Page 52 of Playing with Fire

"Chance says it's state-of-the art," I offered.

Eli's eyes darted to the ceiling. "Chance?"

"The AI system running this place," Xavier explained, his voice tight. "Always listening, always watching."

"Not unlike daddy dearest," came a new voice as Xander swept in, his flamboyant purple fur-lined coat swirling dramatically around his ankles. Ash followed him in, scanning the room with wary eyes.

"Don't call him that," Xavier and Xion said in unison as the latter entered with Boone.

Xion looked pale and drawn, one hand gripping Boone's forearm with white-knuckled intensity. Boone's expression was thunderous, his gaze constantly scanning for threats.

"We're really doing this?" Xion asked, his voice tight. "Hiding in Algerone's fortress like scared children?"

"Not hiding," Annie corrected, appearing from another corridor. "Regrouping."

River and Theo were the last to arrive, slipping in silently. River's face was an expressionless mask, but Theo's eyes were red-rimmed, his shoulders hunched.

"They found more devices in the wreckage," River said without preamble. "Phoenix left another signature. Different design, same concept."

Xavier moved to my side, fingers brushing mine in what might look casual to others, but felt like an anchor to me. "What kind of devices?"

"Incendiary. Professional grade." River's clinical detachment did nothing to soften the blow of his words. "Whoever Phoenix is, they know how fire works. Almost as well as you do."

"The funeral home is a total loss," Theo added softly. "Everything's gone."

A heavy silence fell over the group as the enormity of what they'd lost finally settled on everyone's shoulders. Not just possessions but history, security, a way of life. The Laskin family would never be the same again.

"So what now?" Lettie asked, breaking the silence. "We just live here and wait for them to find us again?"

"We don't wait," Xavier said, his voice hardening with resolve. "We hunt."

The word hung in the air, stirring something primal in the gathered family. Even those who weren't directly involved in the vigilante side of things straightened slightly, a collective shift from victims to predators. I'd seen Xavier like this before—tracking down corrupt officials who'd harmed the innocent, cyberstalking predators who thought they were untouchable online. I'd watched from afar as he'd meted out his own brand of justice. But now I was inside the inner circle, part of this strange, dangerous family.

"We’re going to use the resources here to track Phoenix," I said.

"All while living in Algerone's pocket," Xion muttered.

"It's temporary," Annie said firmly. "We use what we need, we find who's targeting us, and then we leave."

War crossed his arms. "And when Algerone decides he doesn't want us to leave?"

"That's a problem for later," Xavier said. "Right now, we focus on finding Phoenix."

"And when we do?" Xander asked, a dangerous gleam in his eye.

"Then we do what we do best," Xion said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Xavier, Xander, and Xion all exchanged a look before saying in unison, "We kill the bastard."

The conviction in Xavier's voice sent a shiver through me. This was the predator I'd first glimpsed two years ago, the one who hunted through code and flame. The one who'd shown me a darkness I'd never known existed inside me, a darkness that responded to his with eager recognition. I wasn't just an observer anymore. I was part of the hunt now.

TheSentinel'ssecuritysystemshummed beneath my fingertips, a digital heartbeat that should have been reassuring. Instead, it felt like a taunt. Eight layers of encryption. Advanced biometric protocols. Military-grade firewalls. All useless against an enemy who'd already proven they could slip through the most sophisticated defenses like smoke.

I toggled between camera feeds, watching my family adjust to our gilded cage. In the east wing, Shepherd and Eli were methodically checking every inch of their suite, mapping surveillance points with the care of people who understood what it meant to be watched. Three floors down, River was sorting through his salvaged belongings, arranging his collection of dried mushrooms with the same cold precision he used for corpses. War and Pax had claimed the suite closest to the security control room, a strategic choice that told me War trusted Algerone's fortress about as much as I did.

Misha had been the biggest surprise, stepping into the chaos with unexpected confidence. He'd claimed one of the smaller workrooms on the ground floor and was now helping Leo set up a cosplay workshop, their heads bent together over sketches and material samples. Misha's slender fingers traced patterns on the fabric while Leo gestured animatedly, describing some technical aspect of construction that lit his entire face with passion.

It was the first time I'd seen Leo truly energized since the fires. The sight made something tight in my chest loosen fractionally, like a fist unclenching. Though I'd only recently admitted my feelings for him, the depth of what I felt sometimes caught me off guard. The past week had changed everything between us.

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