Guldrin’s Gluttony: Family Bound by Speed & Food

Guldrin and Revy tore through the armory with the reckless enthusiasm of two maniacs who knew exactly what they were about to do, and didn't give a damn about how insane it was. 

This wasn't simply gearing up for a job. 

No, this was about assembling an arsenal fit for an all-out war. They were about to march straight into enemy territory, blind, outnumbered, and with no guarantee of making it out the other side.

The workshop was a chaotic masterpiece of weaponry, each piece meticulously designed, tweaked, or stolen from someone who no longer needed it.

He moved with purpose, weaving through shelves of modified firearms, explosives, and gear that would have made even the most hardened mercenaries break into a cold sweat. The gleam in his eye was deadly. He laid out the tools of destruction on the table one by one, like a chef crafting a meal made entirely of suffering.

Revy leaned against the workbench, arms crossed, watching him work with a smirk that could have cut glass. "You know, if you weren't my brother, I'd probably be madly in love with you right now."

Guldrin barely spared her a glance. "You say that like it would stop you."

She barked out a laugh. "You're right. It won't."

They were going in blind, stepping into enemy territory with no guarantee they'd come out the other side. Every piece of equipment had to count.

Guldrin wasn't leaving anything to chance.

From deep in the workshop, he started pulling out gadgets, the kind that made professional mercenaries weep in envy and made war criminals question their life choices. He laid them out on the table, one by one, like a chef preparing the deadliest mise en place board imaginable.

Flash disks, spontaneously exploding grenades, modified drones, and, his personal favorite, the knife he'd been working on for months, perfecting. Thinking for a moment, he knew this would be perfect for his batshit crazy big sister.

So, he didn't just hand Revy the knife.

Nah, he presented it to her, holding it out in his palm with all the seriousness of a knight bestowing a sacred relic.

Revy's eyes gleamed the moment she saw it.

"Oh, baby brother, you shouldn't have."

But they both knew he absolutely should have.

She took the knife, rolling it between her fingers, feeling its weight like a jeweler appraising a rare gem. The blade itself was a work of art, refined yet wicked. The sleek, razor-sharp edge gleamed under the dim lighting of the armory, its design betraying the sheer thought and craftsmanship behind it.

A flick of her wrist, and the hidden extension mechanism activated, lengthening the blade with a soft click. She grinned.

"Tell me it electrocutes people."

"It electrocutes people," Guldrin confirmed without hesitation.

Revy exhaled dramatically, pretending to swoon. "Be still, my heart."

The knife was a masterpiece of sadistic engineering. 

The electroshock capabilities ensured that anyone unfortunate enough to get nicked by it would experience a paralyzing jolt, perfect for making someone regret their life choices. 

The reinforced handle housed a retractable high-tensile-strength wire, allowing it to be used as a garrote, lasso, fishing line, or, if one was feeling particularly theatrical, to turn an enemy into an unwilling yo-yo of death.

The fishing knife was, in essence, a combat knife taken to the next level. 

It had an extending and detachable blade, because why not make a perfectly good weapon even more unpredictable? The electroshock capabilities meant it doubled as a taser, or to outright fry your opponent, making it the perfect tool for up-close-and-personal murder hugs. 

Revy tested the blade, giving it a few lazy twirls before flipping it back into her palm. "I love it."

Guldrin smirked. "I know."

Deadly. Elegant. Absolutely Revy's style.

She clicked the blade on and off, and even played with the wire, smirking.

"I love it. You're my favorite sibling now."

"I'm your only darling little brother, after all."

"Which makes it so much sadder for everyone else, because who could possibly compete with my only little brother?" She spun on her heel dramatically. "Even Rindo would agree, Guldrin is the best!"

Somewhere, miles away, Rindo probably felt a chill down her spine.

While Revy admired her new toy, Guldrin moved on to the next set of toys.

The flash disk was simple but effective. A small, reusable disk meant to be thrown like a coin, it released a blinding burst of light and a concussive force strong enough to temporarily scramble the senses of anyone unlucky enough to be caught in the vicinity. 

