by Lincoln Cole
But here he stood, close to the answers and desperate for revenge.
They didn’t send him out on assignments anymore, and hadn’t tasked him with anything since his raid on the cult. The council had shelved him while they tried to decide what to do with him. Forced into early retirement, so to speak. They felt furious that he’d disobeyed their direct orders and gone off after the cult on his own.
But they had also grown shocked and amazed at what he’d accomplished. Arthur had struck a tremendous blow to one of the most dangerous cults, and his street reputation had gone through the roof. He became something of a living legend—something which made him feel awkward—and probably the only reason they had kept him alive and exonerated him of his disobedience. They couldn’t afford to distance themselves from him after he’d sent their enemies running in fear, but they also didn’t want to deal with him.
That seemed okay, though, as he was done with the Council, too. He had given his life to their cause, and they had given him nothing but heartache and despair in return. His plan gave him a way to get vengeance for his family, and then live a normal life.
◆◆◆
Arthur had left Abigail in Germany with Frieda when he took this trip. Up until now, he’d felt unwilling to leave her side because the threat of execution by the Council still hovered over her head. He had made it clear that no matter how the Council voted on the matter, they would have to go through him if they intended to put the young girl to her death.
The Council had, finally, voted to give Abigail a stay of execution, pending further investigation into the issue and consultation with the Catholic Church. He didn’t trust them—it had come down to seven voting to spare her the death sentence, and six wanting to kill her immediately—but he, at least, knew he had some time to spare before the issue came up again.
What made this situation worse, though, was that Jun had made the deciding vote in sparing Abigail’s life, and this made the trip so much more difficult. He didn’t want to harm Jun, but he would if it became necessary. He would get the answers he needed and give his family the justice they deserved.
◆◆◆
Arthur circled to the side of the apartment complex, searching for a back entrance he could use to slip in unnoticed. He didn’t intend to siege the place or pick a fight if not necessary. This late at night, not many people populated the sidewalks, or vehicles the streets. The entire block appeared quiet and serene.
He had a revolver tucked into his waistband. And though difficult to smuggle such items into the country, it didn’t prove impossible when using the international credentials that the Council supplied for him. For all intents and purposes, he traveled as an Air Marshal or a UN operative whenever he needed to.
He also had a few hidden blades on his person. One in his boot, another at his hip, and a backup strapped to his chest. Hopefully, he wouldn’t end up needing any of them.
Jun, as one of the longest active members of the Council, had great value, which meant he would have at least four guards on hand at any given moment, and doubtless, one of them would be a fellow Hunter.
Arthur didn’t know their identities—Frieda Gotlieb had charge of such assignments, and she remained incredibly tight-lipped about such information—but, doubtless, he would find someone he’d worked with or trained in the past.
He rounded the back of the apartment complex. A large group of residents milled around a patio just outside the rear entrance. At first, he felt annoyed, but then he realized it would work in his favor. Some of them sat on benches or huddled around talking.
It looked like a party or cookout of some sort, and string lights dangled from the trees around the area, casting the entire place in a colorful glow. A table held various potluck dishes, but most of them had gone already. The event seemed to be winding down as they all turned in for the night.
Arthur could use the distraction to his advantage. He stuck out in the crowd, but didn’t appear the only obviously foreign person at the party. The distraction would help him slip into the building unnoticed and without a confrontation.
Most likely, though, at least one of the guards would have watch on this entrance to stop this sort of ingress, and if any good, they would blend in with the party-goers. He just needed to figure out who they were.
On this breezy night, most of the residents had bundled up in jackets or leaned away from the wind. With such a party, he had hoped a guest might have propped the door open for restroom usage, but no such luck. It stood closed up tight and would be locked at this time of day. He would need a resident’s key to get inside, or to slip in with a group of them.
However, to Arthur’s surprise, he also didn’t spot any guards hiding out near the door or amongst the partiers. Maybe he’d come to the wrong place, and maybe Jun had moved in recent weeks. Not likely, though. Jun had lived in this same apartment complex for at least the last ten years, and Arthur had come here not too long ago.
If Jun had moved, it meant that they had relocated him for some security reason. That would, most likely, mean because of Arthur and what he might do, which meant they knew his intentions. If that proved the case, then this was, no doubt, a trap.
Not an encouraging thought.
It seemed much more likely that Jun hadn’t moved at all, but that his security hadn’t gotten on top of their duties. Had they just dropped the ball and assumed their charge safe since it had grown so late in the evening? If he hadn’t come here outside his normal duties, he would have chastised them for their mistakes.
Arthur took a little extra time studying the crowd, hoping that maybe he had it wrong and one of the residents was a guard in disguise and just doing an excellent job of blending in. If Arthur had charge of Jun’s security, he would have handled the situation in that way.
After a few moments, he felt satisfied that they all lived here as normal residents and partiers enjoying an evening get together. None of them seemed to pay much attention to other guests, and neither did they watch the surrounding area.
