Chapter 6

Paper Crowns

Levi never was one to procrastinate. In fact, it was a word that he was surprised was even in his vocabulary.

But fuck this assignment.

Four days had gone by before he even realized it and the next thing he knew, Levi was standing in front of his mirror, looping the tie around the popped collar of his black button up. The ebony satin material caressed around his nimble fingers as his attention drifted from the careful knot to the bandage on his neck.

Four days had not been adequate to heal the cut well enough to put the silicon patch on, and the natural movements had caused it to peel off after an hour when he tested it. Instead of leaving the wound visible above the collar of his shirt, he opted for a large skin-tone bandage. Not that it was really his skin tone. More for someone with a healthier complexion, but he was short on options. It would have to do.

Besides, the bandage was the least of his worries.

"Going into this half blind… literally and metaphorically," he gripped to his reflection.

It was true. The first day he spent holed up in his flat, simply existing. The second and third with Furlan and Isabel, and the fourth in his flat again, preparing his attire and any last-minute arrangements before he needed to leave. There had been not a single new detail gathered about his target, or the layout of the home, or what to even expect. All he had was the address, time, and an unhelpful picture of the tapestry that didn't give an accurate depiction of its size.

Tapestries could get pretty large, right? So, how exactly was he supposed to roll it up and haul it out of a crowded estate without anyone noticing?

"Fuck!"

His hands fell to his sides as he tilted his head up to the ceiling, feeling the skin pull at his aching neck. Through his frustrations, he had messed up the knot of his tie for the third time.

Taking a deep breath in, Levi closed his eyes and tried to release the tension settling between his shoulder blades. He just needed to calmly process the information and not rush through it. Fretting about it in his flat would get him nowhere good except further on edge.

Opening his eyes, he started over with his tie, taking the time to loop it where it was needed in order to keep the length how he wanted. By the time he finished, he folded down his collar, looped his arms through the suit jacket and took a moment to evaluate his appearance.

He had chosen to wear his charcoal satin suit, black shirt, and almost went with no tie but opted to wear it to at least match with the others attending the event. The unsightly bandage peeked two inches over the collar but was better than bleeding on his shirt. Overall, the outfit was different than his typical black suit, which he hoped the grey attire would help to stand out a little more. The goal wasn't to blend in, despite every fiber of his being wanting to cringe away into the smallest of shadows. He needed to catch the Fritz heir's attention, and lurking like a ghoul certainly wouldn't accomplish that.

The scar on his face was expertly hidden, his contact in its rightful place, and raven hair shiny and clean. The only thing lacking was the shoulder holster beneath his jacket with his pistols. Tonight, he'd have to do without them and settle for just his knife tucked neatly inside his suit.

In his bedroom, he heard his phone chime. Doing one last scan, Levi turned off the light and went to pull it off the charger to see the message.

Furlan

(18:11) Hey, princess. Your chariot awaits.

Not bothering with a reply, Levi stuffed the phone in his pocket and headed out of his flat, making sure to lock it on the way.

Leaving the building, Levi was met with dusk settling in, a smudge of orange against the backdrop of the roofs. Across the street, a silver Audi A4 rolled its window down with the familiar sandy hair peering out at him. As Levi crossed the street to the opposite sidewalk, he let his eyes roam over the car appreciatively, opening the door and settling into the passenger seat.

"So?" Furlan asked with a proud grin as his fingers flexed over the steering wheel. "What do you think?"

Levi scanned the interior, touching the dash and examining the lack of dust on it. Quietly, he admired the vanilla scent of clean car, heat-controlled leather seats, and bright LED lights across the paneling.

The day prior, Levi and Furlan had agreed that taking the blonde's older blue sedan with chipped paint was not a good image to show up to the respected estate in. Arriving in a cab, even less so. Therefore, Furlan was all too eager to rent a newer model to chauffer Levi to his assignment, with intentions to drive around London while he waited to pick up the hitman and his loot.

"It looks expensive," Levi commented, wondering how much the car set his friend back.

As if on cue, Furlan whipped out a paper from the driver door pocket and handed to it Levi. "Oh, it was. But Lovof wanted to discuss the costs after the job was done, right? Here's a copy of the receipt for the bastard."

Levi took the paper and was immediately drawn to the over 1000 euro at the bottom of the total. Despite his previous agitation for the evening, his lips quirked up in a smirk and he carefully folded the paper to fit in his pocket.

"I'll be sure to give it to him."

"Please do." Furlan checked his mirror and then pulled into the street as Levi set to typing the address in the GPS. "If I knew more about his billing information beforehand, I would've had the rental place charge him directly."

"I wonder how long it would take before he noticed the transaction."

"I guess we'll have to find out next time. I'm not opposed to being your get away driver if I get to use a different car every time."

"I'm pretty sure this won't be a regular occurrence."

"Probably not. But I'll just enjoy it while I can."

About 45 minutes later, they were just outside the estate property, driving toward the entrance that was 150 meters ahead. A large swathe of woods blocked the main street from viewing the Fritz grounds on the other side, a natural barrier for privacy in the outskirts of London. Judging by the boundaries on the map, it looked like it was a significant amount of property that they owned, which was only confirmed as Furlan made the turn through the open iron gates with intricate cursive "F" in the center of it.

As the asphalt turned to pressed gravel, they both stared out the window as the massive home came into view. Furlan let out a long whistle and Levi recognized the inner thief preening behind his icy blue eyes.

The expansive lawn on either side was neatly trimmed and the driveway was bordered with a stone pavers that had low profile lights on either side, guiding the path. Rhododendrons and fir trees were scattered throughout the lawn and near the driveway in an organic fashion which was charming, Levi admitted. He half expected the shrubs and trees to only be strategically placed and in a tight uniform order that made up for a sterile environment, rather than how nature intended.

The house itself was not overdramatic or ridiculous, as far as estates could go. It was large. Larger than a single family needed, but the brick exterior, double story building had an older pleasantness to it that was accentuated by the mix of neatly manicured rose bushes around the entrance. He'd imagine that the design would be noteworthy to someone who was better educated than him, but he only saw gaudy and wasteful spending in the unnecessary space. Still, it wasn't the worst he'd seen.

As Furlan pulled closer, the driveway opened into a wide gravel lot that was nearly filled with expensive cars already parked. Maserati's, BMW's, Ferrari's. Some guests were being dropped off while their drivers exited the grounds, a similar approach to Levi and Furlan. He was pleased that they decided to rent another car or else he'd be drawing the wrong sort of attention from other guests.

Pulling up to the doors after the car in front made for the exit, Furlan stopped the Audi.

"Just let me know when I need to head back. I won't go far in case you need me in a hurry," Furlan explained, his concern resurfacing after he had done well to hide it previously.

Not wanting to see the worry his friend was leveling at him, Levi gave a firm nod, hoping it would reassure the blond. "I'll let you know."

Opening the door, he stepped out, smoothing his jacket as he went up the stairs where a finely dressed man was waiting by the door to allow entry. Handing over the invitation Lovof gave him to verify his access, the man offered a polite greeting and opened the door for him.

