Page 59 of Peaceful Chaos

Ancient History

Sin

Everyone looksover at me after Javier's bombshell. I realize then I haven't filled them in on everything. It isn't that it doesn't effect me, but I don't remember my life before Damien took me, so I don't know how to grieve for an aunt I don't remember.

Lucien sits back down as the sounds of the coffee maker gurgle, filling the awkward silence.

"My sister Evangeline was the black sheep of the family. Carina and I both went to Ivy League colleges. She went to work in public relations which led her into political circles where she met Arthur Whitmore. I joined the FBI right out of grad school and worked on the side for my father. Eva, though, she didn't graduate from college. She'd gone off to the University of Washington and met a married man her second year of college."

He scrubs his hand over his face. "The deeper she got involved with him, the more she pulled away from the rest of us. I didn't see the signs at the time, but she was being abused and isolated so she couldn't get out of the relationship. It wasn't until she gave birth to her daughter that she started to try and pull herself out of the relationship.

"Most of this is a story for another time. It isn't pertinent to our current situation. If you want to hear more," he looks at me, "I can introduce you to your cousin Toni. I think you'd both get along quite well."

I nod. "Yeah, I think I'd like to meet her, but not while we're currently neck deep in shit."

"Good. She's had enough problems and she's happy now. Of course she'll be happier if we can manage to put a bullet in her father's head," Javier says.

"Sounds like she and I have things in common too," Raven quips.

I reach out and take her hand in mine. Careful of the abrasions caused by the explosion, I give it a squeeze to let her know I'm here.

"Anyway," Javier continues, “We thought for a long time that Toni was dead, but he took her and raised her with his wife. She was so young she didn't remember until after we met. I didn't even know who she was when we met because Antonio changed her name. We pieced the puzzle together, but that slippery fucker managed to slip away again. Not before he killed my best friend in an explosion."

"You know the contacts I’ve made in the underworld are less than savory. Are you going to be able to go forward with this?” David casts a concerned gaze at Javier.

“Right now we need Padilla. He's setting up a flesh auction. I think we can try and use it to lure out Damien," David continues.

Lucien halts halfway to the coffee pot and spins around. "What do you mean, lure him out? He's fucking running for office. Are you saying no one knows where he is?"

David and Javier exchange a look. It's evident they've been discussing things without us, and it pisses me off. "That's exactly what I'm saying."

Javier grunts in agreement. "David and I have been trying to work this out all morning. We used contacts and other back channels to track his movements."

"Meaning you hacked into the security feed at the mansion, and probably the FAA," Luce translates.

"I did not hack into the FAA, that would be a federal offense," Javier insists.

David raises his hand. "I did it. I've committed several federal offenses, what's one more?"

"I appreciate a good walk down memory lane as much as the next guy, but can we get back to this business with the auction and Padilla?" Lucien says.

David nods. "Of course. He reached out through my second that the auction was being planned. No further word has come about it, because," he waves in Raven's direction, "clearly they don't have the woman they were planning on selling."

My fists clench at my sides. "And they aren't going to. So, how is this helpful?"

Javier leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "It means Padilla is in contact with Damien or at least one of his henchmen. We need to get him to meet with us and see what we can learn from him."

I shake my head. "I don't know about that. He's part of the plot to sell my wife. I don't want him anywhere near her, and us separating didn't work out."

Shane raises his hand. Ted reaches out and shoves it down. "You don't have to raise your hand dumbass, just speak."

"Am I the only one wondering how Damien knew Raven was here at the complex without Sin? How he knew to take most of his soldiers and run?"

Javier’s face loses color. He releases a string of curses and kicks the table. "We've got a fucking mole!"

My teeth clench. "How? I thought you vetted all of your soldiers beyond what the CIA even does." I'm fucking tired of Damien finding cracks in every place we seek refuge.

His eyes glass over, and he shakes his head over and over. "I do. I'd swear they were all completely loyal to Chaos, but it doesn't make sense for one of you to have told him. That leaves one of my team members, or Agent Marks."

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