They barely made it halfway up the stairs when a squad of underworld officers cut them off, black uniforms, badges that carried weight in this place. The leader's eyes locked on Xavier, then dropped to the gun still hanging loose in his hand.

"So," the officer said, voice sharp, "you're the one who spilled blood in the Crimson Star."

The other officers tensed, hands on weapons. It was about to get ugly fast.

Xavier didn't flinch. He just tilted his head, like he was already bored of the accusation. Before he could say a word, Jason stepped forward, his presence heavy enough to shift the mood. "No. That was me." His tone was flat, final. "They came at us, I handled it. Case closed."

The officers glanced at each other, unsure. One of them muttered, "Doesn't matter who swung the blade. Blood in here has a price. Someone has to—"

Jason's glare cut him off. "You want to start a case with me?" His voice dropped, low and dangerous. "Think very carefully before you try."

The tension hung thick. For a moment, it looked like they'd push back anyway. But then Angel's voice sliced through the air, calm but sharp. She didn't even look at the officers—she turned to Lyra and Viola instead. "I've had enough of this party. I'm leaving."

Just those words, nothing else. But the officers froze, traded quick looks, and suddenly it wasn't worth it anymore. They stepped back, retreating with stiff shoulders and fake professionalism. No questions asked.

Angel adjusted her mask, walking toward the exit without sparing another glance. Lyra and Viola followed, quick to keep pace. Jason sheathed his blade and motioned with his chin. "Come on."

Xavier tossed the gun back to Jason and smirked faintly as he trailed after them. The officers melted into the crowd, pretending none of it had happened. Outside, the night air hit cold, and the Crimson Star's glow burned behind them as they stepped onto the street.

The group stepped into the night, the noise of the Crimson Star fading behind them. Xavier called out before Angel could move further. "Angel."

She stopped, turned slightly.

"I need Victor's location. As soon as possible." His tone wasn't a request—it was an order, laced with that impatience still simmering under his skin.

Angel's eyes narrowed behind her mask, but her voice stayed steady. "I'll find it soon. You'll have it."

Satisfied, Xavier turned to Jason, slipping his hands back into his pockets. "Didn't expect a so-called VIP club in the underworld to be crawling with cheap thugs. Looked like the kind of trash who'd do anything for a handful of credits."

Jason shook his head. "They probably weren't guests. More like slaves some rich bastard dragged in as muscle." His jaw tightened. "Still… that shouldn't have happened here."

Xavier smirked faintly. "Slaves or not, they acted like free men. Now they're corpses."

Jason let the remark slide but leaned in closer. "I apologize for the incident. It wasn't supposed to play out that way. But I'll make it up to you. I'll give you full support when it comes to hunting Victor." He paused, holding Xavier's gaze. "As long as it's not on underworld grounds. Out there, he's yours."

Xavier tilted his head, a cold grin tugging at the corner of his lips. "That's all I need."

Lyra glanced between them, her eyes practically glowing with excitement, while Viola stayed silent, studying Xavier's expression as if she already knew where this path was going to lead.

They stood by the curb, waiting for the van to pull up. The mood was tense with what just happened, but it was Lyra who cut through it.

Her stomach gave a loud growl, and she looked straight at Xavier. "So… can we get food now? I'm starving."

Xavier blinked at her, almost laughing at the timing. "Didn't you just eat enough to put down a pack of wolves?"

Lyra pouted, arms crossed. "That was hours ago. And those were tiny portions. Do these underworld people even know how to feed someone properly?"

Viola chuckled softly, shaking her head. "I told you to slow down earlier. Now you're paying for it."

"I am paying for it—with hunger," Lyra shot back, dead serious.

Jason smirked at the back-and-forth, but Xavier leaned in closer to her, voice low. "We'll eat when we're back. Until then, stop whining, or I'll order you a dog bowl instead."

Lyra's ears twitched, and she narrowed her eyes. "Try it. I'll flip the table on you."

That finally made Xavier laugh, tension cracking just a little. Viola gave him a side glance, a faint smile playing on her lips. Angel, though, didn't join in—she was already checking her device, busy tracing invisible threads toward Victor.

The van rolled up, its engine purring low, doors sliding open. Xavier gestured for the girls to get in first, then climbed in after. Jason followed last, settling with his arms crossed, keeping watch.

Inside, the mood lightened a little. Lyra pressed her face against the tinted window, muttering about food stalls they were passing, while Xavier leaned back, eyes half-closed, a grin still stuck on his face from teasing her.

The van slowed to a crawl as the massive steel gates of the Underworld's exit opened up, spilling out into the neon-lit edge of the city. The hum of generators faded behind them, replaced by the sharper, and cleaner hum of hover traffic cutting across the night sky.

The vehicle came to a full stop, hissing as the doors slid open. Jason gave a short nod to Xavier before stepping aside, while Angel was already lost in her own silence, cigarette in hand, smoke trailing into the glow and reflections.

Lyra was the first to hop out, stretching her arms high like she hadn't moved in years. "Finally! Fresh air. Well—sort of fresh. Fresher than that stinky club, anyway." She turned, catching sight of the sleek hovercar waiting for them at the curb, its black panels reflecting the tower lights above. Her eyes lit up immediately. "Oh, hell yeah, that's more like it. Call shotgun"

"You always call shotgun," Viola muttered, slipping out behind her with far less enthusiasm. She adjusted her dress, flicking a bit of glitter from her shoulder. "And you eat all the snacks. Every time."

"I do not," Lyra shot back, already jogging toward the hovercar like a kid running for candy.

"You do," Xavier cut in casually, stepping down from the van last. His voice wasn't loud, but the smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth made Lyra narrow her eyes.

"Traitor," she said, pointing a finger at him before sliding into the passenger seat anyway.

Xavier shook his head, motioning for Viola to get in before him.

Xavier then glanced at Angel, who was still sitting in the van alone.

"See you, then," he said to her.

Angel nodded and gave him a thumbs up, seemingly too focused on the gig Xavier had given her.

The hovercar's gullwing doors sealed shut with a hiss, the interior lighting dim and sleek. The driverless system purred to life, and in moments they were lifting off the ground, gliding smoothly into the flow of night traffic.

The Nexus Tower loomed in the distance like a titan wrapped in glass and light, its peak nearly touching the clouds.

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