The inside foyer was expansive with walnut hardwood floors peeking beneath ornamental cherry red and gold rugs. An L-shaped staircase with intricate white railings led to the second floor where some guests stood, watching others over the baluster with drinks in hand. The walls were painted a mauve tone with delicate arches of white crown-molding that reached the ceiling and in the center was a typical crystal chandelier. There was a small room to the right that led to a hallway and possibly a kitchen judging by the two servers coming through with full trays of hors d'oeurvres. To his left led to an open area that was likely a sitting or entertainment room with plush fabric couches, a marbled fireplace large enough for him to lay down in, and shelves of leatherbound books and statues.

Guests of all elite status were in every direction Levi looked and he cursed himself again for not knowing who his target was. Hopefully, he wasn't an ugly fucker. It was bad enough there was a chance he had to sleep with him, but an attractive mark was better than a repulsive one. Not that he truly intended to sleep with anyone, but he knew not to get his hopes up.

Making his way through the first floor to get his bearings, he took in the different groups of people, listened to the snippets of conversations as he passed, while subtly evaluating the rooms and exits. If the tapestry was in the building, it was likely upstairs or in the basement—if there was one. He fucking prayed it wasn't in some safe because he was not prepared to tackle that nightmare of a job.

As he entered a second den, that resembled a mini library, he was surprised to see the interior take on a more gothic appearance. There was floor to ceiling walnut wood shelving, built-in with what looked like hand-carved pillars and detailed effigies above black stone fireplace. Three burgundy couches sat in front of it in a U-shape, and the panoramic windows with the curtains open allowed Levi to see out into the well-lit backyard.

There were finely trimmed hedgerows that created four perfect rectangles as a walk path of gravel split them up. Massive clay pots with triangular shaped hedges were in each corner with a beacon lighting the topiary. It reminded him of the labyrinths in movies where the walls were shrubs with no chance of escape unless you found your way through the maze. This was only a pointless decoration, but it made him scoff all the same.

Turning around, he scanned the other guests in the room, not seeing anyone who fit the owner of the estate (or what he imagined them to look like) and started back towards the foyer. Prior to exiting the room, the carved figures over the mantel drew his attention, where he saw the faces of what looked like humanoid creatures of different shapes. Some seemed like they took on animalistic qualities with maws agape, while others looked armored and massive.

Creepy. The family has so much money and they chose that as a design choice?

Arms dealers and old money, if he recalled correctly, was the source of the Fritz's wealth. Profiting off violence and rubbing elbows with government officials. A teasing game of inside jokes, while the lower classes suffered off their dealings. Figures they would have a morbid construct in their home.

Stepping into another room, Levi grabbed a fluke of champagne off a passing tray and nearly drank it in one go. He knew he would need the alcohol to loosen his inhibitions tonight, and with his higher resistance to liquor, he'd be hunting down servers faster than they'd pass him by.

After a while of shuffling through the crowd of people, which only seemed to continue to grow thicker by the minute, Levi noticed a group of individuals clustered near one particular person by the pristine fireplace. Shoulder length honey-toned hair, long shimmery wine gown adorned with silver jewelry, and a presence that commanded attention. The woman looked to be middle-aged but still had a vigorous gleam in her eyes as she chatted animatedly about some dealings with the others in front of her.

A couple passed the group, making a point to speak some unimportant topic to her with raised glasses and smiles, which she reciprocated before they walked away.

That must've been Dina Fritz, judging by the interactions. As if other people were showing her their appreciation for the invite or commenting on her home.

Scowling, Levi glanced around the room, now having an idea of what her son may look like and knowing he had to be around somewhere. He'd heard of her name before and rumor was that Dina was a passionate, yet fierce lady that had no qualms with sinking companies, business partners, or personal alliances if it furthered her organization's goals. Supposedly, her son had inherited her ruthlessness, which put a new spin on the assignment Levi hadn't considered before now.

He was standing in a potential enemy's territory. Not only within the boundaries of another criminal organization's land, but in their house with the intention to steal a family heirloom.

Levi hated to admit it, but he was beginning to think he was in over his head. Obviously, what he needed to do was exercise patience, find his mark, and figure it out from there. Just keep a low profile and be as subtle as possible. In the meantime, it was best to avoid Dina in the event she smelled a rat in her house and realized he did not belong amongst the crowd.

Deciding to put space between him and the dragon woman, he worked his way upstairs, setting the newly empty fluke on a passing tray. The second floor's landing had significantly more people than he expected but the cohorts were in smaller, more intimate numbers as if they were looking for refuge for quieter conversations. Finding a place not too close to the groups, Levi settled near a pillar where he could lean his elbows on the railing and overlook the guests on the floor below. Having a higher vantage and being away from shouldering others gave him the needed room to breathe and take in his surroundings.

If the tapestry was on the second floor, there was a very slim chance he could get away with snooping while everyone enjoyed the party. The odds of going unnoticed were not favorable because he was certain there were insurances put in place to prevent nosy guests from entering areas not permitted. Whether that was servants, locked doors, or hired security. The latter would be the biggest issue encountering and Levi preferred to avoid it at all costs.

Down below, the front door opened, and six new bodies dressed in fine materials entered the crowded foyer. A server had appeared, offering to take their coats before shambling through the hall that led to the kitchen, likely where most of the extra jackets were being hung up. Briefly, Levi toyed with wondering what strange things he would find if he purged the pockets of the rich while they were in the next room over. Money, gum wrappers, secrets. It was always a toss-up what filled their silk lining.

Before he could get too deep in his distraction, the air to his right went up a few degrees as something brushed along his sleeve, startling him. An intrusion of a woolen sooty scent tickled Levi's nose, layered beneath a warm amber cologne as he turned his head toward the intruder of his space. What he hadn't expected was a head of wavey blond hair and powder blue eyes to fill his vision.

"Mr. Ackerman," the man purred, leaning backwards on the railing with elbows propped up, while his right arm pressed shamelessly against his. "It's a wonderful surprise seeing you here. I didn't think I'd be meeting you again after your… abrupt exit from the auction."

Being trapped between the man and the pillar, Levi's mind was sent whirling in different directions, trying to evaluate the situation he suddenly found himself in, and determine the best way to navigate this social interaction. On the outside, he maintained his composure though allowing his eyes to scan the new presence, trying to decern if there was a threat in his posture beneath the navy-blue suit.

Straightening while casually keeping his arms on the railings, Levi offered a simple nod. "Evening, Mr. Yeager... Are you following me?"

He asked it flatly, though with the tilt of his head, it turned coy.

His earlier concerns that Zeke had ulterior motives for keeping his presence from the authorities instantly resurfaced and he realized that the man could make his night very difficult if he wanted to. Levi needed to play his cards carefully.

A tug at his lips told Levi he caught the subtle implication, but he didn't bite the bait as expected. Instead, he stared at Levi as if he sensed there was something beneath his skin that he wanted to extract, and it made the hitman feel oddly exposed under the scrutiny.

