THE CAKE

"We've done everything according to your command," Narco said with a smile as Vladimir raised an eyebrow. A deafening silence reigned as the cold course of wind passes between them. They are inside the office.

Vladimir cast a skeptical look on the young man. It seems that Narco knows something about Mort's weapon under his possession right now. Even before he had asked, his instinct told him Narco cannot be easily fooled. If the young man does know something about the weapon, that only means one thing, Vladimir will have a hard time asking him and getting a straight answer. The same goes for Lyric.

'Damn it!' Vladimir loudly curses in his mind.

"Sit down first." He commanded, Lyric and Narco quickly seated. Vladimir, on the other hand, sat on the swivel chair near the humungous open glass wall of the building where the cold air came in, gently blowing his hair.

"If I push you off there, everything will be over." Wearing a rigid face, Narco suddenly utter out loud what was supposed to be in his mind. That no longer surprise Vladimir anymore, especially since Narco had tried to kill him several times. He just grinned in his seat and didn't bother to throw a glance at the young man.

"I don't get it. You were just commanded to send the guns and ammo to your port but you managed to betray Mort. What made you do that?" Lyric asked, hands crossing on his chest. Vladimir flashed a smirk.

"We were only talking about guns and ammo, who knows there are other weapons hidden in it? I was just curious at first so I tested it with one of Mort's men. It was destructive and deadly. So I come to think these dangerous weapons must be mine. I'm not greedy for power but I definitely wanna bury myself in money. And I know that with just one weapon, I'll earn a trillion." Vladimir replied, smiling widely. Lyric and Narco exchange glances.

"Five weapons for your life?" Lyric managed to keep a straight face for a minute and let loose with a loud guffaw.

"And you really wasted the two of them. You used one of it to Mort's men and that escort and your men who chase after Sumire and Mort at the fireworks festival." Vladimir was stunned at his place by what Narco said. He was certain, Narco was in jail at that time. Eyebrows knitted, Vladimir couldn't fathom how Narco knew all of that.

"Oh, I remembered that we had a monster truck with Klauss and Leroy. When we asked who sent them, they answer it was Trevor, and seconds later that man exploded. I guess that's what that weapon does. When you are injected by it and you lied when asked, you will explode into a thousand pieces?" Lyric said innocently while slowly rubbing his chin as if thinking hard. Vladimir let out a heavy sigh.

"And you also wasted the other two of us. You only have one left. What is your plan now? How are you going to sell it? You probably need to test it to find out if it's effective before you sold it." Narco seconded and now leaned his back on the chair, crossing his legs.

Vladimir's eyes narrowed in frustration. His back was facing Lyric and Narco, eyes darted down where everyone was very busy fixing things after the war ended. He lost his wits because of anger. He was mad because everything they said was right. So now he will gamble everything. With the help of his secret friend Doctor, it became possible for him to hide and manipulate Narco and Lyric. He eluded Mort's men several times. Though his men were almost wiped out, it became easier for him to do what he needs. Now, he will be controlling Mort under his palm. He knew that Mort would give the formula of that weapon to him. And he will take it no matter what. This is the only thing that can save what he lost. That one and only weapon.

"How can I sell the remaining weapon if there's only one left? Well, I can make more of it." Smiling from ear to ear and sounding so confident, Vladimir replied.

Narco and Lyric looked at each other. Forehead creased, They are both confused. They cannot picture how Vladimir would do that. Making those weapons was beyond this mongrel's expertise. It was impossible for him to do it but what gave him that extreme confidence to answer his question? Shaking their heads in disbelief, Lyric and Narco shrugged their shoulders. Now they want to push Vladimir off the building.

"Tell us about your plan." Lyric laughingly said, challenging him. Vladimir quickly spun the swivel chair around. He faced them with a mischievous smile and delight on his face.

It was way too obvious an awful scene is running through his mind. His grin grew widened almost tearing his cheek apart. Narco and Lyric exchanged glances once more. Preventing themselves from killing Vladimir especially since they have not seen or met his secret friend, the Doctor who makes hundreds of clones. They know that Vladimir is not the Mastermind behind the chaos. He is weak, shallow and a puppet of a Puppeteer who turned the Brethren City into a stage for his bloody twisted play. The only thing that surprised them was how it had a connection with Narco's parents. The true origin of Lyric, Leroy, and Narco. They had their eyes set on Vladimir. Even if they don't know the Mastermind very well, this crossbreed jackass has the only connection they can use.

"If you stop killing me with that sharp look, I might tell you what I had in mind," Vladimir said and laugh to his heart's content, leaving Narco and Lyric audibly sighed. They couldn't understand how this bonehead's entrails works but they'd memorized everything that came out of his mouth.

"I have a question. Why didn't you use Sumire?" Lyric asked curiously. After all, the maiden is easier to manipulate. With Sumire in his hand, he can easily make Mort obeyed to his command. Narco and Lyric always wondered why he didn't use Sumire for his goal of controlling the beast in living in the Underground.

"It almost cost my life when I tried to do that." Vladimir stammered and suddenly felt nervous. His facial expression changed quickly as if he remembered something bad happened to him. His face was pale as if life had frightened him once or twice. Horror flashed in his eyes.

"What do you mean?" Frown, Lyric asked again. He couldn't believe that someone like Vladimir who was already desperate had something to fear.

"My secret friend won't let me do that," Vladimir said almost in a whisper. The fear was visibly written all over his face. Few seconds later, he was grinning like a psychopath who was about to go on a killing spree.

