"Natsu is back."
The words drifted from Lucy's mouth, settling into the darkness around her. Lucy laid awake, staring at her ceiling but not seeing it. Instead, she replayed today's events in her mind, going over every detail again. She skipped over everything that happened throughout her morning, racing through the moments like she was fast forwarding a video. She slammed the mental pause button on her memories when she got to the part she wanted to remember and watched the moment when Natsu reappeared back into her life.
It all happened so suddenly. One moment, Natsu was still gone, away on a dangerous adventure where she couldn't see him or even know if he was okay. Another moment later and there he was, standing in her living room, exploding back into her life like he had never left.
Her back had been to him, but she knew it was Natsu the second he had touched her. She felt his hand on her arm, grabbing her gently but firmly as he pulled her away from Loke. The training she'd been given by Natsu kicked in, but Lucy stopped herself from reacting.
Natsu.
His name was the first thought to pop into Lucy's head and it made her heart leap inside of her. She wanted to hug him, to hold him so she knew that he was really here and he was okay. She had kept Natsu at the edge of her thoughts, trying not to worry about him because worrying wouldn't bring him back any sooner. However, at night, she had dreamt of this moment. Of Natsu returning and—
"Natsu, stop!" She had yelled, grabbing hold of his elbow to stop the punch he was about to throw. Lucy had forgotten about Loke. All her senses had been focused on Natsu—there hadn't been room for anything else. Anyone else.
"Don't worry, Lucy," she heard him say, and just him saying her name made her heart flip. "I won't let him hurt you."
"No," she pleaded with him. "Don't hurt him."
Things were getting out of hand. She needed Natsu to understand. But how could he? She had kept everything hidden from him—from everyone. The past Lucy had kept silent about, it was standing right in front of Natsu.
Natsu turned to her, she could see the confusion etched on his face. She looked at him sadly. It was time for Natsu to know the truth.
"Lucy," he finally lowered his fist. "Who is he?"
"He's…" Lucy had to look away. This was the moment where she told the truth. The moment where she said goodbye. "Loke is…"
Lucy stopped the memory there. She couldn't do it. She couldn't see the look on Natsu's face again. This wasn't how she wanted to tell him.
Two months ago, Lucy had made a choice. She chose to pick things up with Loke, because it was the right thing to do. It wasn't Loke's fault they weren't together. It was all due to her father's manipulation. Why should she punish Loke for her father's faults? Loke had always been there for her and still would have been if his life wasn't at risk. All those years, Loke had endured the separation. He hadn't given up on the hope they could be together, working to become someone her father would approve of. Now that her father was no longer in the way, there wasn't a reason why they shouldn't be together.
When she thought she was going to die in Italy, she had written to Loke. Forgiven him for what she thought he did and found she still loved him, despite all the hurt she had felt. It was time to put that in the past and move on with the second chance they had been given. A chance to live a life together that had been robbed from them.
That's what Lucy believed. That's what she told herself. That she was doing the right thing. Setting things back to how they were supposed to be. So why, then, did her heart react differently when Natsu returned?
Lucy rolled onto her side, her hand reaching out to the empty spot in her bed—the side Natsu slept on. Even though Loke had returned and she had decided to resume their relationship, Lucy wanted to take things slow. They were engaged, but there wouldn't be a wedding for some time. Leaving the past behind was easier said than done. It was hard to untangle the threads of betrayal she had lived with for five years. Loke and her had become different people in the five years they were apart. She wanted them to get to know one another again first.
Loke had his own place in the city, but occasionally he would stay over in her guest room. He was there tonight, acting a little on edge after Natsu had showed up. She couldn't blame him. Natsu knew how to make an impression on people. Although, not always the best.
She chuckled into her pillow remembering when Natsu and her first met. How mad he had made her when he bought the the Iron Maidens before her. The shock she had felt when she saw him at Levy's wedding, standing at the altar as Gajeel's best man. The excitement she felt going on an adventure—an adventure that quickly turned into hell. But Natsu had protected her through it all and kept his promise to save Gray. Even after she was safe, he had stayed by her side and taught her the skills to protect herself. He was always teasing her and always making her laugh. Natsu had become a huge part of her life in such a short amount of time. When he left, only then did Lucy feel how significant he was. But, when she chose Loke, she chose to ignore what that meant.
