Warning : Some dark stuff in this Chapter...
Elias POV
After separating from Tendo and his date, I trekked through the forest, a long hike back toward the spot we'd scouted the night before. It took me more than an hour to slowly move through the thicket, doing my best to avoid making noise. Man, am I glad to be awake in the body of a soldier, I thought. I adjusted my eyes as the world sharpened into shades of gray and muted green, helping me to peer into the further darkening night.
I stepped over another thick root and finally reached the small rise where Tendo and I had been the day before. Crouching, I brought out the binoculars and scanned the property below.
The mansion was lit up with soft golden light spilling from tall windows. Outside, the lawn looked immaculate, with white tables and waitstaff in crisp white outfits moving between the guests, carrying flutes of champagne. Ignoring the guests, I focused on the security and how they were spread out.
To my surprise, they weren't as numerous as the previous night. Sure, I could see some men in obvious black suits with ear radios spread out across the lawn, but I couldn't see any of the ones from yesterday out in the open.
It did make sense; you wouldn't want your elite friends spooked by visible heavily armed guards, and the property was in the middle of a forested area and had a known reputation.
I steadied my breathing and let my thoughts speed up, the neural enhancements kicking in like a second gear I was still getting used to. Ignoring the partygoers, I focused on the areas that weren't lit and not used by the party. I traced and calculated angles effortlessly, predicting and mapping movement paths.
There...a blind spot in the shadows along the east side of the building, where the landscaping dipped, hiding it in the shadows. If I moved carefully, I could slip down through the trees, skirt the outer wall, and get to the building.
I checked the Glock one last time and adjusted the Ka-Bar on my belt, making sure the sheath was snug. I pulled the balaclava over my head and left the backpack with the other accessories under a thick bush. Then I started moving quickly down the hill, keeping to the shadows as much as I could.
My enhanced senses picked up every sound as I moved: the crunch of dry leaves under my boots, the distant murmur of voices from the party. I kept low, knees bent, weight balanced forward, moving with a smoothness that still surprised me as I worked my way down the slope toward the east side of the mansion, aiming for that pocket of shadow.
Reaching the dip in the landscape, I pressed my body flat against the lawn for a moment, carefully scanning the area. Coast clear. I rushed forward in a low crouch, crossed the narrow strip of lawn, and reached the east wall of the mansion. Without hesitating, I climbed, my fingers finding holds in the stone and ivy. The enhancements made the movement feel almost too easy, as if my body already knew exactly how much force to use, yet I could feel my muscles start to strain.
I pulled myself onto a narrow ledge along the back of the building, the side that faced directly into the woods. From here, the main party was out of sight. I moved carefully along the ledge, staying in shadow, until I reached a large stained-glass window. I crouched beside it and peered through one of the smaller clear panes I could find.
Inside was the large main ballroom, elegantly lit with multiple chandeliers hanging from the tall ceiling. It was filled with people in expensive outfits wearing masquerade masks, probably given to them on arrival. They danced slowly to soft jazz, drinks in hand, laughing and talking in small clusters. It looked like any other exclusive high-society party.
This is where Tendo must be... I thought.
But that wasn't what I was looking for.
I kept moving, hugging the wall, until I reached the far end of the building. Another set of windows, this one darker with no visible light from within. But that wasn't a problem for me. I pressed my face closer, keeping a steady hold on the ledge as my eyes adjusted.
The room beyond was nothing like the elegant ballroom. It was a long, cavernous space bathed in deep crimson and violet light. Seven large, circular tables dominated the floor, arranged in a loose semicircle like stations in some private ritual. Each one was draped in white silk, and above every table hung a massive, ornate mask depicting one of the Seven Sins, each rendered in grotesque detail.
At the table nearest to me, a tall man in a half-unbuttoned white shirt stood on the table itself, preaching to a small crowd of admirers who clapped and laughed at his every word. He gestured grandly, spilling champagne onto the ground without care.
The table beside it was quieter, but no less ugly. A woman and several men threw money and jewelry from their bodies onto the floor, watching the other guests with naked hunger for their possessions. At another table, two men beat a figure on the floor, their fists raised, blood already trickling down their knuckles. The crowd cheered with every punch, joining in as the ones punching grew tired.
Nearby, platters of expensive food were piled high: lobster, caviar, rare steaks still bleeding. Guests shoved handfuls into their mouths, chewing noisily, letting juices and sauce run down their chins and drip onto the floor. A woman in a stained white gown laughed hysterically as she smashed a whole foie gras terrine onto the table, licking her fingers clean. Discarded plates and half-eaten delicacies littered the ground around them. Another table was covered low, velvet-covered sheets where people lounged like discarded dolls, limbs tangled, eyes half-closed, drugs and pills passing from hand to hand. A few barely moved, except to take another lazy drag of a cigarette or moan softly when someone touched them, lost in their own world.
But it was the last table that affected me the most.
At least a dozen bodies writhed together in a slow tangle of flesh and discarded clothes. Masks still covered most of their faces, but clothing had long since been abandoned or pushed aside. A naked woman with a swan mask rode a man beneath her with slow rolls of her hips, her head thrown back in silent ecstasy. Nearby, two men kissed hungrily while a third woman knelt between them her, hands and mouth busy, letting out soft gasps and wet sounds as she sucked them. It was weird. No one hurried to do anything, and when finished with one table, they moved on to the next without wasting time. It was almost ceremonial, like a ritual.