Unlike traditional flash bangs, this one didn't only rely on bright lights, it hit with enough force to disorient without actually blowing out eardrums… Unless he wanted it to.

Reusable. Efficient.

Perfect for causing absolute chaos.

Next came the grenades.

Now, these were special.

Technically, they were an accident. A beautiful, horrible accident.

Guldrin had been experimenting with a new type of explosive compound when he created a grenade that, for lack of a better term, was too stupid to explode on time.

The way it worked was simple: throw it, and instead of immediately detonating, it would bounce a few times and then… do nothing.

That is, until someone picked it up.

Or bumped it.

Or otherwise moved it after it had settled.

The moment the internal chemical balance was disrupted again? Boom. And not a simple regular boom. The delayed detonation actually allowed pressure to build up inside, making the explosion significantly larger than a normal grenade.

In other words, it was the perfect trap.

Anyone smart enough to think, 'Oh, hey, that grenade didn't go off, let me just pick it up and throw it back', would be immediately removed from existence.

Revy inspected one and read the description card, tossing it in the air and catching it effortlessly.

"This is evil," she grinned. "I love it."

"Figured you would. Just, DON'T push the button on the side."

With explosives and weapons handled, and seeing Revy carefully catch the grenade with a fearful smile, Guldrin moved on to tactical support.

He pulled out a set of modified drones, sleek little things that could give them eyes in the sky. With Shiro and Skye running surveillance, they'd be able to track movements, scout potential ambushes, and map out an escape route if things went south.

"Wish I had some HUD glasses," Guldrin muttered, adjusting one of the drone settings. "Then I could use these remotely without needing a screen." He paused. "Note to self: make HUD glasses."

Revy raised an eyebrow. "You don't have those yet? I know I ain't the smartest, but even I know the value of hands-off support."

"I've been busy."

"Busy not making cool glasses?"

"Busy not dying, actually. And dying? I still can't get used to everything."

"Excuses."

Guldrin ignored her, still running through the list of things he needed to make in the future.

HUD glasses were a priority.

'Maybe an A.I. assistant, too. Something to handle calculations and monitor comms without needing manual input. Yeah. That would be useful.'

For now, though, he had Shiro.

Shiro, who was currently chugging an energy drink while typing away at multiple monitors, her gaze locked onto the screens like a woman possessed.

Shiro took another slow sip from her drink, her piercing eyes scanning the room before locking onto Guldrin with that knowing gaze of hers. "I'm staying back," she stated, voice calm, but laced with a quiet authority that left no room for argument. "Skye and I will handle all intel from here. We'll be your eyes, your ears, your digital ghosts in the system."

She didn't need to elaborate. 

He already knew what that meant. 

She and Skye would monitor every digital footprint, every security camera, every police scanner they could tap into. If someone so much as sneezed in the direction Letty had been taken, Shiro would know.

She tilted her head slightly, watching him, as if searching for hesitation. "Just bring mother-in-law back," she added, her tone softening, just a little.

Guldrin gave her a firm nod. No words were needed. They both knew what had to be done.

They didn't have the full picture yet, but they had the only lead they needed, where Letty had last been seen. 

That was their starting point. 

The rest? 

That would come as they tore through anyone and anything standing between them and getting her back.

Shiro turned away, already lost in her own world, fingers gliding over her keyboard as she pulled up multiple screens, tracking every lead, hacking into anything remotely useful. 

Guldrin didn't need to check on her; he knew she'd come through. She always did.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Alisa moved with a kind of mechanical precision that came from years of discipline. 

She worked in complete silence, but there was an undeniable intensity to every motion, chopping, sealing, and packing, like she was channeling her emotions into the task at hand.

Because Alisa understood something that most people overlooked: you don't go into battle on an empty stomach. Physical strength might be one part of the puzzle, but it was really about endurance, clarity, and keeping your body and mind sharp. 

Rescuing someone when you're starving, exhausted, and running on fumes? That wasn't an option.

