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THERON

I heard Kaelin’s voice from down the hall. “I’m sorry—”

I found her in West’s room. One glance inside and I saw several of his monitors had Atrox information displayed and Kaelin had just jumped up from West’s chair wearing nothing but an oversized t-shirt.

“North, I’m sorry—I stepped away for a minute—”

West insisted.

I held up my hand to stop him. Kaelin went from looking sheepish at being caught by West to fuming mad as she rounded on me.

“What the fuck is all of that?”

She demanded, throwing her hand back at the monitors. “What is Atrox? And why the fuck are there invoices from Phox here?”

I didn’t answer for a long moment. Maybe it was her slapping me that solidified it, although we’d talk about that later—but it was time to stop running. It was time to tell her.

The commotion had drawn Graham. I could feel his presence lingering in the doorway.

Good. It was time to pull them all out of the shadows and show them the real hell.

“Show her,”

I said to West.

He’d been trying to slowly slink out of the room but froze at my command before moving over and taking the seat Kaelin had vacated. He pulled up a few invoices and Atrox business information with a photo of Vetticus.

“Atrox Gaming Inc. is an underground company that kidnaps individuals with military and law enforcement background and forces them to play in live action capture the flag games with live ammo—”

“What—like a video game?”

“Yes—Vetticus is a recruiter. Teams are owned and sponsored by rich men and the games are broadcasted for people to bet on the outcome of the players. Me, Nyx and Atlas were on one of Vetticus’ personal Atrox teams. He held us captive for nearly three years.”

I’d stunned her to silence.

She was staring at me, lips parted and eyes wide with shock as she took in everything I said. After a moment, she shook her head.

“What does Phox have to do with this?”

But her eyes went to one of the invoices and I saw her face fall in the glow of the screens. “Oh shit…”

“Military drones. We have invoices going back years. There’s something else too.”

I hesitated. This was the part I had the most trepidation around.

“What’s the other thing then? Tell me, Theron. It’s time,”

she demanded.

“Show her the other thing,”

I said to West.

West hesitated. “Are you sure?”

“Do it.”

He clicked a few buttons and another photograph filled the screen.

Kaelin leaned forward to get a better look.

“Oh my god…”

She turned to me, eyes wide.

I heard Graham make a sound behind me as he pieced it together at the same time. The resemblance was all in the eyes. The person I thought was dead—only to discover a few years ago that she was in fact very much alive.

“Her name is Emersyn,”

I said. “Emersyn North. She’s my daughter.”

“I-I don’t understand,”

Kaelin said breathlessly.

“I know,”

I said. “But you will.”

It was time to go back to the beginning.

Vengeance and retribution require a long time; it is the rule.

C DICKENS