Natsu...
Lucy didn't know how he felt, if he even felt anything toward her at all. She didn't want to burden him with feelings she didn't quite understand. Besides, if she had been with Loke all this time, she never would have met Natsu. She never would have felt this way. So she had to put things back to the way things were supposed to be. That meant putting aside her feelings for Natsu, whatever they may be. When she was with Natsu, she would force herself to feel only what she felt toward Gray. They would be friends and over time, Lucy felt she could convince her heart to believe that.
The engagement party was located in the ballroom of a luxury hotel downtown. The room was open and opulent. The outer wall was made entirely of framed glass panels that matched the French doors leading out to the terrace. The sparkling view of the city spilled into the room, making it appear as if the city of New York was part of the decor. Round tables were scattered throughout and covered in white silk tablecloths. Chandeliers glistened above the crowded room where people sipped drinks from the open bar, all dressed in their winter night finery.
"I was afraid after Urano Metria folded, Lucy wouldn't be able to bounce back for awhile. She made sure all of us were taken care of, but didn't even take a moment for herself. Seeing her now, I'm so glad she's found someone like him."
"I was shocked to hear about the engagement, but after talking with Loke myself, I can see why she's so eager to marry him. I almost proposed to him."
"Lucy looks so happy. I can't wait to see how she looks on the wedding day!"
"It's too bad Aries isn't here, she was looking forward to the party. That poor dear's heart. We'll have to tell her all about it later."
It was an hour into the party when Natsu arrived, dressed in a more formal version of his usual black attire, wearing a fitted dress shirt and pants, and a black sports jacket. The room was full of people all laughing and mingling together. He caught snippets of conversations, everyone gushing about how happy the couple looked or how excited they were for the wedding, even though a date hadn't been set yet. It all made Natsu sick.
Natsu had spent most of the night and majority of the day reading Lucy's book, Hide the Stars. The first time Lucy had showed it to him, he had felt there was something more to the book than Lucy was telling him. He thought reading it would give him the insight he needed about Lucy's past, but it had made everything more muddled.
The book focused on a girl who was kept in complete isolation from the outside world. She longed to see the world beyond her island home and go on adventures like the ones in her books. However, her tyrant of a father would not allow it. The girl believed she would spend the rest of her days, dreaming of a life she would never get to live. Until, one day a boy washed up on the island. Visitors from the island were strictly prohibited. Only specialized personnel were allowed to work there. However, the boy was badly injured and couldn't be moved without fear of death. The girl persuaded the workers to save him. Everyone on the island loved the girl and did as she asked, even though it meant disobeying her father. In secret, the girl nursed the boy back to life, and with every day she spent with him, a love between them grew.
The rest of the book focused on things Natsu already knew. How the boy and the girl ran away, had a secret wedding, and lived together for a time, before the boy suddenly left one day without a word. It matched the story Lucy had told him perfectly. It made Natsu uneasy.
Looking around the room, his eyes instantly fell upon Lucy who was standing in the center of the room. A smile tugged at his lips the moment he saw her, especially since she was wearing the dress he had bought her for her birthday. They were supposed to resume their training sessions today, but Lucy had called him to cancel. Apparently, Loke had planned a surprise outing for her. Natsu was sure that this surprise was the result of Loke finding out Lucy was going to spend her afternoon with him.
Even as he reassured Lucy on the phone that they could reschedule the training, Natsu realized how difficult it was going to be to maneuver around Loke's hold on her. Thankfully, Nichiya's alley cat had contacted him earlier and set a time and place for the information drop. Checking his watch, Natsu had half an hour to kill before making his way to the rooftop where he would receive the information he needed to burn out this wolf. Natsu started walking toward Lucy, weaving his way through the crowd.
A hand gripped his shoulder, and Natsu's reflexes kicked in. He spun around fast, his body shifting into an attack position but he stopped himself.
"Woah," Loke put his hands up in front of him. "Didn't mean to spook you, uh...Natsu, was it?"
