K A N E

Delphinium and Gigi were out in the hallway as we exited Hunt's office. I met Delphinium's angry stare and I knew that she was still fuming after the counsel-woman had spoken so condescendingly to her. Gigi seemed calmer, as was her nature, but I still saw some of Delphinium's same rage in her dark eyes.

I hadn't immediately trusted that Imperium was back; I felt as if we needed to keep our options open. But now, after the President had confessed, my beliefs were changed in Delphinium's favor. I hadn't meant to go against her, but that's what had happened anyway.

I needed to make things right with her again.

As the eight of us strode down the hall away from Hunt's office, I caught up with the white-haired girl, who was in front of the group with Gigi at her side.

"Delphinium," I said, getting their attention, "Gigi."

"Yes?" the former asked, her light eyes narrowing slightly, wondering what I wanted.

I took a deep breath; admitting I was wrong wasn't easy for me. "I just wanted to let you know that I do believe that Imperium is back. I should have trusted you before, it's just... After the things President Huard said, I knew that it had to be true."

My eyes switched back to Delphinium. "I'm sorry that I doubted. I know this can't be easy for you, especially."

"Thank you, Kane," Gigi said, her dark eyes shining with sympathy. "I'm glad you finally came around."

The assassin was quiet for a few moments before saying, "It appears that we have even less allies than we thought. Thank you for being on my side."

I gave them both a curt nod, not having anything more to say. They both turned and walked forward at a normal pace again.

Riley caught up with me. "Who knew Kane Shires was such an honorable man?" Her elbow poked into my side playfully.

I shrugged. "It was the right thing to do."

She looked away from me then. "You know, you're not really how you seem."

My face pulled into a frown. "What is that supposed to mean?"

With her red lips parting, she gave me a wide grin. "You can just come across as pessimistic, surly and a bit grouchy sometimes."

"I'm not grouchy," I said with a bit too much force.

"My point proven," she answered back, pointing her finger at my face.

"It sounds like you took that opportunity just to insult me."

She pretended to think, putting her finger to her mouth and looking up somewhere at the ceiling. "Maybe." Her smile turned softer. "But I also said that it's not an accurate representation of who you are inside."

"Who do you think I am?" I questioned. Immediately after, I wondered why I'd even asked. It had just slipped out.

"I think that under all those brooding looks and pessimistic tendencies, there's a good man. One that not a lot of people see very easily."

My frown deepened as her just being...her, overwhelmed me all of a sudden. "And you think you see him easily?"

"Oh, I see right through you, Shires."

I didn't see right through her, and that's what scared me. Every time I thought I understood her, she showed me a different part of herself that made me question everything I thought I knew about her.

I wasn't ever going to tell her that. Instead, I replied, "Yeah, you wish. Look inside me, and all you'll see are organs and bones."

"And muscles," she added slyly, glancing down at my arm. I could immediately feel my face getting hotter as I turned my head away.

When she was finished laughing, she remarked, "God, you're such a dork, you know that?" Her dark eyes met mine as she raised a sculpted eyebrow.

"Seeing as you never fail to remind me, yes."

Her reply was cut off by Hunt's deep voice behind us. "Wait."

We all turned around at his call. "What do you want?" Jaxon asked impetuously. "Come to rub your decision in our faces?"

"No, actually the opposite," Hunt replied smoothly, unaffected by Jaxon's rudeness. His breathing came fast and short, proving that he'd run to catch up with us. "I have another proposition for you."

"What is it?" Gigi asked quickly, eager to accept this new ray of hope.

But the director shook his head. "No, not here. I'll be at the compound tomorrow afternoon to speak with you eight." His dark eyes slid downward as he checked his watch. "I have a meeting I need to get to. Do not do anything rash until we talk."

"You know us so well," Jaxon mumbled under his breath.

Hunt hurried away, sophisticated as always as he fixed his suit jacket. After quickly turning around a corner, flocked with assistants, he was gone.

"That was weird," Arlo said after a moment.

"Do you think he's actually trying to help us?" I asked, still staring in confusion. Hunt had always proved to work for his and the ONNT's agenda. Should this time be different? I dared not hope.

"There's only one way to find out," Finn said. "We wait until he visits us tomorrow."

Hunt bustled into the living room after entering the compound. He was put together, as always, with his impeccable suit and combed hair, although this time, there was a strange aura around him. I couldn't tell what it was and I didn't like it.

He looked at the clock on the wall. "I don't have much time. I'm meant to be at a counsel meeting in an hour, so we'll need to make this quick."

"Well," Riley said to the director, after popping a bubble with her gum. "What did you come here to tell us that was so important?"

"I have a plan for you, one that involves convincing the counsel that Imperium is indeed back."

Gigi raised her eyebrows. "You believe they're back?"

But Hunt was smooth with his reply. "I'll believe when I see proof with my own eyes. Namely, the masked assassin."

"You want us to kill him?" Delphinium asked, her light brows knitting together.

"No, I only want you to bring him to me in chains. Once we get the truth from him, the counsel will be forced to act against Imperium."

Finn looked incredulous. "He's a trained murderer and spy who has come very close to killing us many times. What makes you think we can chain him up and bring him to you?"

Hunt's gaze shifted to Jake. "You found Adiago Hundsen, did you not? Something tells me that you could have had him in chains if you'd wished."

No one spoke. No one but Jake knew exactly went on with Hundsen and the Club. All we knew was that Hundsen was nowhere to be seen and the Club's lair had been burned to the ground, along with everything else that might have given us clues about them. Jake had also been strangely quiet on the subject of his revenge.

"Look," Hunt broke the silence, gesturing with his hands, "There is a reason the ONNT brought you together as a group. You're the most powerful when your abilities are combined. Use that to your advantage."

"I'm going to be extremely disappointed if I end up getting killed by an insane assassin on this mission," Arlo remarked, getting up from the chair he'd been sprawled out in. "Although I guess it's not a bad way to go out." He seemed to be genuinely thinking about it.

"If we do take this option then we need to think about where he'll be next. That way, we can be one step ahead of him once we're there," Gigi reasoned.

"We have to do this," Delphinium said, looking grave. "This is our last chance to gain a powerful ally. Without the ONNT on our side, we don't stand a chance in the inevitable war against Imperium."

I saw as some of the faces in the room turned downward. They knew that there would eventually be head-to-head conflict with Imperium, but they'd never let themselves consider the possibility of a full-blown war. Delphinium knew Imperium better than anyone; if she said that we were outmatched in a war with them, then we certainly were.

"Then we need to find his next target," Finn said, trying to sound hopeful, "Before it's too late."