What kind of witchcraft is this... I thought, disgusted.
A few figures stood near the walls in different masks, simply watching over the debauchery. There was no other word I could use to describe it. Many of the people inside didn't even look like guests. They had plain white masks and moved like dolls. Even the men and women being used, after they were sent off the tables, simply walked toward the far end of the room, disappearing through a heavy wooden door.
I stared at that door for a long moment.
If Ruby was anywhere in this place, that was where they were keeping her. Even if she wasn't, I had no other lead. I quickly pulled out my phone, keeping my voice low, and dialed Tendo. He picked up on the second ring.
"Eli?" His voice was pinched.
"Ten, I'm on the east side of the building," I whispered. "It's fucked up. There's a back room where people are doing some weird ritual, cult shit, and there's a door where some drugged-up people are coming in and out. This could be where they're holding Ruby. Even if it's not, I don't have another lead. I'm going in."
A long, disgusted breath came through the line. "Jesus Christ...the vibe here on the main floor is weird, too, man. You sure you want to do this alone?"
"I don't have a choice, but I need a getaway ready. Even if I don't find her, I might need to pull out fast."
Tendo was quiet for half a second, then he let out a tired laugh. "Yeah... that's exactly what I needed. Cassie's already hanging off some hedge-fund guy's arm. She barely noticed when I said I had to step out for a smoke. This date was dead the second I walked in. I'll dip in five. I'll have the truck waiting at the same spot we scouted yesterday. You get in, and get out. If you don't contact me in the next fifteen, I'm coming in."
"Copy that. Be safe." I said, smiling at his loyalty.
"You too, man."
I ended the call and slipped the phone back into my pocket.
There was no obvious door on this side of the building, but I remembered the layout from last night. An old door should be here towards the west side, probably used for deliveries and staff. If I dropped down behind the landscaping, I might be able to find the entrance.
I climbed down carefully, landed softly on the grass, and moved along the wall until I found a recessed metal gate. It was unlocked. I lifted it quietly, revealing a set of concrete stairs leading down into darkness.
Fuck... this looks sketchy,I thought. Gritting my teeth, I descended slowly, pulling out my knife. I was already in deep and couldn't back out now.
The underground tunnel was damp and narrow, with mud lining the sides. It was lit by dim lighting, and I reached a junction where the tunnel split into multiple directions.
This isn't working...I thought grimly. Just then, I caught a scent, a smell, really, but it read like a message.
This way, Eli.
I froze, heart hammering, and immediately brought up the Codex, fearing it was a telepath trying to worm their way into my mind, but the moat around my mind was undisturbed.
Another wave hit me, clearer this time.
It's me. Ruby. Please come. Help...
I could smell the message. Just as I thought, she's a mutant. Firming myself, I walked quickly through the maze-like, twisting tunnels until I reached a corridor, which then led to a dimly lit room where two girls were inside.
They lay huddled on the cold concrete floor in nothing but their underwear. One of them was Ruby. A wave of relief washed over me—I had found her. Her eyes fluttered open, pupils blown wide and unfocused. The other girl beside her looked even worse, shuddering on the ground.
"Eli...?" she whispered, her voice cracking.
I lowered the knife slightly, scanning the room for any immediate threat.
"Yeah," I said quietly, moving closer. "We need to get you out of here."
She tried to sit up. "My friend... we can't leave her..."
I nodded. "We're taking her too."
I quickly cut the thin zip ties binding their wrists, then helped Ruby to her feet. She was unsteady but managed to stand and tried to help the other girl up, but she sagged against her friend. We had just started moving towards the door when we heard footsteps.
We all froze.
I shoved both girls back against the wall and leaned away from the doorway, cursing in my mind that I had dropped the knife on the ground and couldn't reach it in time.
A man stepped inside. "Have you made your choice yet?"
I didn't let him finish. I surged forward, ignoring the pain that lanced through my body, and clamped my hand over his face. As I reached for the Codex, it flared in my mind as I flooded his nervous system with a brutal shutdown command, forcing his body to simply... stop.
He went limp instantly after a pained grunt, collapsing like a puppet with its strings cut. I came out of the fugue feeling a little smug about how I had dealt with the situation.
Ruby's weak voice cut through the silence. "Eli... what are you...?"
I looked at her and found she was standing in a different location. What? Understanding dawned.
"How long was I holding him?" I asked.
"A minute," she whispered. "Maybe more."
I can't use the Codex like this in active combat, I thought in dismay.
Shaking off those thoughts, "Let's go. Quietly," I said to the girls.
We moved slowly through the tunnels and then out of the building, our luck holding as we didn't raise any alarms. I took some time as I guided the near-naked women to where Tendo's truck waited.
Tendo jumped out the second he saw us and rushed forward to help the girls. He took the near-unconscious one from Ruby's arms and gently guided both of them into the back seat, wrapping them in the blanket he'd brought.
I felt a surge of triumph and relief. Just as I slid into the passenger seat, a sharp pressure slammed against my mind, trying to pry it open, then fled instantly after hitting the Moat around my mind.
I snapped my head toward the mansion, eyes narrowing.
Emma Frost.
"Drive," I said, my voice low and urgent. "Now."
Tendo didn't ask questions. He threw the truck into gear and floored it.