Loke. Natsu slowly relaxed his stance. He was too much on edge, especially since he had just come off a mission from the organization. Unfortunately, it wasn't the time nor the place to kick his ass. Yet.
"Yeah, it's Natsu. And you're...Locus right?"
The smile on Loke's face didn't fade, but it became tight. "It's Loke, actually."
"Ah, isn't that what I said?" Natsu tilted his head.
"Right," Loke laughed dryly. "I'm glad I caught you. We didn't really meet under the best of circumstances yesterday. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind stepping out for a moment with me so we could talk for a few minutes. Maybe clear the air and start over. You're a dear friend of Lucy's and I want both of us to be on the same page with one another."
Natsu hid his surprise. "Where did you have in mind?"
"The terrace. It's too cold out for anyone, but it will give us the privacy we need. It won't take too long so you won't need your coat."
Natsu flicked his eyes to the glass doors leading out onto the terrace. He checked his watch. He still had time before he had to be on the rooftop. Might as well entertain the Loke bastard.
The cold wind blew hard, zapping away any warmth that clung to Natsu the moment he stepped outside. He shoved his hands in his pockets—the only hint that he was cold—and leaned against the stonewall of the terrace. He kept his back to the city, making sure Lucy was within his line of sight through the paned window doors. It was a bold move, given the openness of the terrace. He was easy picking for a sniper, but Natsu didn't believe Loke wanted to kill him. Why concoct an elaborate brainwashing to earn Lucy's trust and hold her as leverage over him only to attempt to kill Natsu on a balcony? It didn't make any sense. No, something bigger was going on here.
Loke faced him, rubbing his arms with his hands to bring some warmth back into them. "Maybe I shouldn't have tried to act so cool when I suggested we come out here without any coats. It's freezing." Loke shoved his hands under his armpits and paced back and forth. "I'll make this quick so we both don't turn into ice sculptures out here."
"You can drop the act. No one is out here."
Loke blinked at him. "I guess you know why I brought you out here then?"
Natsu scoffed. "You'll save yourself a lot of pain if you just tell me what you're after now. Not many people in the Underworld are stupid enough to confront me like this. So, who is your Boss, wolf? What do you want with me?"
Loke looked at him confused, shaking his head in disbelief. "Don't take this the wrong way, but are you drunk? I have no idea what you're talking about. I brought you out here to discuss your feelings for Lucy."
"My what?" Natsu flicked his eyes to Lucy and back to Loke. "I said quit with this act."
"Look, I get it." Loke sighed. "Lucy, she's—well there's hardly any words to describe her. It's hard not to fall in love with her. When I first met her, I was instantly swept away by her. There's something about her that just draws you in. Although the first encounter between you and I wasn't pleasant, it was informative. I could see how much you care for Lucy."
Why is he talking about this? Natsu thought, scowling. The guy was right, Natsu did care for Lucy. Why wouldn't he? There was something about her that made him want to be around her. The past three months he had to stay away were brutal. However, his feelings for Lucy, were none of Loke's concern and had nothing to do with what was going on now.
"I know it must have been quite a shock coming back here and discovering the engagement," Loke continued. "I see that you and Lucy have gotten….close to one another. I appreciate that you were there for her when I couldn't be. But look, I'm just going to be frank," Loke frowned. "I don't like it. And to be honest, I don't like you. You're dangerous. I brought you out here to ask you to back off. To make yourself scarce in her life. Lucy said you're a treasure hunter right? Well, I'll be able to pay you if—"
"I said enough with this act, damn it!" Natsu punched the terrace wall, hard enough to leave tiny fractures in the stone. His anger was straining inside of him to take Loke and hold him over the edge and force the answers out of him. He had no patience for these games, especially since Lucy was involved. "Here's how the next 24 hours are going to play out," Natsu spoke through gritted teeth, barely retaining his composure. "You're going to reverse the brainwashing you did on Lucy—"
"Brainwashing?"
"— and end this charade of an engagement. You'll be the one to disappear out of her life and make it as if you were never there. I won't let her be controlled by the Underworld again. If you do all that, I'll make sure you're still alive after tomorrow. If you don't, I'll kill you like the lowly dog you are."