Still, as Guldrin watched her, he could see it, the internal war raging behind those sharp, calculating eyes. She was torn.

She wanted to stay, to help Shiro, since tech was her domain, and to make sure nothing happened to her while she was here, vulnerable, focused entirely on the mission.

But she also wanted to go with him.

She wanted to be out there, making sure nothing happened to him, either.

And for Alisa, who never hesitated, never second-guessed herself, that was a rare thing.

Guldrin didn't rush her decision. He let her process it, let her work through it in her own way. And when she finally straightened her posture, closing the last packed container with a decisive snap, he already knew what she was going to say before the words left her lips.

"I'm going with you."

Simple. 

Direct. 

No hesitation now.

Guldrin didn't argue. 

He knew better than that. 

Even if he hadn't known her for long, he understood, that once she made a choice, she wouldn't change it.

Alisa had made her choice, and there was no talking her out of it. Besides, if things went south, having her there would be a game-changer and comfort.

She wouldn't interfere unless necessary. But if things went south?

She would be there to ensure her little master was fine.

If anyone, ANYONE, tried to harm him, she would make them pay after it was all over. After all, it was a maid's duty to care for her master and mistress.

They glanced at the time, and Guldrin thought to himself.

'Time to go, Mom, I don't know what you were thinking, but you didn't raise a useless son, I WILL save you.'

No more delays. 

No more waiting.

Letty was out there somewhere, in the hands of people who clearly had no idea what kind of storm they'd just kicked up. But they were about to find out.

His hands curled into fists for a moment, then unclenched. A slow breath in. A steady exhale out. 

Focus.

He had no idea what had been going through Letty's mind when she decided to throw herself into this mess, but he knew one thing for certain, she hadn't raised a useless son. He wasn't the scrawny kid they took in anymore, he was something else, and he would use those experiences.

He would save her.

He slung his rifle over his shoulder, the weight was familiar and grounding. 

Feeling like he was going to need it tonight, he decided to use an already prepared burlap gun cover to hide the obscene blue and black digi-camo on the M24.

His gear was packed, and every piece, checked and double-checked. The custom grenades, the flash disks, the drones, everything he might need, and then some. 

If the people who had taken Letty thought this was going to be another kidnapping, just another nameless woman disappearing into the night, they were in for a rude awakening.

With one last mental checklist, he turned to Revy, who was practically vibrating with anticipation, her fingers flexing as if itching for a fight.

"You ready?"

She didn't hesitate. Not even a beat.

"Born ready."

That sharp, reckless grin stretched across her face, and he had no doubt that, given the opportunity, she'd shoot their way through half the city just for fun. 

The thought might have concerned him under normal circumstances, but right now? Right now, that was exactly the energy they needed.

His gaze flickered toward Shiro, still stationed at the monitors, her fingers dancing across the keyboard as data streamed in. 

This would be the last time he saw her before heading into the unknown and something in him, some instinct buried deep, told him to act, to be bold, to break the restraints he kept on himself all the time.

Before he could second-guess himself, he stepped forward. His movements were deliberate, his expression unreadable as he closed the distance between them. Horns curling on his head, lightning sparking all around him, dual light and dark wings sprawled out behind him, all making Guldrin look like a literal heavenly demon.

And then, completely out of character for him, he kissed her.

Not a fleeting brush of lips. Not something hesitant or unsure. No, this was deep, claiming, a rare moment of unguarded emotion that left no room for misinterpretation.

Shiro froze.

Her fingers twitched against the desk, her mind scrambling to process what had just happened, but her body betrayed her before she could even begin to think. Without conscious effort, she melted into the kiss, her breath hitching as warmth spread through her chest. 

The world around her, the glow of the screen, the distant hum of the server racks, the soft click of the mechanical keyboard, blurred into nothing. For that one, fleeting moment, all that existed was the feel of him, the press of his lips against hers, the electrifying heat that burned through her veins like wildfire.

And then, just as suddenly as it began, it was over.

The absence hit like a shockwave.