"Please, call me Zeke. I understand we didn't get the opportunity to make it to first name basis last time, but I'd like to remedy that now." Zeke brought up a half glass of white wine to his lips and took a careful sip, eyes never leaving his.

"I think it's still pretty early in the night for that," Levi tried to deflect.

"It's our second time meeting. I think I'm justified in wanting to know."

The way he retorted quickly, as if expecting Levi's refraction, made him tense.

Traversing civil discussions was not Levi's strong suit. Hell, just because he could open his mouth and spit out words didn't mean he should in the first place. There was little room for him to work when he could sense that the good nature Zeke had at the auction was not fully present at that moment.

The man seemed on edge, the way he looked at Levi like he could see through him. An air of suspicion wafted around him, which was reaffirmed when he leaned in slightly with a sharp hook of his lips.

"In fact, I'm certain I have a right to know the name of the gorgeous man in my own home."

Levi's composure cracked as his eyes widened. Did he hear right?

Before he could collect his thoughts, his mouth vomited, "Your home?"

Zeke's amusement was a mix of mirth and irritation as he straightened and took another sip of his wine, humming. "Did you not know that when you got your invitation? Well… I assume you have an invitation, and the butler isn't just letting anyone in off the street."

These comments were starting to hit too close to their mark.

Levi decided to cautiously tread the water, with hopes he wasn't about to drown.

"How are you associated with the Fritz name?" he asked warily, trying his best to dance away from Zeke's pointed inquiries.

"Yeager is my father's name, but he's… no longer around. I never went through the paperwork to change it, but people familiar with the family business work with me regularly, so really there's no need. In fact," Zeke rotated around slowly, mimicking Levi's posture over the rails as he waved an arm at the floor below, "majority of these people I've done dealings with in one way or another under the Fritz name. So, how exactly is it that you got an invitation when you're not one of these people?"

Shit.

Adverting his gaze to the crowd below, Levi tried to sort through the information presented as quickly as possible and determine his next response.

Zeke Yeager (AKA Fritz heir and target) had a strong, and not unfounded, belief that Levi was behind the disturbance at the auction. The Fritz family were Arms Dealers. An organization that did not currently overlap with Mitras, but was powerful enough to create significant damage if territories were crossed.

Levi was currently deep within said territory.

The Russian's original plan for Levi to lure Zeke into a temping honeypot now seemed like a joke at best. What Levi needed to do was try to stay as anonymous as possible, keep the connection to Mitras from being discovered, and escape without Zeke raising alarm.

Fuck the tapestry. Levi needed to pivot. He was struggling to find a way out from under Zeke's analyzing gaze. However the night went, he'd just have to deal with the consequences from Lovof later.

"A colleague of mine received the invite but wasn't able to come. He thought it was a good opportunity for me to get out and socialize," Levi punctuated the lie with a half shrug, avoiding Zeke's gaze.

"Is that so?"

"Hm."

A finger found its way under Levi's chin, and he felt his spine tighten at the unexpected contact. Pulling his face to look at him, Zeke smirked but it didn't reach his eyes. For three seconds, he merely stared at Levi before the hand shifted, going up his cheek and brushing the fringe from his forehead.

"You wouldn't be lying to me now, would you, Mr. Ackerman?"

There was a clear threat underneath the intimate gesture.

Levi then realized Zeke didn't believe him. And no matter what, that wouldn't change. All Zeke had to do was ask who Levi's imaginary colleague was and he'd have his honest answer. But Levi wasn't one to be found so easily when bluffing was still an option. While it may not convince Zeke, it could make him doubt his conclusion.

Holding his gaze and swallowing despite himself, he answered evenly, "I don't know you well enough to have a reason to lie."

Zeke contemplated his response for a beat before returning his hand to the railing. Then, as if another thought came to him, the taller man shifted his arms off the rail, and straightened as he fixed Levi with his undivided attention. Growing uncomfortable with the intimidating position over him, Levi instinctively mimicked his pose and angled toward the blond enough to give him a little extra space, which Zeke immediately took advantage of.

"So, if that's the case and you really have no reason to lie, Mr. Ackerman, then tell me…" He leaned down, beard and warm air tickling the shell of his ear and sending prickles along Levi's skin as he whispered tightly, "Where is my shield?"

Shit-shit-shit. This was not good.

Zeke pulled away from his ear just enough to look Levi in the eyes, but there was no amusement left. Zeke was pissed. And he knew. He fucking knew.

Any hope for subtle civility was off the table apparently, which—if Levi was honest—he much rather preferred. He was no longer face-to-face with an oblivious mark, but a fellow member of a rival organization.

Expression falling into a challenging scowl, Levi kept his voice down as he contested, "And if I say I don't have it? What will you do? Kill me?"

Not that Levi would allow himself to die so easily, but it was good to get the details out on the table ahead of time.

"No, doll. I have no intentions of killing you," Zeke assured with a forced smile, as if the proposal was absurd. He was still leaning in Levi's space, likely making it look like an intimate conversation to anyone looking in from nearby. That or like he was going to close the distance and kiss Levi at any moment. "But even if you don't have the shield, you know where its at. Perhaps, we can come to a compromise of sorts."

"Compromise…" Levi really wanted to take a step back but if he did, he'd be pressed against the pillar and completely cornered.

Shoving the bastard off the baluster would be satisfying, though it'd make a scene. So, instead, he chose to be a responsible and mature 33-year-old. Crossing his arms over his chest and trying not to think about how much he wanted to break the guy's kneecaps in.

"Yes, a compromise," Zeke elaborated, "As I've mentioned, I've done dealings with nearly everyone here, but not yet with you."

Finally—finally, Zeke stood to his full height and Levi instantly felt like he could breathe again.

"Yeah?" Levi retorted, annoyance leaking through, "And what gives you the impression I'm open to making a deal?"

"I read the reports from the yard about your escape that night. It's impressive how you were able to fight off security and scale down buildings, almost like you were made for it. The fact that the shield is not in your possession means that it's been delivered to the one who hired you." Zeke took another sip of his wine that was getting very low in his glass. "And if one person can hire you, then I'd like to buy exclusive rights to your skills."

"Exclusive rights?" Levi parroted, eyes narrowing, feeling as if something was slowly being lodged in his throat.

"Meaning I would be your only employer."

Not believing the nerve this rich asshole had to talk to him like that, Levi rolled his eyes with a scoff. "I know what exclusive means, prick. And I'm not for sale."

A shadow tinted with madness came over the coy smile, and the look he fixed Levi with spoke volumes more than the words out of his mouth. "Money is only a formality, Mr. Ackerman. Loyalty on the other hand…"

Levi instinctively clenched his jaw, feeling his teeth grind as he bristled at the unspoken inference. He wasn't sure what exactly the man was implying but his survival instincts were blaring warning sirens that he needed to get away from him. Now.