"You're threatening to kill me?"
"This is my one and only warning to you."
Loke slid his hands in his pockets and stared at Natsu, something shifted in his eyes. The dark look he had seen the other day now held in his features.
"You're warning me?" Loke chuckled darkly. "I see."
"You don't want to go up against me. You'll—"
"Regret it?" Loke interrupted. "Doubt that. I'm used to going against people like you."
"I promise, you haven't met someone like me before."
Loke shrugged before shaking his head. "You're the type that uses their power and influence to control the lives of others. You intimidate people in order to get what you want. You want me to fear you, but that's not going to happen."
"Are you confident about that?" Natsu pushed off the terrace wall and took a step toward him. He wasn't planning on kicking his ass tonight, but if Loke wanted to see why he should fear him, then he'll give him a proper demonstration.
"Lucy," Loke started. Natsu couldn't stand hearing her name spoken by him. "Right now, she thinks of you as a dear friend. She smiles at you. Cares about you. You've become important to her." He could hear the irritation in Loke's voice. "But I'm back now and that chapter is at an end. Lucy is going to be my wife. Whatever little fantasy you were writing out in your head is over.
"You gave me a warning and now here's one in turn for you," Loke moved to stand beside Natsu, facing the city while Natsu looked back at the party. "It's time for you to leave. I'm giving you a chance to willingly walk out of her life while she can still smile at you. If you don't, you'll be the one to regret it."
If Loke was here on behalf of some Underworld Boss to intimidate him, why did he want Natsu out of the picture? What was Loke planning? He dug his nails into the palms of his hands. He was shaking with anger. It was thrashing inside of him to show Loke just how he handled threats, especially ones that threatened to take away someone precious to him.
"I've dealt with people who are more intimidating than you. So leave now, Natsu. Or lose Lucy in a way you never thought possible."
"Bastard!" Natsu whirled around. "Don't think—"
"Loke? What are you—and Natsu, you're here! I didn't even see you come in." Lucy's voice called out. "But what are you two doing out here? It's freezing."
"Just having a little heart to heart, love." Loke brushed past Natsu, but Natsu couldn't turn around just yet. He was so angry, he didn't trust the murder in his eyes not to show. He gripped the stone wall with both hands, trying to breathe in the cold air to cool down the roar he heard in his ears. It was taking everything in him not to kill Loke right now. How dare he even threaten his relationship with Lucy? Just the thought of never seeing her smiling face again made his heart squeeze painfully. To have someone threaten to take that away from him, death seemed like only too easy a punishment.
"Natsu?" Lucy called his name and he relaxed a little. He turned around and saw Loke with his arm snaked around her waist. In order to suppress his anger some more, Natsu visualized breaking every bone in Loke's arm. The thought barely relaxed him.
"Yeah, we just had a little heart to heart, that's all. But let's go back inside. Someone might catch their death." Natsu stared straight at Loke, making sure to tell him with his eyes that their conversation wasn't over, that he wasn't backing down from some half-assed threat, and that he wouldn't forget any of this.
"Oh, Natsu I—"
"Shall we dance, love? We haven't had a moment all evening." Loke steered Lucy back in doors, back into the illusion he had created before she could speak with Natsu.
Natsu bit the inside of his cheek, hard enough to taste blood in his mouth as he returned to the party. A waiter passed by with a tray full of champagne. He grabbed one and tipped it back, setting the empty glass back on the tray. The anger inside of him stirred, but he just clenched his fists. Soon, once Lucy was out of danger, Natsu would show that wolf the consequences of preying on someone he treasured. And he was going to enjoy every moment of it.
Collecting his coat, Natsu discreetly made his way to the elevator, taking it to the top floor. The elevator didn't go all the way to the rooftop, so he had to walk up a flight of steps to the door that would lead him outside, back into the cold December air. Normally not a fan of the cold, Natsu happily marched back into it. A few minutes separated him from being able to launch his counterattack on Loke and rescue Lucy from the nightmare she didn't even know she was living. He would save her from the jaws of the Underworld again and burn everyone who had a hand in putting her there.