He pulled away without a word, his expression unreadable, his piercing blue eyes flickering for the briefest moment before he turned on his heel and walked away as if nothing had happened.

As if he hadn't just completely short-circuited her brain.

As if he hadn't just rewritten the laws of the universe with a single, unexpected action.

Shiro remained frozen in place, her lips still slightly parted, her pupils blown wide as her brain continued to buffer at an alarmingly slow speed. 

The logical part of her mind, the part that could calculate probabilities faster than most supercomputers, was screaming at her to process, to analyze, to do something.

But all she could do was stand there.

'What...?'

The thought barely formed before her body finally caught up with her mind. Heat crawled up her neck, a furious blush spreading like wildfire across her pale cheeks as realization crashed down on her.

He kissed her.

He kissed her.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, twitching as if she had been hit with a low-voltage shock. 

Her sharp focus, the very same that allowed her to hack into the Pentagon in under two minutes, the same precision that let her crack encrypted files and reroute satellite signals like it was child's play, was gone. 

Shattered. Reduced to nothing more than a scrambled mess of half-formed thoughts and erratic heartbeat patterns.

Right now?

Right now, she was stuck.

A thousand thoughts raced through her mind, each one more chaotic than the last, colliding with each other in a frenzied pile-up that made even the most complex algorithms look simple.

'What did that mean?'

'Why did he—?'

'Was that—?'

'Has he finally decided to be proactive in our relationship?'

'Will he take me?'

The last thought hit like a sucker punch, and Shiro slapped a hand over her face, letting out a strangled noise somewhere between a whimper and a groan.

She was a genius.

A prodigy. 

A walking, talking, breathing supercomputer with an IQ so high it was borderline unfair.

And yet here she was, completely undone by one kiss.

Pathetic.

A low whistle cut through her spiraling thoughts.

"Well, damn," a familiar voice drawled lazily. "I'm kinda jealous. Nope. Scratch that—I'm really jealous."

Shiro nearly choked.

Her head snapped up so fast, it was a miracle she didn't give herself whiplash.

The monitor in front of her flickered, the video feed stabilizing to reveal Skye, comfortably perched in front of her own setup, a shit-eating grin plastered across her face as she rested her chin on her palm.

Shiro gaped.

"Wha-?"

"Oh, don't stop now." Skye's grin widened. "I was really enjoying the show."

Shiro's brain, already fried beyond recognition, attempted to reboot. It failed spectacularly.

"You- you saw that?!"

"Babe, I had front-row seats." Skye leaned forward, smirking. "And I gotta say, damn. No warning, no build-up, just bam. Straight to the good part. I respect it."

Shiro let out a strangled sound, somewhere between a gasp and an outraged squeak.

"I—! That was—! He—!"

Skye tilted her head. "You what? He what? Please, do continue. I'm absolutely riveted and can't wait to see what you come up with."

Shiro groaned, burying her face in her hands, her fingers tugging at the ends of her hair in frustration.

This was a disaster. A complete, utter disaster.

She could handle cyber warfare. 

She could navigate the darkest corners of the web, dismantle high-level security protocols with ease, and infiltrate networks guarded by the most paranoid governments on the planet.

But this?

This was an entirely different battlefield.

And she was losing.

Miserably.

Skye let out an exaggerated sigh. "So? I gotta say, I am completely jealous, and maybe a little turned on… Scratch that, very turned on. Like, if I didn't have to help you with this emergency search… I would perv out to the fullest."

Shiro nearly choked.

Guldrin didn't look back. He didn't have to. Whatever reaction Shiro was having at that moment, whether she was frozen in place, short-circuiting, or launching into a spiral of overanalysis, she'd process it in her own time. Right now, he had bigger things to focus on.

The mission was what mattered.

Of course, Revy, being Revy, didn't let it slide.

"Didn't know you had that in you, kid," she drawled, elbowing him hard enough to make a normal person stumble.

He ignored her.

"Smooth. Real smooth."

Still ignored her.

"Bet she's still sitting there, looking like you just crashed her entire operating system."

That one was probably accurate.

