back.

"To what do I owe this pleasure, gentlemen?" Rafael said.

Klavier smiled, gesturing for Deston to come lock the door. "I am sure you remember my reason for visiting you last time."

"Sure," Rafael said, sitting down on his bed and leaning against the wall comfortably. "You were seeking justice for the lovely Gale."

Klavier's insides tightened. "Indeed. You see, Rafael, I have come to learn much about this entire case – even more so, than you."

Rafael smiled patronisingly. "How impressive."

Klavier nodded. "I have so much to tell you, Herr Rainsford, I am not entirely sure where to begin. Perhaps I could address your attempted murder of one of my detectives."

Rafael waved a hand invitingly. "Please do."

"Ema Skye is alive and well," Klavier continued, the tenor of his voice dropping several degrees below zero. "She has survived last night's attempt."

Rafael's interest seemed piqued because he raised his face and cocked his head. "She survived last night's attempt, did she?"

"That is correct. I am sure you are surprised to hear it."

The corner of Rafael's mouth lifted. "You're right, Klavier. I am surprised to hear it. Did you figure out why I wanted her dead?"

"That's obvious," Deston snorted. "Trying to warn me off by trying to kill her? How clichéd can you get, Rainsford? A shadow organisation of your calibre and you're using century old tactics."

Rafael looked suspiciously close to laughing. "And what evidence do you have of any of this?"

"She was burnt," Deston hissed, moving forward and pointing to his wrist. "She was branded with your initials just like—" He broke off but Klavier paid no attention. Everything in him was focused on Rafael whose smile had vanished and a slight frown had grown between his eyes.

He's disturbed, Klavier thought. Good.

"It's blatantly obvious you were behind it," Deston went on. "But we're not here to squeeze a confession out of you. We don't need it."

"No," Klavier agreed. "We do not."

"This Ema Skye," Rafael said, leaning forward and staring at Deston. "She means quite a bit to you, doesn't she, Deston?"

"Yeah, she does. And you're not going to harm another hair on her head."

"Does she mean as much as Raina did?"

Klavier whipped around then, afraid that the carefully constructed sentence would push Deston over the edge but his friend was still in his spot, frozen and the only difference was that he was glaring at Rainsford hatefully, as if he wanted nothing more than to leap across the room and throttle the man. Satisfied that Deston was in control of himself, Klavier faced Rafael, ready for the revenge that he had planned with Simon, Gale and David. The burning sensation inside of him was only bearable because of the belief that he would soon push Rafael over the edge in the same way.

"I have some good news for you, Herr Rainsford," Klavier said casually.

"I'm all aquiver with excitement, Klavier," Rafael said with a small laugh.

Klavier smiled and extracted the diary from under his arm, waving in around in the air. "This is Gale's diary."

"Tsk. It's rude to read a lady's private thoughts, Klavier." The prosecutor tried to ignore the mocking way Rafael kept repeating his name.

"Imagine that, coming from you," Deston said sarcastically.

"Well, Rafael," the prosecutor said with a sigh. "Let me ask you this: how did you feel about Kade's death?"

Rafael's eyes sparkled. "What can I say, Klavier? He was good at what he did. I'm going to miss his efficiency."

"Then it would please you to hear that he is not dead after all?"

Rafael regarded him stoically. "I'm not surprised, I suppose. He's too clever to be poisoned."

"That is true. He is in witness protection."

Rafael leaned forward and entwined his fingers, resting his elbows on his knees and smiling up at Klavier. "Who does he have to hide from?"

The blond feigned surprise. "Why, you of course, Herr Rainsford. Who else?" Though there was no change in Rafael's expression, he didn't reply and Klavier hooked a thumb in his belt cockily.

"I don't think he's hiding out of fear though," Deston continued, stepping closer to the cell. "He probably just doesn't want all of his work to be for nothing. I doubt he could bear the thought."

"Especially when his good friend, Gale, sacrificed herself so that he could gain your trust," Klavier said with a smile. "I mean, it would be a shame upon his head to fail when she has – quite literally – trusted him with her life."

Klavier had known the man wouldn't be so easy to break so he stared at him, not the slightest bit disconcerted when Rafael threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Ah, I get it now boys. But see, Kade's betrayal doesn't hurt me. None of it makes any difference."