But before he could make a move, much less spit out a retort, two finely dressed men joined them at the railing.

"Good evening! I've been looking for you everywhere, Zeke! I was just telling Thomas here how skilled you are in our cricket matches," the shorter brunet of the two chortled as a greeting, raising a bushy unibrow.

Zeke looked mildly annoyed at the interruption before a polite mask slipped on as he returned the salutation with his own welcome.

Levi saw his opportunity to slip away, yet this time, he wasn't even going to give an excuse out of politeness to Zeke. Fuck that.

Turning, he dropped his hands by his sides and made it two steps away before an arm looped around his shoulders and tugged him back into a firm body. Jerking his head up, he saw Zeke was nodding politely at the second man who was talking about some furnishing in one of the rooms, acting as if Levi attached to Zeke's side was completely normal. As if they were more acquainted with each other than they really were.

Apparently, the only one who found the proximity odd was the one being imprisoned by it, especially as the two men halted their previous conversation and took the time to introduce themselves to Levi. When the awkward pause came that Levi was expected to fill with his own introduction, he folded his arms and remained mute while fixing them with an impatient glare. Taking a vow of silence, if only to make the situation as uncomfortable as possible for Zeke as it was for Levi.

But frustratingly, the blonde's fingers dug into his shoulder, and he answered for Levi. "This is Mr. Ackerman. A dear friend of mine."

"Tsk, friend." Levi mumbled, his dour mood was starting to come on full display, and the pressure on his shoulder turned bruising.

But what the fuck did he care? Unless he found some miracle way to get the tapestry, the job was finished. The best-case scenario for the evening was having nothing pointing back to Mitras or Lovof.

Internally, Levi wanted to release a bitter chuckle.

Wouldn't that be hilarious though? Maybe after he paid off his debt, he could leak information to the Fritz organization, and they could both take each other out in some turf war while him and his friends move on with their lives. A nice, final 'Fuck You' to Lovof's men. It wouldn't be to Lovof himself, after all. His death belonged specifically to Levi. But he could still get great pleasure in Mitras burning to the ground. And the Fritz's organization. Zeke Yeager was quickly getting higher on his shit list.

But until then, he was still in dangerous territory and needed to not make a scene. Reluctantly, Levi didn't pull away from Zeke's hold as the three of them chatted about nonsense Levi had no interest in. So, he just stood there patiently, watching people filter up and down the stairs. As the minutes ticked by, the hold on his shoulder lessened until Zeke trusted him enough to not leave, finally removing it to gesticulate as he spoke.

Now that Levi wasn't being physically restricted, he wondered what his escape route would be. If he made a move to leave now, would Zeke grab him again? Would the two men ignore the act, or would they say something in Levi's defense? If they did, it would put Zeke in an uncomfortable position where he would need to protect his image and likely be forced to release Levi, providing an excellent time to escape the building.

Tuning back to listen to the conversation, he watched at the two men wore bright grins that looked like their faces would be stuck in place forever by the stretch of their skin, the way they laughed too eagerly at something that was mildly funny at best, and how the unibrow guy kept touching Zeke's arm flirtatiously.

Nope. They would side with Zeke sooner than Levi.

Fuck my life.

Glancing at the empty wine glass in Zeke's hand, Levi contemplated using another strategy to get away just when the corner of his eye caught a flash of color down on the first floor.

A jade green dress and a neat ponytail of wavy cinnamon hair parted through the crowd toward the den. He had to do a double take before realizing that his eye wasn't deceiving him, and a shot of panic froze the blood in his veins.

His indifferent mask falling, Levi's mind quickly conjured the perfect excuse to Zeke to appease him. Funny how fear can overpower pride and dignity.

Touching Zeke's arm to draw his attention, he announced, rather demurely, that he was thirsty and would be right back with a new glass of wine for Zeke, feeling like he was playing the sweetheart to the otherwise handsy heir.

The excuse worked perfectly, locking any retort or reflex to stop Levi through decorum and politeness imposed at parties and under the watchful eyes of Zeke's guests. The unintentional protection of the two other men had worked to Levi's favor and any other time, he would have been smug.

However, in that moment, his focus was on finding that jade dress.

Trotting down the stairs, his sterling stare probed the crowd before spotting the thick red hair that stood out like a beacon in a cluster of silvers, blondes, and brunettes. Dipping into the gathering of people, he pushed through until he could make out the familiar grin and emerald eyes of his little sister who watched someone across the room.

Finally making it to her side, he softly touched her arm as he called her attention to him, "Izzy."

Spinning around, he was met with saucer-wide emeralds that stood out brighter beneath her mascara and eye shadow. "Levi? What are you doing here?!"

"Keep it down," he berated, brows furrowed as he tried to make sense of what was happening.

A sweet trickle of adrenaline began leaking into his bloodstream as his eyes darted around the two of them, looking for what, he wasn't certain. Something just felt very wrong.

If he was honest, there had been a time or two where he had a nightmare that consisted of this very scenario. Him on a job. Izzy or Furlan being there and in the middle of it when a gunfight went off and then when he tried to get them out, it always ended with—

"Are you seriously following me on my date, Levi? This is so embarrassing—I really can't believe you'd do that."

"What?" Levi hissed, as if what she said was a personal insult to his character. "No—I'm not following you."

Izzy, who was usually a couple inches taller than him but was elevated more with her heels, opened her mouth to challenge him when her gaze dropped to his throat. A crease of concern pinched between her brows and the corner of her lips took a plunge. "What happened to your neck?"

Levi shook his head, feeling like the forgotten injury was suddenly irrelevant in their current situation. "Nothing. I cut it shaving."

Izzy was not convinced as her gaze fell flat. "Since when do you need to shave? Better yet, since when have you ever been clumsy with something that has a blade?"

He wasn't about to stroke her ego in admitting she was correct.

"Why are you here, Izzy? Is this the date you were talking about the other day?"

"Well, duh. Why else would I be wearing the dress we picked out? You must think I'm doing pretty good if you assume I'm coming to these rich parties as a hobby."

"Damnit, you shouldn't be here at all. You need to go."

Something must have clicked by the urgency of his tone because instead of stubbornly arguing, her eyes widened again.

"Are you working right now?" Then leaning in to whisper (which really wasn't a whisper by normal people standards), she asked, "Are you here to kill someone?"

"Shut-up, Izzy!" Levi shushed and glanced around, but mercifully no one was paying them any mind. Glancing back up at his 'little' sister, he explained, "Yes, I'm working, ok? And you need to go home."

"But what am I supposed to tell my date?"

"It doesn't matter. Text him later to say that you got sick or something. Just call Furlan. He's not far and can pick you up."

"I'm not bailing on my date, big bro. That's fucked up."

Before Levi could dust off his authoritative sibling voice, a figure dressed in a black suit and white shirt stopped behind Isabel with a possessive hand resting on her lower back. Storm cloud eyes locked onto the offending appendage, before tracing it up, across the tall shoulders to a familiar, glowering face.