Revy cackled, a sharp, amused sound that filled the garage as they stepped inside. The air smelled of oil and burnt rubber, a mix of gasoline and metal, all of it familiar, grounding. And there, waiting in the center of it all like an apex predator coiled and ready to strike, was his Chevelle.

Freshly repaired. Reinforced. Upgraded.

The moment his gaze landed on the car, the rest of the world faded into the background. 

Revy's laughter, the lingering buzz of adrenaline from what had happened upstairs, even the soft, knowing hum from Alisa, it all became white noise. He ran his fingers along the hood, tracing the cool metal, feeling the smooth, perfect finish. 

This machine had been through hell and back, torn apart, rebuilt, and now, it was stronger. Faster. Deadlier.

And tonight, it was going to run like the devil himself had built it.

Because… It might have, not sure yet, the jury is still out.

Alisa, quiet up until now, finally stepped forward, adjusting the strap of the bag slung over her shoulder. Her eyes flickered between him and Revy, lingering on his expression like she was reading every thought in his head.

"Everything is prepared," she said, her voice smooth, deliberate. No wasted words.

Guldrin nodded.

No more delays. No more distractions.

This was it.

He pulled open the driver's side door, the familiar scent of leather and fuel washing over him as he slid into the seat. 

It creaked under his weight, every inch of the car fitting him like it had been built for him alone. His fingers curled around the steering wheel, the grip worn in all the right places.

Revy wasted no time making herself comfortable, dropping into the passenger seat and throwing her boots up onto the dashboard like she owned the place. Typical.

Alisa took the backseat, silent but present, her presence a steady anchor and comfort in the whirlwind of everything else.

The garage door rumbled open, revealing the night beyond. The city was alive, lights flickering, engines growling in the distance, the air thick with something electric.

A storm was coming.

Guldrin took a slow breath, exhaled, then turned the key.

The Chevelle roared to life, the sound tearing through the silence, a beast finally freed from its cage. It was a declaration, a war cry, a promise.

Revy grinned.

Alisa nodded.

And without another word, he hit the gas.

The Chevelle surged forward like a beast unchained, tires screeching as Guldrin yanked the wheel, sending the car into a near-perfect arc as it tore out of the shop and onto the open road. 

The scent of burning rubber filled the air, the engine's growl reverberating through his bones, the night swallowing them whole as they shot down the darkened streets.

The city blurred past in streaks of neon and headlights, but his focus never wavered. 

Every shift of the gears, every turn of the wheel, it all came naturally, a culmination of every lesson he'd ever learned from Letty, Dom, and even Mia. 

Late-night rides with Dom, high-speed chases with Letty pushing him past his limits, technical breakdowns with Mia explaining why every fraction of a second mattered. It was all coming together now, a symphony of controlled chaos, and he was the conductor.

Revy was laughing beside him, the wind whipping her hair back as she braced herself against the dashboard. "Oh, hell yeah, now we're talking!"

He ignored her, foot pressing harder on the accelerator. 

The Chevelle roared in response, the tires gripping the pavement as he weaved through traffic like a phantom in the night. Streetlights flickered overhead, the rhythmic flash matching the rapid beat of his pulse.

Alisa, from the backseat, remained silent, but her gaze was sharp, watchful. Always the observer, always the strategist. She could read him, knew the fire burning behind his eyes.

And that fire was screaming for vengeance.

Their destination was set, the same damn parking garage where everything had gone down. 

The race. 

The meeting. 

The kidnapping. 

Every piece of this puzzle led back there, and whether or not Letty was still being held, they were about to send a message.

He should have stopped to think. Should have questioned if there was something bigger at play. But his blood was boiling, and the reason was a distant whisper, drowned out by the deafening roar of his instincts. His newly awakened bloodline, the beast within him, demanded justice. No, not justice, punishment.

Swift.

Unrelenting.

And if he let himself go too far… absolute.

The thought sent a rush of something dark through his veins, something primal, something hungry. A voice in the back of his mind whispered for more, more than retribution. It wanted suffering. It wanted complete annihilation.

