Page 50 of Serpent King's Revenge

Knuckles didn’t press me, though; he extended his hand and helped me up, and I took it with a grateful smile. I walked over to the couch and slumped onto it, feeling like the world was crashing down around me. Knuckles observed me from across the room, his gaze sharp beneath furrowed brows. "You need water,” he grunted, then he went to the small kitchen and filled up a glass from the sink, handing it to me a moment later.

"Thanks," I murmured, taking a sip. The liquid was tasteless but necessary; every cell in my body screamed for normalcy in this anything-but-normal situation.

The door creaked open and our eyes shot toward it. My gun was still at my hip, and I reached for it only to recoil when I remembered how I’d shot Hayes.

Luckily, it wasn’t a threat.

Alex walked in first, his shoulders hunched, the weight of failure etched into the lines of his face. Javi followed, along with Neon. Jack brought up the rear, his jaw set in a hard line, eyes void of their usual mirth.

They looked spent, broken in ways that went beyond physical injuries. As they settled into the confined space, words like "bust" and "waste" escaped their lips in hushed, bitter tones.

I watched them, feeling the heavy blanket of defeat settle over the room. I had already known it was a bust, but the fact that they were here just proved it.

I still had to call Justin, Lily, and Derek…tell them this was all for nothing.

This wasn't just a setback; it was a clear show of vulnerability, a crack in our armor that could prove fatal if left unchecked. My heart raced, not out of fear, but from the adrenaline rush of knowing what was at stake.

Without Nathan, we would all be hounded by Kenny’s men until there was no resistance left.

I didn’t even want to think about what he would do to me.

"So, that bad?" I ventured, my voice steady despite the chaos brewing inside me.

"Understatement," Alex spat out, sinking into an armchair with a groan. “We didn’t get him.”

“We have to do something,” I said. “We have to get Nathan. We have to…fuck.”

Knuckles straightened up, his posture rigid as if he was bracing against the tide of defeat that threatened to drown us all. "Listen up," he commanded, and the room fell silent. Everyone's gaze snapped to him, searching for a lifeline in the murky waters we found ourselves in. "The good news, and this is what we should focus on, is that Nathan is alive."

I felt the collective breath we'd been holding release in a gust of relief that swept through the group. He was right, and that was a bit of perspective we sorely needed.

But it was short-lived, replaced by a surge of urgency so palpable that even without touching, you could feel it pulse between us.

"That said, alive today doesn't mean alive tomorrow," Knuckles continued, his voice cutting through the gloom. "Kenny's not gonna stop. We move Nathan now, or we lose him."

I felt close to tears. Diane was a distant memory. I just wanted to make sure that Nathan was alright. I watched their faces, mapping the shift from despair to determination, like soldiers rallying after a call to arms. It was clear as the dawn breaking beyond the moss-covered windows of our hideout—Nathan may have dodged a bullet today, but the next one had his name etched into its casing.

Kenny’s wrath knew no bounds, and it was hunting for blood.

"Alright then," I said, my voice steady. "Let's plan our next move."

"Abby," Knuckles interrupted. "You need to rest.”

I almost laughed at the absurdity of the suggestion. Fuck that. I wasn’t going to rest. Not now, not with Nathan's life hanging by a thread. The very idea seemed to mock the urgency throbbing in my veins.

"There's no time for that," I replied, my voice carrying a weight that felt too heavy for my tired frame. Nathan was in mortal danger. We couldn’t just sit around and wait.

"Abby," Knuckles pressed, his tone leaving no room for argument. "We can't afford mistakes. You're no good to anyone burnt out. And that was intense. If you stay here…”

“I’m not staying here,” I said.

“Is there anything I can do to talk you into sitting this one out?”

"No. Listen," I started, steeling myself against the fatigue that threatened to buckle my knees. "Nathan doesn't have the luxury of time on his side. We act now, or we might as well start digging his grave."

He sighed. "You trying to get yourself killed, too?"

I exhaled sharply, my resolve hardening. "I'd walk through fire to get Nathan out. You know that."

---