FREED

The loud silence reigns in the corner of the place. Surrounded by the Puppeteer's men, Mort was writing the formula on paper. A broad grin plastered on Narco's face. That smirk of his brought out a sense of mischief and eyes gleamed in excitement waiting for Vladimir's next action. Hands bind with a chains, Klauss just frowned, staring at Mort's hand wrote something on the paper.

'Is he really willing to give the formula just for that witch?' Klauss asked in his mind while eyes squinted as he played in his imagination the scene where Sumire's head was in the cockroach's body, screaming to be spared while he sprayed it with a cockroach killer.

Klauss grinned like a psycho at the thought. Mischa and Leroy are nervously looking at Mort. Lyric, on the other hand, was waiting for what Narco would do as he looked back and forth between Mort and Narco. He elbowed Narco but was stopped when a deadly look of the Puppeteer's men around locked on them.

Everyone is alert and cautious, watching each other's moves and exchanging hostile stares. Waiting for what allies and enemies will do next.

Vladimir, standing with arms crossed on his chest, eyes brightened with greed and excitement. He couldn't wait to get Mort's unnamed weapon on him. He was restless and didn't even sit down. He stayed standing in front of Mort who was writing the thing he wants. He could no longer wait to have it on his hands. The formula that will make him wealthy.

Vladimir wondered why Mort didn't use this or revealed it to the Underground, but whatever Mort's reason was, he didn't care. Vladimir thinks that maybe that weapon is made just for him. In his perspective, this weapon was made and meant to be used by him and use it according to the purpose of this deadly weapon. He can sell the weapon while also using it on his men to make them his loyal dogs. A perfect human weapon who would never dare defy his order.

Vladimir imagined the possible thing that would happen in the future made his heart flutter with joy. He was celebrating his success deep inside. And his greed is now consuming him.

When Mort stopped writing, he looked up at Vladimir unexpectedly straight in the eye. It was dark, steady, and deadly. Vladimir was taken aback by Mort's dangerous gaze at him that almost made him fall to his knees and quickly backed away from him.

In a blink of an eye, Vladimir felt Death was marking him as the next poor unfortunate soul to collect and destined to be swat. It was a gaze combined with the cool detachment in Mort's eyes that sealed his fate. A bead of sweat formed on his forehead and fear flashed before his eyes.

Vladimir quickly regain his composure and stood properly. He arrogantly turned to Mort and avoided having eye contact as much as he could. He wasn't even killed yet but by those green orbs, Vladimir could see his reflection as a cold corpse drowned in the deep abyss.

'He is not a Mafia King for nothing.' Vladimir gulped hard in his mind. He immediately took the paper from his hand which Mort immediately let go of. When Vladimir started reading what is written on it, he didn't understand anything. Those words were new and unfamiliar to him.

'Is he serious? What the fuck are these?' Vladimir audibly cusses inside his mind. It was the first time he encountered those words. He knows those enlisted were names of chemicals, especially since he has a laboratory run by the best chemists in the country.

"Did you really list everything in here?" Vladimir asked as he looked at the paper. He didn't dare throw a single glance at him as he couldn't meet Mort's gaze.

The hunk didn't say a word. Vladimir, who was waiting for Mort's answer, was running out of patience. Due to excessive irritation, he took the only remaining unnamed weapon in his attache case and thrust it into Mort's arm. Vladimir grinned from ear to ear.

"I don't mind wasting that one last syringe. I already got this." Vladimir said with a victorious smile while waving the paper with the formula written on it.

Mort's expression remains unchanged even after the syringe is stuck in his arm. The injected part was bleeding as it was not properly thrust by the syringe needle. It was stuck on his arm, empty.

"I'll give you 10 minutes to answer my questions," Vladimir added, grinning widely. He sat next to Narco with a satisfying feeling but terrified at the same time.

Narco stood up which stunned Vladimir. Both hands thrust into his pocket, the young man was about to take a step forward when Vladimir spoke.