The rooftop was empty. A closed up bar and a dead garden were the only indications that the rooftop was used. In the summer months, the rooftops of New York played hosts to wild parties with the sparkling city lights as the perfect backdrop. Hardly anyone wanted to spend time out in the chilly December air if they could help it. This was the perfect place to meet Nichiya's alley cat and retrieve the information Natsu had paid quite a great deal for. The cost didn't matter to him. Protecting Lucy was all that mattered.
Natsu was right on time for the scheduled meeting. He walked to the center of the rooftop and looked around and checked his watch to make sure he wasn't late. The alley cats did not like to wait on anyone. He heard the door to the rooftop open and he turned around, expecting the alley cat but instead—
"Levy?" He called out to the tiny figure making her way to him. Natsu looked around frantically. Shit.
If the alley cat appeared now and saw Levy, who knew how the person would react. The alley cats liked their privacy. It allowed them to do what they did in the Underworld—collect items and information undetected. Only a few people actually knew who they were. Natsu had never met one in person before, but for the price he paid, he was granted an audience. Levy, being an outsider, would have to be eliminated. The alley cats took no chances when it came to protecting their secrets.
"I thought I saw you come out here," Levy started walking toward him. "What's with you?" she frowned. "Lucy told me you were back in the city, but you didn't even say hi and now you're on the rooftop while everyone is at the party."
"Levy, actually, now isn't a good time."
"I know this all shocking for you. I was surprised when Lucy told me about Loke too. I can only imagine how you must be feeling though, because I thought, you and Lucy would—"
"Levy, you need to leave!" Natsu didn't have time to be tactful. He needed to get her off the rooftop or things could get serious. He couldn't afford to have anything or anyone interfering in his plans to save Lucy. Even if it meant hurting Levy. Once it was all over he would explain, not everything of course, but right now, time was of the essence. "Stick your nose in a book, but not my business."
Levy looked down and hugged her coat tighter around her, but not before Natsu saw the hurt in her eyes. It pained him. Levy had easily become family to him. Why was everything getting so muddled?
"Are you afraid I might discover the secrets you're trying so desperately to keep from everyone?" Levy's voice turned colder, she looked up and it was like looking at a completely different person. There wasn't any warmth in her brown eyes.
"Levy?" Natsu was so startled by the change, he took a step back.
Levy sighed, looking at him like she was bored. "You know, it's not hard to figure out. I know there's more to you than meets the eye, Natsu. I know you're someone with secrets—dangerous secrets you can't afford to let anyone know."
He tensed. What does she know? She was right. Natsu did have secrets, but he wanted them to remain secrets.
"Because of those secrets, you always kept people away. Your visits used to be brief and whatever you told us was always constructed—crafted like a magician would an illusion." She gestured with her hand, swishing it like a wand. "You made sure no one was ever too close to you, that no one ever knew too much."
"What are you getting at Levy?" He tried to keep his voice light, but his words came out harsher than he meant them to. And where was Nichiya's alley cat? It was already five minutes passed the drop off time.
"I guess I should spell it out for you then." Levy reached into her coat and pulled out a phone, tossing it to him with a flick of her wrist. Looking at the screen, Natsu saw a file labeled 'Read Me Natsu.' Hesitantly, he opened it and nearly dropped his phone from shock. The information inside, no one was supposed to have access to it.
"How? How could you possibly have this information?" He stared at her, wide-eyed and completely in shock.
"I cracked the firewall of a certain organization that's keeping it safe for you." Levy spoke as if what she did was child's play. He could hear the smugness in her voice. She wasn't even trying to hide it. What Levy did was impossible.
There was no way Levy could know about the organization to begin with. It didn't operate under any government body and was completely autonomous. The organization was off everyone's books, most governments didn't even know it existed. There were only a small number of people operating in the world that knew it was real. It was mostly a myth unless some sad wolf found himself as a target. For Levy to break through their cyber defenses and obtain this file and go undetected, it simply was impossible. Natsu couldn't wrap his brain around it.
Levy crossed her arms and fixed her gaze on him. "I know everything about you, Salamander."