Combed back blond mane, finely trimmed facial hair, and all to recognizable glare that peered at Levi as intensely as it had when he was on the rooftop.

"Here you go, beautiful," the brute said, handing his sister a glass of rosé wine. "And who's this?"

"Oh, this is my big brother, Levi. Levi, this is Mike, my date." Her hand came to land on the blonde's bicep as she reiterated the last word. A protective move like any other, which had Levi's eyes narrow further. As if Levi was in the wrong for objecting. As if he shouldn't be pissed that Isabel just gave a rival his name.

Now, all he needed was the bearded prick up stairs to talk to this asshole and they'd have his full identity.

"Levi, huh? Nice to meet you," a big hand extended out into that thick, tense space between them, pulling the glare away from Isabel and to the insulting limb.

He made no move to accept it as he seethed.

"Sorry, Levi doesn't shake hands," Isabel forced a laugh in an attempt to ease the growing hostility. After a moment, she must have thought better of it and pointedly stared at Levi with a terse. "Be polite, big bro."

Be polite?

At that moment, it was taking all of Levi's self-control to not grab the man by his stupid tie and rip him away from Isabel. Maybe even drag the mangy oaf outside and demand answers to the swarming questions in his head before he beat his face in to a bloody pulp.

Why was he here with Isabel? Was he using her as a cover to get to the tapestry? But why Isabel, of all people? He wasn't shocked to see Levi either, which raised even more red flags. All Levi was seeing was red. Red-red-red-red. Red.

"I need to speak to you," Levi grumbled under his breath, not trusting his voice to form a more constructed sentence as he grabbed her wrist and tugged her away. He didn't miss the narrowed gaze of Mike who watched them move to a quieter area, leaving him behind.

Levi wanted to go outside and away from all the people, but something told him not to lose sight of the giant opponent who he knew to be a threat. A bigger threat than the Fitz heir, wherever the fuck that forgotten nonsense was. Likely still upstairs looking for him. Either way, Levi was going to avoid glancing up and pretend that particular issue didn't exist until he handled the current ginger-haired problem.

Once he was away from earshot of other guests with a view of the glaring giant still watching them in the crowd, he tuned back to realize he had unintentionally blocked out Isabel's ranting. She was just in the middle of cursing him for embarrassing her at such a grand event that caused him to roll his eyes, only pissing her off more.

"Stop being childish. You're not in high school anymore, so quit acting like that."

"Stop being overprotective, big bro. I'm a grown woman who can make her own choices."

Levi tsked, "You're barely 23, more of a teenager than an adult."

"Fuck you, Levi. Stop being such a gloomy bastard."

"Izzy. I need you to go home—"

"I already told you, I'm not leaving Mik-"

"How did you even meet that asshole?"

"Huh? I met him when I was going to get my usual post-workout smoothie, remember?"

So, Mike either learned her routine or just happened to meet her.

Levi didn't believe in coincidences.

He knew that Isabel was excited about the date and, admittedly, he did feel bad for ruining it for her, but he'd rather her be mad at him than to see her get caught up in Lovof's bullshit. Whatever was happening here was something bigger than just a job or innocent date, and Levi was fit to handle this crap.

Why was this rug such a fucking headache? And why steal from a rival organization and risk a war breaking out? Why was it so important to begin with? The Russian Don had enough money to probably purchase the tapestry but was undoubtedly too cheap to part with his money. It was either that or the thing was more important than he was letting on, which would explain the third party, Mike, showing up here, of all places. Like an unwanted parasite latching on and searching for blood.

Levi's gaze drifted to the man who was still watching them, even as he took a sip of his glass of wine that he had somehow procured since Levi pulled Isabel away. He resisted the urge to flip him off and instead dipped his hand to his pocket to pull out his phone and type a message to Furlan

"I need you to wait outside for Furlan to pick you up."

"Levi—"

"Stop, Izzy. You need to leave. I'm working."

Her mouth clamped shut, locking in whatever argument she had. After a second, she opened it again, but her words were more composed and measured, likely sensing the dire mood Levi was in to get her to safety. "I'll just have Mike take me back to my dorm."

"No, you won't—forget him. Mike isn't who he says he is. I've already had a run-in with him on my last job, and not in a friendly sense."

"…What? Wait…. What?!"

Levi sighed and raked a hand through his hair, realizing he was probably making a mess of it.

"Yeah, that guy was after the same thing as me and tried to stop me from escaping. I don't know what his game is, but he's probably here for the same reason as I am tonight. I don't want you near him or getting caught in the middle of this, so I'm not letting you say another word to him."

"But are you sure? Maybe it was someone else that looks like him?"

"How many other shaggy lampposts do you see that looks like that?" he snapped, then immediately regretted it when he saw her wince.

Taking a breath, he tried to recenter himself and sort all the shit that was going wrong with the evening into manageable pieces to fix.

Step 1: Get Isabel out of here.

"Please, Izzy. I need to know you're safe and away from here, so I can finish my job," he reiterated again in a softer tone, hoping it reflected his sincerity.

"…Alright." She nodded in agreement, finally coming to terms with what she thought would be a nice evening was not going to be the case. "Alright. I'll go."

Levi was about to reassure her that it would be ok, when his phone vibrated. Opening the message, he saw Furlan saying he would be right there, and he put it back in his pocket.

"Furlan will be here any minute. Just wait outside for him and tell him to take you home."

"What, you're not coming? Shouldn't we wait for you?"

Levi had half a mind to do just that, if only to escape from the Fritz property. He still didn't have any false hope of retrieving the tapestry, but the matter of Mike was an issue that needed to be dealt with.

A big 6' 4" issue.

"I'll get a cab when I'm done. Tell Furlan to text me when you guys are back at the apartment."

Isabel clearly wanted to say something else but stopped herself. Instead, she leaned in, kissed his cheek, and told him to be careful. Then, which caused Levi to feel a stab of pride, she tossed Mike a glare as she hurried out the front door. Any confirmation needed that Levi made the right call to get her away was settled when Levi looked to see the blonde's reaction. The man didn't even care that Isabel was leaving or seem remotely upset. In fact, he completely ignored her and chose to stare directly at Levi. Just watching.

But it wasn't specifically the weight of Mike's attention that Levi felt on him, sending a chill up the nape of his neck. Against his better judgement, Levi glanced up and met the cold stare of Zeke observing him with a fresh drink in hand. It looked like he was locked in a conversation with others who were not there previously. Standing beside him was Dina, who had yet to notice that her son's attention was far from the discussion in front of him and rather on a thug from a rival mob.

The voice in his head was screeching at him that Zeke just saw him talking to Isabel. That now two different groups outside of Mitras were aware of her and their personal connection, which would undoubtably be exploited if given the chance.

And fuck if Levi's instincts were screaming to burn off those loose ends or else risk his sanity coming undone. This night was shaping up to be a nightmare.

Swiping his attention back to the blond brute on the first floor with him, a rise of panic wedged in Levi's throat when the space the man was in previously was distinctly absent. Where the fuck did he go?!