Guldrin clenched his jaw, tightening his grip on the wheel. Not now.

They ripped through an intersection, blowing past a red light. A distant honk barely registered as he downshifted, skimming a turn so close to the curb that he could feel the vibration through the chassis. 

The car didn't so much as flinch, perfectly tuned, perfectly calibrated, built for speed and precision.

And he was about to unleash both.

Revy glanced at him, her smirk widening. "You're really gonna wreck their shit, huh?"

Guldrin's eyes stayed on the road. "I'm gonna make them regret ever breathing the same air as her."

She let out a low whistle. "Remind me to never piss you off."

Alisa spoke for the first time since they got in the car. "If we go in like this, there will be consequences."

Guldrin didn't hesitate. "I don't care."

Alisa exhaled slowly, the weight of inevitability settling in her sharp gaze, but beneath that, there was something else. Something almost… amused? Intrigued? Approving. "Then I'll make sure we clean up the mess."

Good. Because there was going to be a mess.

Guldrin had already accepted that simple fact. There was no walking into this clean. No well-rehearsed, surgical strike that would go unnoticed. No quick, quiet revenge. Not after what they did. Not after what they took.

The parking garage loomed ahead, towering like a cold, lifeless monolith against the city's skyline. A fortress of concrete and steel, filled with the kind of men who thought they were untouchable. Men who thought they could just take someone like Letty and get away with it.

They were about to find out how wrong they were.

As they approached, something caught Guldrin's attention, flashes of neon lights reflecting off polished hoods, the roar of finely tuned engines echoing off the garage walls, the telltale scent of burnt rubber hanging thick in the air. More races. More money changing hands. More people gambling on speed, power, and reputation.

A slow grin pulled at the corner of his lips.

Oh, this just got interesting.

He tapped the earpiece snug in his ear, seamlessly connecting to the encrypted comms his team was linked into. "Oh good, it looks like more races are happening…" His voice carried a mix of amusement and anticipation, fingers tightening around the steering wheel as he processed the scene before him.

Then his tone sharpened, all business. "Shiro, are you seeing this? I assume you're still connected to the surveillance inside…"

Static crackled for a brief second before Shiro's voice came through, smooth and calm, but carrying that unmistakable edge of focus. "Already watching. The feed's still clean, no interference yet."

"Any Anvil remaining?" Guldrin's voice was steady, but his jaw clenched slightly at the thought of the mercenary group still being there. Anvil had already been declared KOS in Guldrin's mind, and if any of them were still lingering, looking to get in his way, he'd handle them accordingly.

Shiro didn't answer immediately, likely sifting through multiple feeds, and cross-checking movement patterns. When she did speak, it was clipped and efficient. "Minimal. Most of their forces cleared out after the last major shift, but there are still some stragglers. About four, maybe five at strategic points. Not a full squad, but enough to be a nuisance if things go sideways."

Guldrin smirked. They'd be more than a nuisance to most people. To him? To Revy? They were nothing but warm-up rounds.

"How many armed guards and enforcers?" he continued, eyes scanning the parking structure's various levels, already making mental notes of potential ambush points, sniper nests, and getaway routes.

Shiro's response was immediate. "A dozen, give or take. Scattered throughout the structure, but most are concentrated near the higher levels. Looks like they're keeping close to a few key VIPs."

Guldrin's fingers tapped against the steering wheel, his mind working through different approaches. "VIPs, huh? That include Campos?"

A pause. Then, Shiro's voice took on a darker note. "Yes. He's there."

Guldrin's smirk vanished.

Ramon Campos. The man with no past, no official records, nothing but a ghost with government-tier clearance and enough power to make problems disappear. 

Someone like that didn't just get involved in street-level operations for fun. No, this was something bigger. 

Something calculated.

But Guldrin didn't give a damn about the bigger picture right now.

All he cared about was making sure Campos and everyone else in that building knew they had made a grave mistake.

His grip on the wheel tightened, his pulse steady, his mind razor-sharp. The Chevelle growled beneath him, eager, waiting for its master's command.

