Upon entering the door of the ancient mansion, the figure sought refuge from the rain, shaking off the droplets that clung to her blond hair and fell onto the floor.
She followed the sound of a television emanating from a room, guiding her to the two individuals she had been searching for. Holding a newspaper in her arms, she made her presence known in the living room.
"Where have you been, Peyton?" inquired a male voice, as the blonde made her way towards the room. "I was simply acquiring the newspaper," Peyton responded, as she placed the paper emphatically onto the coffee table. "You might want to examine the front page, Ace," she added with a mischievous smirk.
Ace, raising an eyebrow, regarded Peyton. "You must exercise caution when venturing outside. I have no doubt that the detectives have realized that Jack and I have escaped," he cautioned while retrieving the paper.
Chuckling, the blonde replied, "Honestly, I don't think it matters whether I go out or not. They remain oblivious to the individuals responsible for liberating the two of you from confinement." Peyton then nonchalantly settled onto Ace's lap, running her fingers through his hair.
"Indeed, I request that you exercise caution. The implementation of our plan to apprehend the two individuals in question is about to commence," Ace conveyed, enveloping Peyton's waist with his arms.
"Will you be taking action soon?" Peyton inquired, planting a kiss on his lips. "Certainly, with your assistance and Jack's aide, everything has been effectively coordinated. This time, Soifon and Erin will not evade capture," he assured, reciprocating the kiss.
As they exchanged kisses, Peyton emitted a gentle moan while caressing his face with her hands. "You should read the newspaper," she suggested, disengaging from Ace, who raised an eyebrow in response. "What is significant about the newspaper?" he inquired, extending the paper above Peyton's head. "It contains something intriguing that might capture your attention."
Ace surveyed Peyton before turning his gaze to the paper and commencing reading. "Well, that is indeed intriguing," he remarked with a smirk. "Detective Gray was shot last night," he read aloud. "I wonder who is responsible for this?" he questioned, his blue eyes narrowing.
"It is a suspect that they are searching for in a case they are working on," Jack replied as the brown-haired man entered the room. He had dyed his hair brown two months ago.
Ace glanced at Jack while continuing to read the paper. "So, do I have to handle whoever is interfering with our targets? I should pay a visit to this Xavier. No one messes with my targets without seeking my permission," Ace declared.
Peyton stood up from Ace's lap and moved forward. "I am not sure," Jack said, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't think he knows about us, or it could be that Xavier might not recognize the person he shot at. It seems like he just shoots at random individuals, according to the news."
Ace's eyebrows furrowed as he listened. He stood up from his chair and threw the newspaper down on the table. "Perhaps, but I will still pay him a visit," he stated, turning towards Jack and Peyton. "You two should stay here and be prepared when I return. I would like to start planning soon." With that, Ace walked out of the mansion, while the rain continued to pour heavily.
Jack observed as Ace departed from the premises, expressing his exasperation to Peyton. "Let us now commence with the task of organizing our plans. I have already arranged the room for this purpose," he stated, turning away to begin his preparations.
"I anticipate that Ace will be absent for a considerable amount of time," Peyton whispered, approaching Jack and lightly touching his chest. "What is your desire, Peyton?" Jack queried, removing her hands from his chest.
"Why don't we partake in some amusement before we proceed?" Peyton suggested, a smug grin appearing on her lips. "Amusement?" Jack scoffed, walking past Peyton. "I am not Ace," he stated, leaving the blonde alone in the living room to proceed to the room designated for planning.
Ace conducted a search for Xavier and quickly located him at a bar, where he was indulging in a drink. Ace made sure there were no familiar faces present, knowing that his altered appearance would prevent recognition. With his blue eyes narrowing, Ace observed Xavier navigate the bar, acquiring a beer before settling in a booth.
"Who the hell are you?" Xavier inquired, taken aback as he turned towards Ace, who exhibited a menacing glare in his icy blue eyes while leaning against the table, although he concealed his unease.
"It is irrelevant for you to know my identity. The only pertinent fact is that you have stumbled upon the wrong individual," Ace conveyed, his tone frigid and severe as he approached Xavier nearer.
"What do you mean?" the bald man inquired, his eyes narrowing. "You shot someone who was not intended to be your target," Ace growled, slamming a photograph onto the table for Xavier to behold. "This woman is my assigned mark, and you shot her without procuring permission," Ace hissed.
Xavier observed the picture before turning his attention to Ace," I did not believe it was necessary to seek permission for my target. Additionally, I was shooting randomly, so it is possible that my aim was intended for someone other than her." Xavier expressed as he took a sip of his beer, only to have it quickly snatched away from his grasp.
Ace swiftly took the beer from Xavier's hand and forcefully discarded it on the ground. "What on earth?" Xavier growled, rising to meet Ace's gaze, who locked eyes with him and possessed piercing blue eyes.
"As I mentioned previously, you shot someone who was not yours to shoot," Ace retorted sharply.
Xavier questioned, "And why does that matter? Why should it concern me who I shoot? Is it because I am faster?" He attempted to provoke Ace, which proved to be an ill-considered decision.
Ace firmly grabbed Xavier's shirt and forcefully pushed him down onto the table, with his face pressed against its surface.
He held Xavier down while sternly stating, "Do you wish to know the reason?" Ace inquired through clenched teeth, paying no mind to the attention they were garnering from those around them, unaware that someone present knew him.
"That woman whom you shot was my intended target, not yours. If I witness or receive any information indicating that you have attacked any of my targets without my explicit permission, I will take the necessary actions to end your life." Ace leaned in close to Xavier, his tone leaving no room for argument, and felt the other man struggle within his grip.
"Why is she of such importance that you want no one else to shoot her?" Xavier inquired.
Ace tightened his hold on Xavier's head. "That detail is not your concern, is it?" He raised Xavier's face to meet his own, pulling out another photograph depicting a brunette. "She is also off-limits. If you harm either of them, I will kill you, and it will not be a pleasant demise." Ace sneered as he clenched the fabric of Xavier's shirt. "Do you understand?"
"Alright, I apologize. I was unaware of the situation," Xavier responded, gripping Ace's hands to remove them from his shirt. "I will refrain from targeting any of them. As I mentioned before, my aim was intended for someone else." He struggled against Ace's grasp.
Ace eased his hold on Xavier. "Very well. You had better keep your word.
I will," Xavier uttered as he felt Ace release his grip. "Good, and as a fair warning," Ace stated, promptly delivering a forceful punch to Xavier's face, causing the man to stumble and bleed as he fell onto the table. Ace then proceeded to walk away, pushing through a crowd of people.
Observing the entire scene with narrowed eyes, a figure watched as the black-haired man exited the bar. "What are you doing here, Ace?" the figure whispered, recognizing Ace despite his changed appearance due to a recent haircut. Thomas retrieved his phone and searched for Voight's number.
After a few hours, Ace arrived home and made his way to the planning room. "How is everything progressing?" he inquired, walking over to wrap his arms around Peyton's waist and planting a kiss on her cheek.
"We are making progress," Jack responded, placing pictures and ideas on the board. Ace nodded as he examined the board. "Very good. Let's formulate the plan and execute it once Soifon is mostly healed – that will be our first move."