Jerking his head around the foyer and den, Levi made for the first step of the stairs to see over the heads of the people around him, ignoring the invisible danger at his back that warned Zeke was not far from him now. Mike was the first priority.

Just as Levi was about to lose his shit, he caught the familiar view of Mike leaving through the front entrance where Isabel had left a moment ago.

Gritting his teeth, Levi hurriedly shoved his way through the few people in his path until he opened the door forcefully. Once he trotted outside into a wall of brisk air, any expectation of seeing Mike was cut short when there was nothing but the butler beside him. On the gravel lot in front, Izzy stood with her back facing him, waiting as the silver Audi pulled up next to her.

Levi stood on the front steps awkwardly, scanning the nearby shadows and bushes, looking out at the yard for the blond. But Mike was nowhere to be seen, as if Levi imagined the entire thing in his distress.

The butler behind him politely cleared his throat, likely concerned with Levi's strange behavior. "Is everything alright, sir?"

"Yeah. Fine," he replied gruffly, composing himself as he headed to the driveway to see Isabel off, eyes shifting to see if there was something he missed.

She was just settling into the passenger seat with her door still open when Levi paused beside it. Leaning with a hand on the roof and the other on the door, he met Furlan's concerned stare while the blond made a confused gesture at Isabel. Glancing behind him again, still with no sign of Mike, Levi returned his attention to his friends.

"That guy who chased me at the Sky Garden is here."

Furlan's eyes bulged. "What?!"

"I'll take care of it, just bring Izzy to the apartment-he knows where she lives. And don't worry about picking me up. I want you two to stay away from here the rest of the night."

"…Are you sure? Do you have a plan to get away if you need to?"

"You know I'll manage it."

Isabel's earlier excitement had completely diminished as the full risk of the situation had become apparent. "I'm still confused who Mike really is and what's going on."

Furlan answered before Levi could, "I'll explain what I can on the way home." Then looking to Levi, he added, "I'll take care of her. You focus on what you need to do. Just be careful, mate. Call if you need anything and I'll be here."

"Yeah, big bro, please be careful."

"I'll be fine. I'll let you two know when I'm out of here."

"Alright, good. Seriously, take care of yourself."

Levi shut the door of the car and tapped his hand on the roof twice. Furlan pulled the car around and started down the driveway with a final wave, while Levi stood there in the dim glow of the estate; watching the tail-lights until he was certain they made it off the property. His insecurities wanted to be certain they were safely away before he went inside to try to run damage control. As the car made it to the edge of the woods, Levi was about to turn around when motion drew his attention to his left.

Toward the gate that separated the mowed property from the forest, a man darted under a broken section of the fence and melted into the evening's darkness. The distance was just far and dim enough for the details of the man to not register to Levi's already poor vision, yet something about the way he moved, and his size sent his stomach dropping.

It wasn't just because the familiar figure was suspiciously lurking on the outskirts of the estate that sent his nerves alight. No. It was because the forest he entered was the only barrier between the Fritz property and the main road which Furlan and Isabel just drove out onto. The action almost seemed like he was planning to try to cut them off.

"Mike," Levi churned, with all the resentment that could be imparted in a single word.

As if hearing Levi's curse, the giant of a man halted just inside the tree line. Only the sandy tresses and starkness of the white shirt were visible as he turned to regard Levi once more, then spun around and began to run. For a second or two, Levi just watched him, thinking about who he worked for, why he was after the same items Lovof was, and realizing he was professionally trained, nearly catching him on multiple occasions on their last meeting. Then how he was able to find a link to Levi after all the work he put in to keeping the trio anonymous.

And finally, Levi thought about how Mike knew where Isabel's dorm was and how he now had Levi's name. It all made him so fucking angry that all his hard work, routine, and control was deteriorating around him ever since he returned from Romania.

Then he thought about how loose ends always come back to haunt you. Except now, it wasn't just Levi they would come back to get but Furlan and Isabel too.

No loose ends.

Levi began to run after him.


"Zeke, darling, what's wrong with you today?" Dina questioned as the Steiners walked away to mingle with the other guests. Now alone after a discussion of their recent investments, the head of the family was keen to discover the root of her son's unfavorable mood. "You're going to run off my clients before they have a chance to renew our contract if you keep sulking rudely."

The hand that cupped the nape of his neck was firm despite the motherly affection in her tone.

"It's nothing. I'm just tired is all."

"Mhm… That's unlike you to be so lazy with a lie." Dina's hand swept to the collar of his shirt, and she tugged him to face her. "Is there something I need to be concerned about that you're not telling me?"

Zeke raised his brows and looked upwards, pretending to contemplate before shrugging. He knew the careless gesture dug under her skin and the tightening of thin red lips only spurred him on more. "You have no reason to fret, mother. It's nothing related to the company, and God knows you've never cared about my personal affairs."

"Don't be a petulant child. Your personal affairs are your business alone, not mine. I don't care who you bring to your bed, so long as it doesn't interfere with the organization."

Ah, what an easy excuse to use to not be involved with your kid's life, Zeke pondered, feeling an itch for some nicotine.

Growing exasperated with the repetitive debate, he lifted a hand to pat hers patronizingly which was still holding his shirt. "If you must know, I was rejected tonight, so forgive me if my pride is a little wounded."

Narrowing her gaze skeptically, Dina removed her hand and smoothed out her already flawless dress. "Well, that's their loss then. Better to be rejected then to end up in regret."

"Your wisdom is ever astounding."

"And your attitude leaves much to be desired. Keep the sulking to a minimum until the guests leave. Maybe find some other piece of ass here to entertain yourself with if you must."

Rather than waiting for a response, she turned away and found another group of people more interesting to talk to than her son.

Not bothered by the woman's non-existent sense of nurture (really, he was pleased she finally left him alone) Zeke glimpsed down the hallway where he met one of his security's gaze. Tilting his head in a gesture to come, the broad-chested blond walked toward him.

"Hey, boss," the younger man greeted, eyes taking a chance to scan over the sea of guests below.

"Reiner. I have a job for you and Bertholdt," Zeke instructed, pulling out his packet of cigarettes after setting the wine glass down on a narrow table. "Do you recall that man I was speaking to earlier. The dark-haired gentleman…"

Reiner pondered on it for a split second before nodding. "The one in the grey suit? I remember."

Pinching the filter in his mouth, Zeke shoved the rest of the box in his pocket. "He was around here just a bit ago, so I'd like for you guys to find him. He left before we could close our deal, which would be a shame to leave open-ended until our next meeting."

"Alright, sure. I'll radio Bertholdt and let him know to search for him. Where would you like us to bring him to?"

"Take him the back office away from everyone. Call me when you have him, and try not to let the other guests see if he throws a hissy fit. He was getting close to a tantrum before I settled him down earlier."

"Certainly. You'd think a little guy like that should've outgrown those by now," Reiner chuckled as he went to start the search, waving at a shorter woman who smiled dryly at his comment while she traded places and approached Zeke's side.