Natsu reached into his coat and pulled out his gun, aiming it at Levy's head. She didn't even blink, just stared at him without any emotion.
What am I doing? This is Levy, he thought, but made no move to lower his gun. It was instinct that made him react this way, along with the contents of the file on the phone. No one was supposed to know that information. Levy's cold, analytical stare bore into him. A shiver went down his back. Natsu felt like he couldn't hide anything from those eyes. What scared him the most was how easy Levy had been able to hide her true nature. She had made him believe she was nothing but an innocent bookworm. Natsu hadn't suspected her for an instant.
"Who sent you this file, Levy?" He paused, narrowing his eyes at her. "Is that even your real name?"
"Don't be so dramatic," she scoffed while rolling her eyes. "Of course Levy is my real name."
"Answer my question then. If you read this file, you know I have no problem pulling this trigger." The gun clicked as he took the safety off.
Damnit! Levy! Is someone forcing her to do this? Did Loke send her up here to stop me from meeting Nichiya's alley cat? But why would she have this file? Natsu took a second and glanced at the phone he gripped in his other hand. And why is she acting like this?
Levy sighed heavily, annoyed at having to explain herself. "No one sent it to me. I told you. I hacked into the system and got it myself shortly after Gajeel first introduced us."
That long ago! "Impossible!" Natsu shook his head. "There's only one place where you could have gotten this information and only one person has the clearance to this file. There's no way you could have access to this. Who the hell are you working for?"
"I'm not working for anyone," Levy shot back. "You can consider me sort of a freelancer in the Underworld. I only contract myself to those who meet my criteria. Before you start asking more questions, just know that retrieving your file wasn't a job I did for anyone. I did it to satisfy my own curiosity. I knew there was more to you than meets the eye and I was right."
"Why reveal what you know about me now?"
"I know how important information is. How it can be misused, especially in the Underworld. Something you clearly don't realize."
"What do you mean?"
Levy sighed again, disappointment shining in her eyes. "You broke your promise to me, Natsu."
"When did I—" Natsu lowered his gun.
"You promised to tell me if you believed Lucy was in danger, but you didn't." Levy balled her hands at her sides. Natsu could see her tiny fists shake slightly. "A promise is a promise, Natsu. I told you she was precious to me. Instead, you went off trying to figure out things on your own."
"Until about 8 minutes ago, I thought you were just an ordinary person, Levy. I would never drag you into the Underworld with this business. I'm trying to keep everyone safe!"
"How is approaching Nichiya to put a tag on Lucy and dig into her past keeping her safe?"
"How do you know about that?" Natsu stared at Levy who rolled her eyes at him again, and then it dawned on him. "You're Nichiya's alley cat!"
"For someone so feared in the Underworld, you really are dense. And I hate that he calls me that." Levy wrinkled her nose. "Just because I do a few jobs for him, he shouldn't lump me with the rest of his people. I'm the sole reason why he can compete with his brother on the information scale. I could put Ichiya out of business if I decided to do this full time. I learned to put limits on myself though, something you need to learn to do. I don't doubt your abilities but when you get desperate, you get sloppy. How could you drag Lucy into the Underworld again?"
"I'm trying to keep her out of danger. You don't understand, Loke is brainwashing Lucy. There's no time to do this the right way. Even if there was, you must know how manipulative those systems can be."
"Brainwashing?" Levy looked at him confused. "Natsu, listen to yourself. Lucy isn't being brainwashed."
"So you believe that ridiculous story of his?"
"Not entirely..."
"What answer is there other than brainwashing?" Natsu stressed his words. He had to be right about the brainwashing. Nothing else made sense. "Why else would Lucy be engaged to a man after only three months?"
"There's the truth."
Natsu scowled. He knew how smart Levy was, but she wasn't making any sense. How could she not believe Loke's story, but still think it was the truth? "What do you mean?"
"Read the other file on the phone," she demanded. "It's the information you paid Nichiya for."