So, he came back to square one—either the security was lax, Jun had moved, or they had set a trap. He considered abandoning his plan entirely and leaving the situation alone. It could turn out that he risked his life without even the possibility of finding out who’d murdered his family.
On the other hand, if he left now, then he might miss the perfect opportunity to get the answers he needed.
After a short internal debate, Arthur decided to go forward with his plan. Already here, it made sense to go through with his first plan and find out what had happened. If they had set a trap, he could deal with that when the time came, but for now, he couldn’t turn around and leave empty handed.
Arthur slipped through the group of milling residents, timing his entrance as one of the small groups of the complex headed inside, and he caught the door just before it closed. He took one last glance outside to make sure no one watched him.
No one did.
A chill of concern gripped him, and without a doubt, something wasn’t right about the situation.
Cautious, he headed into the apartment complex and made his way down the empty hallway. The lights seemed bright even at this time of day, giving it an eerily quiet feel.
Jun lived on the third floor. Arthur made his way past closed doorways, careful to stay as quiet as possible so that he didn’t wake any sleeping residents.
The quietness made him uncomfortable. It felt more and more like a trap. He crept to the stairwell, hand resting on the revolver strapped to his side, and made his way up.
The walls of the apartment complex, painted brown, stood around old hardwood flooring that creaked with each step he took. The hallway, uncomfortably narrow, made the entire place seem like a claustrophobic nightmare. That didn’t bother him normally, but right now, he felt on edge. The hot building made the air seem even more stifling.
He moved slowly, listening for any out of place sound. The old building, like many such structures, had a unique plethora
of strange sounds and smells, but nothing stuck out as misplaced. He didn’t see any guards posted in the stairwell, which made him worry even more.
Jun must have moved, he decided but didn’t quite believe. He liked to think that if something so major had happened, Frieda would have told him. Even if he made the reason for Jun’s move, at the very least, she would tell him to warn him off such an action.
It also didn’t feel right because it didn’t mesh with Jun’s personality. Even if they wanted to move the old man for fear of Arthur coming to his home uninvited, he would have refused.
Which meant that he’d walked into a trap.
So, why had they let him get so close before springing it?
The hairs stood up on the back of Arthur’s neck when he reached the third-floor landing. He moved down the hall, drawing his weapon and holding it ready, as he came to Jun Lee’s apartment. Still no guards, or any other sign that something had happened.
The door stood closed but unlocked. With a frown, Arthur eased it open and crept inside.
Jun had a small apartment with sparse furnishings. A pair of padded rocking chairs rested in the living room, but no television. The Councilor hated it, considering shows and movies a complete waste of time.
Off to the right stood a kitchen that looked tidy and neat with stained marble counters, considerably more expensive than what had come originally with the space, and a hallway led off to the left further into the apartment. Memory informed him that only a single bedroom and bath lay down there.
Nothing had changed since the last time he had come here. An old fan circled lazily overhead, pushing warm air and dust around the room.
In one of the rocking chairs in the living room, he saw the top of Jun Lee’s head, facing away from him and toward the window. The chair rocked gently, but Jun didn’t move.
Arthur edged deeper into the apartment, trying to determine if this were, indeed, a trap. No guards, the lights turned off, and everything entirely too still for his liking. He held his gun ready and circled the chair to see if Jun remained alive.
Jun frowned up at him, definitely alive and seeming more annoyed than worried to see Arthur standing there. A brown blanket wrapped the old man, who looked exhausted. A long and gnarled wooden cane leaned against the chair next to him.
“Did you have to get here so late in the day? This is well past my bedtime.”
“What?” Arthur asked, surprised.
“I’d begun to fear I’d gotten it wrong and that you hadn’t planned to come here when you left Germany. Glad to see that I hadn’t misjudged.”
“Where are your guards?”
Jun waved his hand in the air with a shrug. “Somewhere. I don’t feel too sure, in fact. I sent them to a nearby establishment to purchase some refreshments, so no doubt, they’re drunk at this moment.”
“You sent them away?”
“I had confidence you wouldn’t have done irrevocable damage to any of them if I had kept them here, but I felt a confrontation both unnecessary and wasteful.”
“You knew I would come?”
Jun nodded. “Of course. Frieda called me.”
“I didn’t tell her where I planned to head.”
“Nor did she know. She grew worried and called all the Council members because she didn’t know where you might go or what you had planned, but I surmised the rest.”
“How did you know?”
“I’ve waited for this encounter since the day your family died. When you left Germany yesterday, I knew the time had arrived. Though, I do wish you had come earlier. This chair feels uncomfortable, and my old bones can’t handle these late nights too well.”
Arthur shook his head in confusion. “I don’t get it. Why dismiss your guards? If you knew I would come here, why not hire more security instead of less? You could have had thirty men waiting for me.”
“Because, no matter what, you would have come, and I have confidence you would have found me. I figured the best chance of this meeting ending amicably was to make myself easy to find.”