Revy, sitting in the passenger seat with her boots still propped on the dashboard, let out an almost giddy laugh. "Oh man, this is gonna be fun."

Alisa shifted in the backseat, adjusting the holster at her hip. Her tone was calm, but her eyes gleamed with an understanding of what was about to happen. "You're sure about this?"

Guldrin didn't hesitate. "I was sure the moment they took her."

Alisa nodded, as if she expected nothing less.

Shiro's voice came through the comms one last time, smooth, almost teasing despite the seriousness of the situation. "I've already rerouted security feeds to give you a clear window. Try not to break too many cameras, it defeats the purpose of erasing it by showing it was broken instead."

Guldrin grinned. "No promises."

And with that, he slammed the clutch, shifted gears, and sent the Chevelle barreling toward the entrance of the garage.

The hum of the city pulsed in the background, neon lights casting sharp reflections against the wet pavement as Guldrin tightened his grip on the wheel. 

The Chevelle rumbled beneath him, vibrating with pent-up power, waiting for the moment it would be unleashed. 

The plan was set, the stakes were clear, and there was no turning back now. 

Whatever happened next, it would be loud. It would be messy. And it would be final.

"Alright," Guldrin said, voice steady as he kept his gaze locked on the garage ahead. "Since things are still in full swing here, we're going in like we belong. Just three people showing up to a street race, no different from the rest. We blend in, move with the crowd, act like lemmings. No unnecessary heat. No sudden moves."

He exhaled, scanning the perimeter through the windshield. 

The parking structure was alive with energy, engines revving, music blasting, bodies moving in a chaotic rhythm. 

The air smelled of burnt rubber, gasoline, and sweat. Wagers were being thrown down, drinks exchanged, laughter and shouts mixing with the steady bass of the underground party.

It was the perfect cover.

"But," he continued, his voice dropping lower, a sharp contrast to the chaos outside, "if we get the chance to take out the Anvil fucks quietly, we take it. No hesitation. No mercy. The less security they have watching their backs, the easier it'll be to move."

Alisa, sitting in the back, was already adjusting her jacket, making sure her appearance was concealed. Her expression was unreadable, but there was a quiet approval in her eyes. She had done enough jobs like this to know the value of patience. The value of striking when the enemy least expected it. 

A maid's job is never over and all-encompassing.

Revy, on the other hand, grinned, stretching her arms like she was getting ready for a show. "Silent takedowns, huh? Well, that's a shame. I was looking forward to making a statement."

Guldrin didn't rise to the bait. He knew Revy well enough to understand that she thrived in chaos, but she also knew when to play smart.

"We'll get our statement," he assured her. "Campos is the priority. I want him. He should know what's going on here, and we need answers before we finish this."

His grip on the wheel tightened, his tone sharpening.

"But make no mistake… He's dead after this."

The words hung in the air, heavy, final.

Campos didn't need to know that, though. Not yet.

Shiro's voice crackled in his ear, cutting through the tense silence. "I've got eyes on him. He's holed up near the top level, overseeing everything like a damn king sitting on his throne." There was something biting in her tone, something personal. 

She had done her research on Campos, she knew what kind of man he was. And she knew he wouldn't be missed.

Just because the government wiped his identity, and scrubbed him clean, it didn't mean she couldn't find anything… No, she found things, but what she found just solidified the stance she held for the man.

"Perfect." Guldrin exhaled, finally easing off the gas as he pulled into the first level of the garage. The Chevelle rolled to a stop, settling into an open space between a line of brightly colored imports.

Around them, racers and spectators moved freely, caught up in their own world of bets and bravado, oblivious to what was about to unfold.

Guldrin killed the engine. 

The Chevelle let out a low growl before falling silent.

The storm was coming. 

They were just the first raindrops.

He turned to Alisa and Revy, his expression unreadable but his intent clear.

"Let's go find our guy."

(Give me your POWER, Please, and Thank You! Leave reviews and comments, they motivate me to continue.)