Natsu looked at the phone and saw a second file on the screen that was labeled with a cat emoji. Opening it, he started reading it quickly, searching for the information he knew would be in there. He wanted to know Loke's Boss so Natsu could make his next move. As he scanned the contents of the file, his scowl only deepened. There weren't any red flags in it at all. Nothing that would reveal his sinister origins or any connections to the Underworld. The background analysis stated that Loke was an average guy, not a wolf.
"What the hell is this?" Natsu looked at Levy, perplexed and angry. "He's a wolf, I know it! There must be something you missed. You have to run the check again."
"I was able to pull your file from the most secure network on this planet without any detection and you think I missed something?" Natsu knew how ludicrous he sounded. If Levy could pull off that feat, of course she hadn't missed anything, but that meant he had to face the alternative.
"If Lucy's not being brainwashed...and if Loke isn't part of the Underworld…" Natsu trailed off before yelling out in aggravation. The panic he was able to stave off was creeping up again. He never felt like this. No matter the situation, he always had a plan. Now, he didn't know what step he should take. "FUCK!" The phone cracked as Natsu threw it down. He aimed his gun at it and loaded all the bullets into it. The silencer on the gun dampened the noise. "WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING?"
"The infamous temper of the Salamander," Levy whispered, not a hint of fear in her voice. "The reports don't do it justice."
Natsu turned to Levy, who watched him silently, her eyes taking everything in. He looked at the remains of the phone and then at his hands, which still shook with anger. He clenched them into fists before pocketing his gun. Natsu always felt angry, but he had learned to control it. However, when it came to Lucy and her safety, when he felt powerless to help her, he could barely hold his emotions back.
"Sorry, Levy." The words came out terse.
Levy watched him for some time, waiting for him to calm down again. When she finally spoke, her tone was cautious. "I need a little more time, but I think Loke Regulus is a Deadman."
In the Underworld, a Deadman was exactly how it sounded—a dead man. Bosses usually targeted desperate individuals who were in need of something immediately and didn't have the luxury of time or means to obtain it like money, a life saving operation, or even a murder cover up. A contract is signed to establish the terms of the agreement between the two parties. It may appear like the individual is getting the better deal, but that was the tragedy. A bit of ink on paper and the person would unknowingly sign his soul over to the Underworld.
After the contracted job was done by the Mafia, the individual would then have his life destroyed. All documents bearing the individual's identity or alluding to his person were permanently eradicated. It would be as if he never existed. Because the Mafia needed to scrub a person's identity completely, they preferred orphans or people with very little personal connections. It made killing them off a simpler job. However, in some extreme cases, entire families were killed just to create a single Deadman.
Deadmen were the preferred means for infiltration missions set up by Bosses. It was nearly impossible to connect the Deadmen to the Underworld. They're trained for their specific missions and then sent on their way. The Deadmen took all the risk and the Underworld Bosses reaped all the rewards. If a Deadman became unusable, then he's killed. Once you become a Deadman, there was no escaping that life. Deadmen lived for a moment with their dreams fulfilled, and died the next as those dreams turned into living nightmares. One they couldn't escape from except by death. You were merely a walking corpse.
"How can you be sure? All Bosses keep the identities of their Deadmen hidden. There are no lists or means to track them down." If Loke was a Deadman, then that would explain Natsu's bad feeling about the guy despite the clean record on his background check that Levy dug up. It also meant something more sinister had been in the works a lot longer than Natsu thought. A Boss planted a Deadman and waited for the perfect moment to attack. The Underworld wasn't targeting him. It was Lucy they were after. Lucy had been a target of a Boss for over five years, but why?
Was it simply because of her inheritance? Then why didn't the Deadman target her father? There were too many questions, and time was not on their side.
"Geez, Natsu!" Levy threw her hands up in the air, exasperated. "What do I have to do for you to stop doubting my abilities? You're not the only one with a reputation in the Underworld, although I like to keep mine on the downlow. I just need a little more time to work it all out and to do that, we need to work together."
"Together?" He arched his brow. Natsu never worked with anyone on missions. There was too much risk with working with a partner—too much liability.