“If you hold any guilt in betraying my family, then you have severely misjudged why I came.”
A moment passed in silence. “If you thought me guilty of such a crime,” Jun said with a slight waver in his voice, “then, I would be dead already.”
Arthur stood in silence for a long moment, and then he blew out a breath of air. He had known Jun Lee for a long time, ever since he began training to become a Hunter. The man had no capability of such a crime. Not against anyone, and definitely not against him.
He’d felt terrified that maybe Jun had some hand in what had happened, but now he grew confident that it wasn’t the case. The palpable relief seemed like a weight had lifted from his chest.
However, Jun gave his only chance of finding out the identity of the real betrayer.
“Please.” Jun Lee gestured toward the empty rocking chair. “Have a seat.”
Arthur hesitated, and then walked over to the chair. He slipped his revolver away and sat down, facing toward the old man.
“You know why I came.”
“And you know I’m forbidden from giving you what you desire.”
“Someone betrayed my family, and now my wife and daughter are dead.”
“A terrible tragedy. I feel beyond sorry for your loss, but they entrusted me with this knowledge because of my unwillingness to divulge it. I cannot help you, Arthur. I cannot give you any privileged information without risking the lives and families of others.”
“Clearly, someone else didn’t share your scruples, Jun. Now, my family is dead. All I want to know is who else knew?”
“Telling you would betray the Council.”
“Not telling me would betray me,” Arthur said. “And you know I stand on the right side here. We’re friends, Jun. We’ve known each other since I was a child. If you won’t help me, then ask yourself, honestly, which would prove worse right now—betraying me or the Council.”
Jun sat in silence for a moment, slowly shaking his head.
“Look how far we’ve fallen.”
“What? What do you mean?”
Jun didn’t seem to have spoken to Arthur. He looked out of the window. “Is this what we’ve come to? One of the most loyal men I’ve ever met stooping to threats because of the situation he’s gotten pushed into? Has the corruption of our Order run so deep?”
“I have no desire to threaten you,” Arthur said. “If I knew any other way to get the information you have …”
“No, but you do feel desperate. And, yet, here I sit defending the people who murdered your family because archaic rules dictate that I must act in such a manner. A sorry lot I’ve drawn in life that I get tasked with defending murderers and betrayers at the cost of doing the right thing.”
“Then, tell me what I want to know.”
“So you can kill them back? How do we break the cycle when all we seek is vengeance? Where is the justice?”
“I came to you in the dead of night and completely off the record,” Arthur said. “What part of that made you think I wanted justice?”
Jun hesitated, and then shrugged. “Fair enough.”
“And you let me into your room without any conflict or objection. I have a feeling you don’t want justice in this matter, either.”
A heavy silence hung in the air. Arthur studied Jun, praying that he would give him the answers he needed. He’d come too close to turn back now, and if Jun refused him …
“I don’t know what I want anymore,” Jun said, finally. “What I do know, Arthur, is that I have no intention to make you my enemy. Nor do I wish to betray my duty to the Council.”
“Three people knew the names of my wife and daughter. You, Frieda, and one other person. I know you and Frieda would never betray me, so who is the last person on my list? I need a name.”
“Frieda also knows the answer you seek. Why not ask her?”
“She would never break her oath to the Council. She would rather die.”
>
“And you think me any different? She withheld the information from you, but you think I will tell you?”
“I know you, Jun. I know it sickens you to become party to any of this. Your silence on the matter amounts to the same as guilt. You are a good man, and you believe in virtue. The guilt of what happened to my family weighs heavy on your soul, and you know the traitor in our midst. Whose family will die next?”
“This is not your matter to attend to. We are looking into the possibility that this didn’t make for a singular event, and you have my word that whoever did this will get dealt with accordingly.”
“You know who it is. Tell me and let me help you do your duty.”
“My hands are tied.”
“Mine aren’t.”
“Arthur … please, trust that I will handle this,” Jun said.
Arthur recognized this as the real reason that Jun had let him in. The man had hoped to talk Arthur out of doing anything crazy.
Most likely, Frieda lay behind it. Jun had said that Frieda didn’t know where Arthur planned to go, but he didn’t believe that for a second. Frieda, brilliant and cunning, no doubt all of this—from sending away the guards to what Jun told him—she had orchestrated.
“That’s not good enough,” Arthur said. “My family got murdered. I found their bodies in my home. I will not leave here without the name.”
Jun stared at Arthur, frowning and thoughtful.
“If something happened to this other person, they would know I divulged the information that pointed you in that direction.”
“Tell them I tortured it out of you.”
Jun shook his head. “Such wouldn’t prove sufficient.”
“What do you propose?”
“For this crime, the person in question cannot get accused without irrefutable proof or a confession.”
“This person betrayed the Council. You know so.”
“We have no proof, only speculation and correlation.”
“That’s good enough for me.”