"Ah but there's where you're wrong, Rainsford," Deston said with equal enjoyment. "If it's true that Miss Sanders consented to being murdered…"

"…then you have been wrongfully tried," Klavier finished, crossing his arms. "This new information would cement the ground for an appeal and a possible release from prison. You would no longer be facing the death penalty."

Rafael's smile didn't falter. "Like I said, it makes no difference, Klavier. If what you're saying is even true – which, no doubt, it is – then…" he trailed off as Klavier moved backwards and handed the diary to Deston through the bars who flipped it open and perused its contents leisurely.

"22nd March 2023," he read aloud and Klavier scrutinised Rafael's patient expression waiting for the moment it would begin to transform, when it would reflect the ugliness within. "Kade said Rafael was planning on approaching me in a few weeks. Knowing Rafael, he'll do it in a month or two – he likes to play it cool, he doesn't want to show anyone he's desperate." Here, Klavier saw the first sign of Rafael's composure collapsing; the man's eyes darkened as if the words had insulted him. "Too bad for him…" Klavier laughed inwardly at the mocking smile he heard in Deston's voice, "I'm two steps ahead. I'll make sure he suffers, the only way he knows how. He may gain the satisfaction of killing me but he'll never have the satisfaction of hurting anyone else." There was a pause and the sound of the book snapping shut. "Not after this."

"As you can see, Herr Rainsford, we are not bluffing. It is not in our job description to speak foul lies – it is our job to uncover them."

"Tell me something," Rafael said, leaning back and casually rubbing his thighs. "Where did you get such impressive morals from? Your parents?"

"We did," Klavier confirmed. "No doubt it will come as shock to you that parents can actually be guiding forces in their children's lives."

"Wasn't it morals that got your mother killed, Klavier?"

The words knocked him breathless and his fists clenched as the muscles in his neck and shoulders tightened. How did Rafael know…? Suddenly, the icy breath of betrayal sent a shiver down his spine as his eyes narrowed.

Kristoph.

WHY? Why would Kristoph tell Rafael that? How much does Rafael know? And what purpose does he hold? The thoughts spun through his mind like a sickening merry-go-round and he almost heard the laughter, nasty, jeering… His brother's betrayal stung him sharper than anything had in a long time.

Before he could lose the tenuous grip on his control, several faces flew before Klavier's eyes: Deston, still tortured over Raina's death; Gale, dead; Simon, dying a new death every day; David, always living with the painful knowledge of his brother's hatred; Lana, living without her father; Ema, unconscious in a hospital bed.

He took a deep breath through slightly parted lips and unclenched his hands, reminding himself that losing his calm is exactly what Rafael was aiming to do but he wouldn't give in to it. Today, everything was going to go his way. There were going to be no mind games, no manipulations except on his part. This moment was not just his – it was all of theirs – and he wasn't going to mess it up.

"Gale is dead by her design," Klavier went on, gratified when he saw Rafael's eyes dim, obviously displeased at the ineffectiveness of his words. "Kade has been working against you since before her death and is currently under our protection."

"And guess what Rainsford?" Deston said in a voice that dropped all pretence of geniality. "We have enough information under our belts to bring your entire ring crashing down – which is exactly what we're going to do."

"That's a mighty big ambition," Rafael said, tilting his head back. "You'll find yourself in for a little shock, Deston."

"And your execution date is not too far away," Klavier said as if Rafael hadn't spoken. "It is a shame," he smiled, " that you are restricted from seeing anybody otherwise I am sure you would have hired a lawyer to represent you in court with this newfound information."

"Well, Klavier," Rafael said, turning his attention to his nails the same way he had on their first meeting, "I don't really care for courts and their procedures. They're so tiresome. I think I'll see this one out."

Behind him, Klavier heard Deston snort derisively. "You will see this one out, Rainsford. Whatever little plan you concocted to escape isn't going to work."

There was another slip in the carefully constructed mask Rafael donned and Klavier saw his displeasure; he wasn't happy that they had seen past his deception. Still, the smile came back up and the prosecutor's eyes tightened in annoyance at the way Rafael kept bouncing back, carefree, from every revelation. But then, his own smile widened when he remembered the little sheet Deston held that would begin to crumble Rafael's confidence at last. With swift assurance, Klavier moved backwards, keeping his gaze fixed on Rafael while gesturing for Deston to hand him the document. Rafael watched them attentively, his calculating eyes on the exchange.