"Yes," Levy smiled, warmth returning back to her eyes. It made Natsu relax a little. Seeing Levy look so cold had unnerved him. "I've been waiting for you to get back, but now that you're here, I'm confident we can save Lucy. I have a plan, but..." Levy frowned, wagging her finger in front of him. "You have to follow it exactly as I say, Natsu. You can't go off on your own and do things like put tags on Lucy or Loke. You can't make moves that are traceable or predictable."
"Predictable?" Natsu chuckled, closing the distance between them. He reached out and ruffled her hair. "I think I have a little more experience dealing with—"
Levy smacked his hand away. "I'm serious, Natsu. You can't save Lucy going about this with guns blazing like you normally do. This is about tact and stealth and out maneuvering the enemy. An enemy you don't even know about."
"I know who the enemy is." He growled. "It's that Loke bastard downstairs! You claim he's a Deadman then that's enough reason to take him out now. Let's just take him out and all of this will be solved. Lucy will be saved and everything will go back to normal." Natsu started walking toward the door.
"Loke is dangerous, sure, but he isn't the real enemy." He heard Levy's heels clicking on the rooftop as she followed him. "But it's the person who made Loke a Deadman that is the true enemy. Until we know his or her identity, we can't attack Loke. Not without fear of further endangering Lucy." Levy dashed in front of him and threw her arms out to block the door. "I know you don't like this, but you have to trust me. We have to wait and gather more information."
"I just found out you've been living a double life as an Underworld intelligence freelancer and you want me to trust you?" Natsu arched his brow again.
"I knew the truth about you and never said a word to anyone" she countered. "Plus, I even invited you to my wedding."
Levy had known for a couple years about his true identity. All the things he's done—the true monster he was, and hadn't said anything. Natsu sighed and relaxed some of the tension in his body. He could trust Levy. "Does Gajeel know about you?" he asked.
Levy's eyes widened and then looked at him cautiously. "He doesn't, and I would like to keep it that way."
"I'm not good at this though." Natsu sighed loudly, pulling at this hair again. "It hasn't even been 36 hours since I've found out about everything and it's killing me. I can't watch that asshole lord over Lucy like he has been and not do anything. The bastard even demanded that I stopped seeing Lucy or I'll…." He stopped himself. Natsu held up his hand and saw the slight tremble. He was shaking, but this time, there was no anger. He noticed Levy watching him, no doubt she hadn't missed that detail. Shoving his hands in the pockets of his coat, he looked away. "I don't want to lose her, Levy. I can't. I..."
"You won't." Levy placed her hand on his arm. "We'll meet tomorrow and I'll tell you my plan. We're going to save her, Natsu. Trust me. The two of us together," she shook her head and smiled wickedly. "What more frightening a duo could you ask for?"
"Has anyone ever told you how intimidating you are?"
"Maybe once or twice," Levy winked.
"Okay, Blue Raven. I'll follow your lead then." Looking down at Levy, Natsu managed to smile slightly. "I trust you."
"Thank you." Levy beamed up at him. "Pink Penguin, Operation Starling will be a success."
One way or another, Natsu thought, feeling the weight of the gun in his coat. "Levy, about my file—"
"You don't have to explain yourself to me." Levy stopped halfway through the doorway that led back into the warmth of the building. "Also, those files on my phone were coded to self destruct themselves. I don't walk around with your information so carelessly. I also added another string of security to your file that's on the server of that organization. I swear, no one will ever see what's in there unless you want them to."
Natsu's eyes widened and then his smile spread. He couldn't help but be amazed by Levy again. There were hardly any words that would express his gratitude enough. Not just with her protecting his secrets, but still smiling at him even after knowing how truly monstrous he was.
"Thank you," he whispered.
"You can thank me by buying me a new phone," she said, looking back at him.
He laughed lightly. "I promise."
"Now, I'm heading inside. I'm half frozen and who knows what kind of trouble Gajeel is getting into." Levy flashed him one more smile, before racing down the stairs.
Natsu looked up into the night, and breathed out, seeing his breath form above him. Among the black sky above, a lone, pale star peaked through, stubbornly shining despite the lights of the city trying to drown it out. He didn't receive the information he thought he would tonight, but he did gain an unexpected ally.
Maybe there isn't complete darkness in the Underworld after all.