"What's this about a 'little guy'?" she asked, while stopping at his shoulder.

"Reiner is just poking fun as someone I found of interest. He's a short fellow who disappeared in a huff after promising to bring me a drink," he punctuated the explanation with his bottom lip sticking out for sympathy, "but he never came back, Pieck."

Pieck only smiled brighter at his mock pouting. "Are you feeling alright? It's not like you to lose sight of something you want."

"Well, this one is slippery, but given his nature, it's to be expected."

"Meaning what exactly?"

Zeke extracted his silver lighter, bringing it to ignite the end of his cig and inhaled deeply. A secretive curve of his lips and the smoke filtered out of his nose. "Meaning he has great value to me."

"Hm, cryptic as usual. That doesn't really elaborate on anything to us lesser mortals, you know."

Chuckling, he leaned over and kissed the top of his prized archaeologist's head, dismissing her natural curiosity.

While Pieck was a brilliant antiquarian and having been integrated into Zeke's closest members nearly 9 years ago, she had limited experience with the inner dealings of Zeke's illegitimate work. Despite being fully aware of the violent acts and shady contracts, she usually turned a blind eye to it out of a sense of friendship and loyalty. Bertholdt had teased him before that it was because she had a crush on him, but Zeke didn't see things moving between them pass a couple of flings. Still, he felt a sense of protection over the sweet woman and wanted to keep her work separated from his less savory business. And the Ackerman was definitely a part of that unsavory business.

"Why don't you go enjoy yourself," he recommended, "If anything comes up, I'll let you know."

"Yeah. Sure, you will," she laughed, "Keep your secrets then, I wasn't really that interested anyway. You'll know where I'll be if I'm needed."


Levi hit the fence and slid under it with a single hand steadying himself on the ground, the harsh gravel shredding through the fabric of his pants and breaking skin on his knees. He came up on the other side with barely a loss of momentum and continued after Mike, finding it ironic that the roles were reversed this time around.

The man was fast on flat ground, just as Levi expected. Even with the uneven and shrouded forest, hurtling over brush, rocks, and downed trees, his long legs made it easily over the obstacles. Levi had to work a little harder to keep up, but already being adept at freestyle running made up for his physical disadvantage. Even so, Levi wasn't gaining the amount of ground as quickly as he hoped.

Fuck it, Levi decided. I'm just gonna shoot him.

As he ran, his hand slapped beneath his suit jacket for his pistol before realizing his mistake. That's right. No gun. He didn't bring his damn guns! Grumbling, he pulled out his Karatel knife, preparing to toss it.

Just about twelve yards ahead of him, Mike's hand went to his waistband, and he stopped abruptly before spinning on Levi. Something small and black in his hands leveled in his direction, and Levi immediately knew what it was just as he put on the brakes from his sprint.

Crack.

Levi felt the explosion of wind pass by as the tree near him splintered from the bullet. He didn't stop to look at the damage, gripping his knife and slinging it at Mike's face. The blade spun through the air and Mike managed to avoid it by leaping to his right a few feet, out of Levi's direct line. The desperate dodge caused him to slip as he lost his footing in the mud, which Levi used to close the gap.

He leapt, his body horizonal, and he speared Mike right in the midsection with his feet. The two collided and the air evacuated lungs with a hollow humph. They landed in the mud, scrambling in the same second to get their feet under them before their opponent could recover.

Instead of using the precious time to fully stand up, Levi dove forward into his opponent, grappling for the gun in Mike's grip, meanwhile Mike twisted his arm to try to get a close range shot at him.

Not appreciating the chances of being maimed by the blond, Levi grabbed it by the barrel and shoved it away from him, using his other hand to punch Mike across the cheek. It was a small, compact semi-auto pistol of some kind which told Levi one of two things. Either the guy was working for the law, or he was an affiliate of another criminal organization.

Neither were allies as far as Levi was concerned.

The gun went off with another ear-splitting crack, so close to Levi's head it sent his ear ringing. The slide worked under his fingers as it fired, ripping some of the skin, but he managed to hold his grip on it which caused it to jam. The spent casing remained in the chamber, blocking any further threat of eating lead in the immediate future.

With both hands wrapped around the gun, Mike saw his opportunity and slammed Levi's face hard with an elbow. The crack vibrated in his ears as excruciating pain shot through his face, echoing to the back of his skull where he didn't even know he had nerve endings. It jarred him, nearly to the point of unconsciousness, and he felt strength suddenly drain from him, simply by the scale of the pain.

Mike didn't waste time or give him the chance to recover. He rolled Levi onto his back and put his large hand across his chest to hold him down, while jabbing the freed pistol up to Levi's temple with the other hand. Any other time, Levi would have frozen beneath the man, if only not to entice the opponent to kill him. But the sting on his fingers was a stark reminder through his pain-hazed mind that the gun had malfunctioned, and Mike had yet to fix it.

Swiping his arm down, his elbow jabbed into the meat of the blonde's forearm, buckling his weight on top of Levi. With the other hand, Levi grabbed the wrist holding the gun twisted it back as harshly as he could in his position. There was a pop of the radius, but it didn't feel deep enough for a break. Either way it must have damaged some tendons as Mike recoiled off Levi to break his hold, losing grip of the gun in the process. Spinning away until he was no longer on his back, Levi launched for the pistol on the ground, landing stretched out on his side, but Mike was not going to let him have it so easily.

The blond came at him, determined not to let that gun turn on him next. Levi held up one foot, trying to ward off Mike while he brought the pistol into his chest and racked the slide, clearing the jam. The spent casing flew out, a fresh one slamming into the chamber.

Levi felt his foot being swiped out of the way and then there was the heavy bulk of Mike landing on him. He rocked his hips up, gritting through the pain around his throat that he knew was bleeding again, and wrapped one leg around Mike's midsection. He tried to get the other leg around, but Mike shoved his elbow down into Levi's thigh, pinning it and spiking his femoral nerve.

The one leg was enough, though. It was enough to keep the larger man from posting up on him. Mike thrust his arms forward, his one good hand grabbing handfuls of Levi's suit, the fingers digging viciously into skin. Like he was trying to claw his way up to Levi's chest to reach the pistol.

Grunting with his teeth locked together, Levi tried to sight down the length of his body with the gun, but before he could even attempt to pull the trigger, the sounds of laden boots stomping through brush and mud behind them reached his ears. Tilting his head back, his upside-down vision saw a younger man with tousled ginger hair come charging upon them with a carbine rifle in the low ready. With eyes widening in alarm, he cried out Mike's name before leveling the barrel in Levi's face.

"Fucking drop it!"

Growling under his breath, Levi redirected his wrist and shot his pistol in the kid's direction, close enough to hopefully scare him off. The freed bullet, though feet away from actually burrowing into flesh, encouraged the newcomer to duck around a tree for cover.

Staying on his back with two opponents was no longer a favorable position for Levi.