"Is that my housewarming present?" he asked in a voice filled with mirth.

"You can thank Deston," Klavier said with a grin, handing Rafael the piece of paper.

"It's no big deal," the other Gavinner said modestly. "After all that you've done, it was pretty easy having your execution date moved forward."

Rafael's fingers were loose on the sheet and Klavier saw the man's face tauten for a moment as they ran over the date change, the words that certified his impending death. A rush of satisfaction drew a smile from Klavier when he realised he was less than 48 hours away from ridding this world of Rafael, from completing Gale's primary focus in her task.

"This is an interesting turn of events," Rafael said softly and for a moment he looked as if he was ready to rip the paper to shreds. But then he laid it aside and looked at Klavier apathetically. "The problem with this little plan, Klavier," he waved a hand toward the paper indifferently, "is that even if you manage to get rid of me, it's only because circumstances favoured you. It won't be so easy to take down what I've built."

"You mean it won't be easy to catch your daughter?" Deston scoffed, drawing Rafael's attention. "We'll see about that."

"Herr Rainsford," Klavier intervened before the man could say anything else. "I have one last piece of news I feel I must share with you."

"I wait with baited breath, Klavier."

"I searched for your brother because I wished to keep him safe until you were good and gone." Klavier placed a hand on his hip, close to the weapon tucked in his waistband; Rafael's face had morphed into an expression antagonism. "Would you like to know what I found?"

Rafael rose to his feet slowly and a wave of déjà vue passed over Klavier: there was that feeling again, as if the cell had somehow shrunk to a tiny space that could barely contain them. Rafael's mask fell away entirely and gone was the sometimes aloof and sometimes charming exterior. Klavier had been right – his one and only weakness was David and David was the way to exact revenge for all of them. He'd received Gale's blessing for this plan and her judgement had proved to be right. Rafael was going to die the worst way possible and Klavier was going to make sure of it.

"Where… is David?" Rafael asked chillingly.

Klavier smiled as a dark supremacy rushed through him. He hated himself for it, hated how good it felt to stand here with this power coursing through him; the truth had shielded him from all corruption but the truth was not enough this time. He had needed its enemy and so it wrapped itself around him, flowing through his bloodstream and turning him, momentarily, into everything that he had despised for so long.

"I found David Rainsford," he said, each word deliberate and slow. "I regret to inform you that your brother… is dead."

Klavier had been expecting it – Rafael's need to murder David personally had long since become blatant and he had known that the words would push the older man into the instability that blanketed his mind. He watched with relish as Rafael's facade fell away completely and his true face came to the fore, marred and deformed by viciousness and cruelty. His mouth twisted into a snarl, his eyes flashed with intent and then he moved with lightning speed.

Within seconds the tense tableau had erupted into one of violence; everything slowed down for Klavier and his fingers had already slipped around the handle of his gun. The air whistled with the swiftness of his reaction as his arm rose through the air… the end of the barrel kissed Rafael's forehead as the gun cocked warningly. Out of the corner of his eye, Klavier saw Deston move closer to the bars of the cell, his own weapon trained steadily on Rafael who was breathing heavily and staring at Klavier with murder in his eyes.

"Give us a reason," Deston whispered the dark invitation.

Rafael didn't look at him – he was still scanning Klavier, madness raging in his features and then, unexpectedly, it faded away almost instantly. He turned stony, as if not from fear but from mere curiosity as if they were in a game of chess and he waited for them to make their move. His blue eyes flickered back and forth between the two armed men and one corner of his lips curled up, not quite into a smile, but close enough.

"Herr Rainsford," Klavier said in a formal voice. "Your reason for existing has turned to ash. Your brother is dead. Your organisation will fall." He stepped away his gun still aimed at the other man's forehead. "And in less than two days, you will die."

"Maybe," Rafael said, openly smiling now, the veneer of calm back in place and Klavier suddenly had a feeling that the bastard was pleased, as if he'd seen something in their faces that delighted him. "But when I die, I'll take your souls with me."

And then Rafael did something that Klavier had not been expecting, something that foreshadowed an event which would haunt him till the end of his days and wake him, drenched in sweat, from terrifying nightmares:

He laughed.