"She is off limits," Vladimir added with a smile making Lyric and Narco rolled their eyes.

"Then, tell us about your plan?" Narco changed the conversation. Vladimir was frowning as his right hand stroked his stubbled chin. He was thinking. The two young men just looked at each other and shifted their gaze back to Vladimir who didn't seem to have a concrete plan yet. It seems to them he just follows the flow of what is current happening.

"Don't underestimate me. What do you think is the reason why I ordered you to bring Mischa and Klauss here?" Vladimir asked smugly as Narco and Lyric looked at each other. A horde of flies can enter their mouths gaping. They think Vladimir's Plan was plain and stupid. Thinking that he finally lost it. Telling him that he is freaking out of his mind.

"I don't know what you're talking about but it's dumb as hell." Lyric bluntly commented. He truly didn't trust Vladimir's capabilities at all. Narco nodded a few more times agreeing with what Lyric said.

"And there's actually one more!" Vladimir loudly said and he stood up as the door opened wide.

Narco and Lyric looked turned around at the same time. Their eyes widened when they saw Leroy lying unconscious at the feet of Vladimir's men who had been following them earlier. Together, they cast a piercing stare at Vladimir who had a huge grin plastered on his face. He was pleased to see how angry they are that veins visibly protruding on both of their faces from intense anger.

"Why is that stupid here?" Hands form into a fist, Lyric asked as Vladimir burst into boisterous laughter.

"Like you said, he is stupid. That's why he's here." Vladimir's man responded coldly. His hair is white as snow. The man stood as tall as Narco and possibly as old as them. He holds a pair of purple orbs and skin as pale as a ghost. With his pale complexion, the man seemed like drained of blood. He may as tall as them, but he had no muscle in his body frame. The man was slim and looked fragile but his authority is immense. Narco and Lyric wondered how he could knock Leroy down who had a well-toned body.

"He is all brawn and stupid. He is stupid. Stupid. Stupid Leroy." Lyric muttered in anger. Vladimir's laughter thundered in all corners of the room. Narco, on the other hand, looked at Vladimir's new army.

"How did you get a man like him?" Marveled, Narco asked. All of Vladimir's men are big, strong, and old. Narco wonders why Vladimir has hired this looking weak man.

"My secret friend just lent him to me," Vladimir replied after laughing and calming down. Narco's eyebrows raised.

"Can you tell us more about your secret friend?" Lyric interjected that before Vladimir could answer, a bullet went through the top of his head, cutting several strands of his hair and it hit the glass wall shattering it into a pieces on the floor.

"Don't ask." The purple-eyed man said in a threatening tone as Vladimir shrugged his shoulders.

"You heard him," Vladimir said and met Lyric's eyes burning with fire. Narco looked at the man with a sneer.

"Your name. Tell us your name." Instead of answering Narco, the purple-eyed man pulled Leroy out of the place who was still unconscious. Lyric was about to stand up to follow them but the man glared at her. He returned to sit down.

"He is so good at threatening people. Don't worry, Lyric. You will be with your twin soon. Trust me." Vlad cockily said and smirked.

"Ha... I wanna meet your secret friend so bad and stab his throat." Lyric replied and cast a blank stare at Vladimir. That motherfucker had made his head throb in pain.

"Sure. If you stay alive tomorrow." Vladimir said laughing. He was amused seeing them conflicted.

"Of course, only you will die later." Eyes devoid of emotion, Lyric coldly said. Vladimir's laughter echoed throughout the place. Seeing them annoyed by his laughter like there is no tomorrow made him delighted. Vladimir seems to have so much fun and the young men in front of him felt like it was their last day on earth.

"Who knows? Maybe there will be a twist."

Vlad said with a meaningful smile but Narco and Lyric ignores him. They are the ones who will get tired and it was a waste of time if they continue to hear Vladimir's blabbering nonsense who seems to be losing himself.

"Is this what they say 'Live your life to the fullest until you die?'" Lyric whispered to Narco to which the young man nodded in response.

"Anyway, why didn't you bring Laurel with you?" Vladimir asked them who were stunned at his question.

"You specifically told us to bring Mischa and Klauss," Narco replied making Vladimir frown.

Vladimir fell into deep thinking. He knows that Laurel is always with Klauss these past few days. He also gathered news that Yakov and Mort are now on good terms. Vladimir looked at them, eyes angrily narrowed.

"And I also told you to bring everyone with them," Vladimir said. No matter what they say, he always has to contradict them. Narco and Lyric throw glances at one another before they drew a blank stare at Vladimir.

"When I saw Mischa she wasn't with anyone. Neither was Klauss." Narco responded unenthusiastically and was losing patience.

"Oh, you didn't explode. So, it means you're not lying." Vladimir said and Narco clicked his tongue soundly. He wanted to smash Vladimir's face into the wall.

"Can you do us a favor?" Narco said and head slightly angled on the side. Vladimir's face suddenly lit up.

"What is it?" Vlad asked excitedly, eyes sparking in delight. 'He is losing it. He's better off dead.' said Lyric in his mind. Vladimir is going crazy and is now overcome by desperation.

"Kill yourself," Narco replied in a monotonous tone as Vladimir's smile slowly vanished from his face.

"I thought it was your last dinner," Vladimir said in dismay as he picked up his phone from his pocket. He called someone on the line and it immediately answered his call.

Vladimir keeps his eyes on Narco and Lyric, wearing a foolish grin. He looked at Narco and Lyric with an amused expression, indirectly telling them to watch and learn what he is about to do.

"Deliver the cake to Mort. Make sure to include the address."