"Where do you think you're going?" Vladimir curiously asked but wanted to retract his question when Narco turned to him with a dark expression written all over his face.

"I'll just get the syringe." Narco smiled as he pointed to the syringe in Mort's arm.

"But why would you do that?" Vladimir asked again. Straight-faced, Narco tilted his head to the side with his forehead slightly furrowed.

"And why wouldn't I?" Narco asked back in a serious tone which made Vladimir gulp hard. It doesn't look like he's going to win this conversation.

"Do whatever you want." Vladimir just give up and agreed to him. Narco quickly approached Mort and took the syringe.

"You are so dead later." Cold, Mort said in a threatening tone which makes Narco nervous. He knows he will lose his freedom after this mission. Inside his mind, Narco is already calculating how many months and years he is grounded. And Klauss might guard him 24/7.

"For a kid, you dare to play this adult game. I fucking know it. From now on, I'll be the one to take you to school and pick you up. There are only two places you can go, home and school. Mark my word, brat." Mort added with a darkened face that everyone around could hear him. The hunk doesn't care if Vladimir heard them loud and clear.

Vladimir grinned. He wouldn't let any one of them leave the place alive when he confirmed all the chemicals were true and listed everything he needed on paper to make a desirable weapon that would make him rich. Klauss on his place flash a smirk.

"I'll volunteer to be this brat's babysitter at school." Klauss seconded, which made Narco's face twitch. His lips thrust out to show his annoyance.

'These twisted old men, they are treating me like a fucking kid. I fucking hate them.' said Narco in his mind, pouting as he returned to Vladimir's side waiting for 10 minutes for the unnamed weapon to take effect now running in Mort's veins. Vladimir couldn't wait to ask more questions of him.

"I'll volunteer too. I don't want to starve to death again after this." Laurel groans in her place, hands uncontrollably shaking with hunger and anger. She wanted to lash out all her madness but she is afraid for Sumire's safety who is living in the foreign country alone. Laurel had no choice but to wait for the right opportunity to release the beast inside her.

'I am not telling them.' Lips now pursed into a thin line, Narco said in his mind, referring to Sumire. He will not say that Vladimir is incapable of hurting Sumire.

"Me too." Said Mischa who eyed Narco arrogantly and raised an eyebrow like the spoiled brat that she is.

Anger boiled inside of him like a blazing flame rose on Vladimir's chest and balled his fingers into a fist. He can't believe that they are making him look like a fool right now even though he has a big advantage in the situation they are in.

'What makes them act like that?' Vladimir asked irritatedly in his mind. Leroy was about to speak when he preceded him.

"It is time." Vladimir smiled as he pulled the high-end chair closer and seat in front of Mort.

"Did you write down the formula for the unnamed weapon I gave you 10 minutes ago?" Vladimir asked as his eyes narrowed and slightly leaned.

"Yes." Head held up high, Mort brusquely replied, cold and unbothered at all. A smirk formed on Vladimir's lips.

"Is this really the true formula? Nothing more, nothing less?" Vladimir asked assuredly, repeating his question made Mort's brows knit into a frown slightly. He looked at Vladimir like the dumbest person who ever lived.

"Yes," Mort replied nonchalantly. Vladimir seated back properly and sighed heavily. He was thinking about asking more. He wanted to make the most of the time by asking Mort while the hunk was still breathing before he decided to end his life.

A minute later and deafening silence flooded the whole place. Everyone was waiting for Vladimir's next questions. Narco's eyes narrowed as he looked at Klauss. The secretary looks very convinced that Mort had given the formula.

"You're not lying, right? Are you telling the truth?" Vladimir asked again.

"Yes," Mort said blankly. Vladimir quickly took a picture of the paper and sent the photo to his Master.

"Did you send that to your puppeteer?" Narco shifted his gaze and asked Vladimir who was smirking.

"Yes, what about it?" Vladimir on a challenging tone and Narco grinned at his answer.

'You are dead, fool.' Narco said at the back of his mind with shining golden eyes and a wide grin.

