A/N: Here's chapter 37. Enjoy, people.

"Cat hair," the woman scoffed. "Damned Frank not closing the door properly. By the way, where is he?"

"Who knows?" Her partner tapped a rhythm against the walls. "He's probably gone for a smoke again. I wouldn't worry about him, Kate."

"It's not like him." Kate walked over to him, allowing the curtain to fall. Iris let out a deep breath. "What about the bloodied stone we found? How're you explaining that, Levi?"

"Probably an unfortunate animal who wandered into Frank's hands. Wouldn't be the first time. Anyways, what're we doing here?"

"Well, we're supposed to be checking out this room to make sure the new batch won't be able to escape." Kate's voice lowered her voice. "But I have something more fun in mind."

"Oh?" A smirk entered Levi's tone. "And what might that be?"

Horror curdled in Iris' stomach and she dug her nails into the fleshy pad of her skin, resisting the urge to sprint out of the room.

"This."

Whack! Thud!

"Ugh." Kate sniffed and sighed. "Damned bastard wouldn't stop staring at my chest."

There was a sound of a heavy object being dragged against the floor, followed by muffled grunts. Then, Kate swore and dropped-- what Iris assumed to be-- an unconscious Levi's legs. Iris frowned and, after a brief moment of weighing up the risks, pulled back the curtains with her gun raised.

"Tracy?"

"Iris?" Jax's sister dropped Levi's legs, shock splayed across her freckled face. Her bubblegum-pink hair was pulled into a short ponytail, and she wore a black crop-top and blue jeans. "What... what're you doing here?"

"I'm... looking for something!" A familiar unease boiled in her stomach and she stepped away, careful to keep her gun ready but out of sight behind her back. Not again... I can't have befriended another traitor. "Why are you here?"

"Harry sent me on a mission here. We'd suspected this gang was stealing our information, so he wanted me to find out who the traitor was." She raised a brow. "I think the better question is what are you doing here?"

Iris cleared her throat, trying to fight back the flush coating her cheeks. "I'm trying to find someone here... a woman called Meredith?"

"Meredith? No... I haven't heard of anyone who goes by that name here."

Iris froze, a tendril of dread trickled down her spine. "No... no, that's impossible! I-- I got my information from trusted sources--" Her heart slammed against her ribs as if she'd been doused in freezing water. Did I?

Doubt crept over her. Could she really trust Mia and her brother? They'd only known each other for no more than two-and-a-half months. Was that enough time? An icy sensation expanded in her chest, and Iris wondered if she'd moved too quickly in her haste. She wanted to leave the West-Brown home forever, and finding her mother's killer would be one way to do so. Of course, Cole and James had given her information about someone called Meredith, but who knows if she was the correct one? Or, perhaps, the place was incorrect and—

No. Iris exhaled, uncurling her fists. I must trust the information. I have no choice. "I think Meredith is here, and I won't stop until she's dead... today, I will find out where she is."

"Wonderful. Rushing headfirst into danger, just as I knew you would." Tracy sighed and twisted the ring around her right ring finger. "I will help you with your mission today. In exchange, help me stuff this man out of sight so my cover isn't blown. I spotted a cupboard in the right hallway downstairs."

As if on cue, Levi groaned and began to stir. Out of instinct, Iris lunged over and smacked him on the back of his head with the butt of her gun. He sighed and slumped down, eyes rolling to the back of his head.

Tracy nodded her approval. "You've improved."

"Fine," Iris growled. "I'll help. But we need to have a serious talk once we're done. Over some cake and coffee, of course."

"Sounds like a plan." Tracy grabbed one of Levi's leg. "Take the other one and pull. I can contact Jax to join us--"

"Don't," Iris muttered, pulling Levi and praying his trousers didn't slip. "We're not... really on the best terms right now."

"Oh really?" Tracy frowned, ignoring Levi's head banging against the doorframe. "I thought you guys were close."

"We are. Or were. I don't know, it's complicated."

"Hey, I've got time-- watch the steps! Here, hold the railing and if it comes to, drop Levi and save yourself."

Levi's skull thudded against the wooden steps as the girls carefully went backwards, keeping a careful eye on the door.

"It's just..." Iris swallowed and willed the pressure to go away from behind her eyes. "Well, Alex is alive."

"Oh." Her eyes widened. "Oh."

"Yeah. I don't... know how to handle this." Almost at the bottom. She went slower on the final few steps "Jax seems to be doing really well. He seems to have forgotten everything Alex did to us. Happy to just... be friends with him again."

"And what do you want?" Tracy stared at her with clear, grey eyes-- so similar to her brother's, Iris had to look away. "I remember what you did as well. How you... well, how you completely shut down after Alex revealed his true colours. It was like the incident from--"

"Don't-- don't remind me." Iris reached the bottom and grabbed Levi's arms, pulling him into a sitting position. "The nightmares only recently stopped."

"That's good!" Tracy lifted the man over her shoulders like a sack of potatoes and gestured the younger girl to follow her down a dim hallway. "Jax had told me you were staying with your old family. How's that going?"

Iris glanced at the smooth walls, pinching the skin between her thumb and index finger. "Terribly. I despise David, even though his wife and her kids aren't so bad. His kids on the other hand... I don't know. It's hard to explain."

"Do you resent them? Ah, there's the cupboard! Could you open it for me, please?"

"I don't know," Iris said quietly, tugging on the handles. "I haven't... really had a proper chance to talk to them."

"You haven't had the chance?" Tracy dropped Levi and tried to squeeze him into the small space, which rocked on its hinges to scrape against the wall. "Haven't... you been-- ack, hold his leg!-- living with them for several months?"

"Yes." Iris sighed and forced the unconscious man into a headstand, shifting his hands inside the closet with her foot. "Yes, but it's... complicated. We're like strangers who happen to share blood. I have had conversations with some of them, but it's really weird. Like we're brushing everything under the carpet."

Tracy hummed, using her entire weight to slam the door shut. She brushed a strand of hair from her face and nodded. "I think you need to have an honest conversation with them."

"I don't owe them anything."

"You don't, but it would be good to have allies. Lord only knows you need them."

"I don't think—"

"Wait," Tracy hissed, raising a hand. Footsteps echoed over wood. "There's someone coming. Hide!"

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Stay safe and thanks for reading :)