Jerking his hips up as hard as he could, gritting through the rekindling of electric pain from his femoral nerve, he unbalanced Mike enough to free his leg. Now with both wrapped around his midsection, Levi blocked a punch to his temple, and pushed with all his strength until managing to roll them over. Mike let out a curse as his back hit the ground and his hands lifted to Levi's throat, but Levi wasn't intending to stay half locked in the position with a mobile threat at his back.

Releasing from the giant, he went to distance himself, though only managed a half step away when two quick successions of muffled gunshots split around him. The projectiles were close enough for the broken air to sweep across his cheek, causing him to release a curse as he flinched away. Levi then aimed his full, unhindered attention at the kid who was squinting down the iron sights of his rifle.

"Floch! Watch out!" Mike barked in warning. But everything happened too quickly for the lesser experienced gunman.

Spooked at seeing the hitman turn on him, Floch released another burst of ammo, but Levi was charging low and fast, reading the barrel's aim as best as he could with limited visibility. One shot was lucky and clipped the pistol, narrowing missing Levi's hand. The impact both startled him and jerked the gun out of his grasp, landing somewhere in the mud and brush.

Not slowing down, and merely feet away from the gunman, Levi side-stepped around the tree, a perfect move that didn't allow Floch to swing his rifle to meet him on the other side without colliding with the bark. As Levi came up behind him, the whites of Floch's eyes were strikingly visible in the dark before a well-aimed left hook rammed into his temple. The tousled red head bounced off the bole of the tree and he went limp as unconsciousness swallowed his world.

But Levi wasn't done yet. One threat down. Another one pissed off and ready to snap his neck.

Squaring up against the charging brute, Levi stepped into his striking range to deliver his punch, but an unexpected counter kick was sent to the right side of his head. Noticing in the last second, his right arm blocked the majority of the blow before it could do some damage. Letting out a disgruntled tsk, Levi changed strategy, lunging for Mike's front supporting leg to bring him to the ground.

The man was quick to shift his weight to the left as he pivoted and wrenched his leg from Levi's hold in mid turn. Not one to give up on his objective, Levi sprung forward before Mike could fully get his foot down and recover, altering tactic by looping his arm around the man's neck and rotated his entire body forward. The momentum on the already unstable legs, caused them both to roll across the ground, but Mike was determined not to find himself grappling in the mud again with the smaller man.

Rolling with the motion, he tossed Levi away enough to rotate his legs under him, but Levi was already on his feet. Mike swung for the knee closest, hoping to dislocate it. Levi countered and pulled it just out of reach as he stepped back, giving Mike the room he needed to reach his feet as he swung at Levi's face again. Levi returned a punch, but Mike leaned away from it. In his split second of dodging the strike to his face, he hadn't expected Levi to charge at his waist, knocking the air out in a grunt from the shoulder in his gut.

They were back on the ground, and Mike shoved Levi over top of him before he could fully post up. But like the damn cat he was, he used the momentum to roll back onto his feet and by the time Mike could stand up, Levi sent a knee into his face.

A strangled groan left Mike as pain flourished a flash of white across his eyes, sending him crumpling to the ground. Panting, Levi grabbed the pistol from the ground and aimed it at Mike's prone position. After blinking the remnants of agony from his sight, Mike's seething glare burned into Levi who matched it with a cold resolve, maroon stain leaking through the bandage of his neck, his nose bloody and lip freshly busted.

"Who are you working for?" Levi's tone demanded, flat and deep despite the heavy rise and fall of his chest.

Mike's glare turned venomous, but he stayed silent. Merely propping up on his elbows to better watch Levi on the other end of the gun.

"How did you find Isabel?"

The blond spit a glob of blood off to the side, not breaking eye contact and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

The lack of answers, the rising anxiety, the featherweight feeling of adrenaline in his sinew. Levi was tempted to drag out the torture of the man in front of him until he had his answers, but he also knew that despite the suppressed gunshots, there was still a chance someone exploring the gardens of the estate could have heard it.

While wrapping Mike around a bullet wouldn't make him lose a minute of sleep, the unconscious gunman by the tree was a different story. Sure, he had killed a handful of people in their 20's, however the ginger hair and similar age to Isabel left a nauseating taste on his tongue.

But no loose ends, right? He didn't know who else was aware of them, so he needed to eradicate the rot before it could spread to his family. Trading a stranger's life for his friends was not anything new to him. Not anymore.

The previous fury began to leave his body slowly, replaced by steel resolution. Index finger folding over the trigger, he racked the slide once more to ensure there was a fresh cartridge and aimed it at Mike's head.

"Fine. You don't have to say anything. Makes my job easier."

Before he could fire the pistol, Levi felt a slight prick on the back of his neck.

His first thought was a bug biting him which he nearly reached up to swat at. But then, all at once, he was surrounded by the scent of something aromatic and fresh-which had no business being in the middle of a damp forest—and felt the cold, iron-like grip on his shoulder. The new voice behind him was barely a whisper, but it held all the substance of an anvil falling.

"Don't move."

A dozen options, a dozen thoughts, all screeching like locked tires. Fight or Flight?

The hand was incredibly strong, the voice resolute. This man had snuck up on him, took him by surprise in the middle of a fight. What he thought was a bug bite was the tip of a knife—it had to be. Right at the base of his skull. Just like he had done with Marlowe.

One shove and Levi was gone.

Strangely, he felt the fear, but also something else. Not forsaken reluctance, but the need to just… stop. Like an elk in nature documentaries when the wolves drag it to the ground. The look in the animal's eyes after it realizes that no amount of kicking and screaming and biting would get it out of the situation it was in.

"Drop the gun."

Distantly, Levi toyed with the idea of just pulling the 4lbs of trigger weight. To take the man's life who dared to approach his sister if it meant exploiting him. Why did he get to be saved at the end of it all while Levi was held at knifepoint?

But Levi knew it wasn't worth it. Getting taken out in some woods on Fritz's property, where his corpse would bloat and decompose into the mud, sounded like a nightmare. Isabel and Furlan would worry. They would, undoubtedly, return to the estate and get into deeper trouble without Levi being there to protect them.

His shoulders slouched and he knew—just knew—the man behind him could feel the tension ease under his imposing hand. There was an inevitability to it. The release and freedom to not have to think about your next step once he realized his chances of escape were nonexistent.

He was sure, in that moment, he shared the same look in that elk's eyes.

Well… fuck…

Levi took his finger off the trigger and realized, in a split-second epiphany, that that was all the man behind him wanted him to do. Just take the finger off the trigger so that when the pommel of the knife collided with the back of his skull, he didn't send off a round when he fell unconscious.

Fuck.


A/N Welp…. I hate to say it, but I think it's time for Furlan's "I told you so" moment, Levi.

So, a lot happened. Furlan and Isabel were involved in his job, Levi is now an object of interest to Zeke, a couple more Scouts "introduce" themselves to Levi, and the tapestry remains safe.

Next time: Erwin has a little chat with his captive and Mike's patience continues to wear thin.