"Dude, for real?" Narco asked. Vladimir broke into a sweat and his heart pounded on his chest, threatening to burst from his ribcage when Mort suddenly coughed, getting his attention.

"Thank you." Slowly, Vladimir turned to him, froze when Mort thanked him. He looked at him, Mort's facial expression was still unchanged. Vladimir looked back and forth between Mort and Narco which made him very nervous.

"What do you mean?" Vladimir asked. Puzzled is written all over his face.

"Do you really think I will give the formula entirely to you?" Mort asked in a monotonous tone making Vladimir's eyes grew widen.

"But you didn't explode when I confirmed to you what was written here. It means you're not lying." Vladimir seemed unsure of his response. Narco burst into chuckles as he covered his face with his right hand. It's like he's the one who's felt ashamed of Vladimir.

"How naive." Narco laughed heartily as Vladimir looked at him, eyes questioning and full of confusion.

"Did you really think I would just make a deadly poison without making its antidotes and vaccines too?" Mort asked emotionlessly. Vladimir was left dumbfounded. His brain tried to process what he just heard.

"Y-you lied." Stammered, Vladimir said.

"Definitely." Mort uninterestingly replied.

"You still dare to lie even though Sumire's life is at stake? Isn't she important-" Vladimir didn't finish what he had to say when, in a blink of an eye, Mort was in front of him, and with one hand, he grab Vladimir by the neck lifting him into the air.

Vladimir felt the edge of Death's scythe pointed sharply at his neck and ready to cut off his head. Vladimir's men were about to attack when Laurel stand up and effortlessly grabbed one of the men's faces, so as the Butler. They had no choice but to step back and retreat. Vladimir motioned them not to create unnecessary movements that could cost his life.

Lyric quickly freed Klauss, Leroy, and Mischa from the chains that hold them on their hands and feet.

"I-if..y-you.. kill me-" Mort tightened his grip on Vladimir's neck as his legs and hands trembled. He tried to free himself but Mort blocked his airways with his tight grip. Vladimir's skin began to pale as a ghost and his eyes slowly turning into white.

"Are you sure you won't ask him about the Puppeteer?" Narco asked while taking Vladimir's phone. He heaves a deep sigh when he saw all the applications on his phone were gone. There was no network anymore and it turned off automatically.

"It's useless too!" Narco exclaimed as was about to throw the phone when Mort spoke, keeping his dark gaze on Vladimir's eyes slowly turned to dull.

"Don't. Make it useful while you're grounded. Laurel, you can do whatever you want right now." Mort said, cracking Vladimir's neck making him die on the spot on his hand. With his one last breath, life escapes from his lips.

Laurel started to go on a rampage, ruthlessly crashing the enemies' faces with her bare hands. So did Klauss fight them by using heavy chains. The loud sound of gunshots, clashing of blades, snapping someone's neck, breaking their bones, and grunts echoed throughout the night. The Butler helps Mischa and Leroy who are now smacking Lyric on the head in annoyance.

While everyone was busy fighting, Narco tried to run away but before he could get out, Mort grabbed him by his clothes and handed him Vladimir's decapitated head. Its eyes are still dilated.

"Bring the cake to dinner at home. Don't be late." Mort coldly commanded. Narco quickly accepted Vladimir's head which would be their cake at dinner later.

Mort strode out of the place and Narco had no choice but to obey him. So did Mischa and the family's Butler. Laurel, Klauss, Lyric, and Leroy are left eliminating the remaining of Vladimir's men in the MDA tower.

While the brutal killings happened at the MDA tower, a gorgeous gray-eyed man with his shoulder-length dark hair tied in a messy bun wearing a fitted black long sleeve hugging his well-defined muscle. Leaned against his swivel chair, legs crossed beneath the table.

40 years old. Dreygur Davenford. Lives in the same country where Sumire was currently staying, was looking at the monitor in his darkened room connected to the CCTV cameras at the tower.

A smile curved on his lips.

"Interesting."