Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Captured again.
3 Hours Earlier.
Adrian walked into the headquarters with a gun in his hand, his face deadly serious, no trace of a smile. Jake, his second-in-command, followed closely behind.
The moment he reached the room where all the members had gathered, Adrian let out a chilling smile.
"I just got a call from Isabella. She said Daniel ran off from this camp. She was following him when someone took him away, and now he’s nowhere to be found." Adrian spelled out each word in a slow, deadly manner.
The crew, all standing with their favorite weapons, could only grunt. Suspicion rippled through them. Gregor and Greta exchanged mocking looks—oh, Daniel was as good as dead.
One thing their boss never tolerated was a prisoner attempting escape. Those caught were either skinned alive publicly, bathed in acid, or raped to death—depending on what Adrian deemed fitting. Their organization was merciless, and Daniel had just awakened a sleeping tiger.
"Something’s fishy here," Adrian growled. "What I don’t understand is how Daniel, of all people—a newcomer—could pass through my security. That’s not possible in Raven Lair."
And he was right.
Titania understood immediately. She wasn’t stupid. If Daniel hadn’t escaped on his own, then it was Isabella’s doing. She had always known Isabella was foolish, but she had underestimated just how foolish. Fine. At least people were about to get eliminated.
Others seemed to share her thoughts—the same chilling expressions spread across half the crew’s faces.
Then Adrian continued, his tone sharp as a blade:
"Some of you will follow me as we tear down the house Daniel ran off to."
Cassian, ever the reasonable one, immediately voiced concern.
"How are we going to do that, boss? It’s been hours already. He must have gone far."
At once Adrian’s eyes turned ice cold, darkening with a chill that made the weak cower and even the brave flinch. Everyone knew that look. It wasn’t good.
The last person who provoked him with that gaze had been a new recruit, a spy who tried to poison him. That spy ended up butchered and eaten by the cannibals chained deep within the headquarters’ cells. How Adrian had obtained those cannibals was still a mystery to this day—and no one dared cross him. That was why they called him Night Poison. His kill count was insane, and he remained a formidable force in the Mafia world. A terrible force no one wanted to challenge.
"Oh, we’ve got a camera trailing him. And we’re going on a hunt—a human hunt," Adrian declared. Then, like choosing weapons, he named his companions.
"Cassian, Greta, Jake—let’s go. The rest of you, the organization is in your hands. See you in a few hours."
This made Gregor furious. Why was he ignored? He was a top-ranking member, yet his sister was chosen over him. And being instructed to babysit the organization? A deep insult. Still, he could only nod respectfully. Treason and rebellion were the gravest crimes in the organization, punished by death.
Adrian tucked his guns into his pocket and strode out, his black outfit—jacket, tight joggers, and boots—screaming assassin. He only wore this look on special missions. Sometimes he wore suits, but this time he had his reasons. And Daniel? Oh, that fool was going to suffer like never before.
That tiger pit was just the tip of the iceberg. Didn’t Daniel understand what a sex slave was? That was what Adrian bought him for. He should have realized it by now. Did he really need to explain it? What a dense little bastard. And this time, Adrian wasn’t going to take it lightly.
At the roadside store, they spotted Isabella’s abandoned car. She sat inside, untied somehow, waiting. How she had freed herself, no one knew. When Adrian approached, she bowed, but he hissed in disgust and left her there.
That sign was enough. She already knew she was cooked—cooked so badly her body might be used for supper. But she thought she still had a chance. After all, she was one of the organization’s top assassins. Surely, they couldn’t just dump her.
Only, she was dead wrong.
As the vehicle rolled forward, a gunshot cracked through the air. Her head exploded in pieces.
Before everyone’s stunned eyes, Isabella’s skull smashed on the floor, her eyeballs rolling free one by one. Blood pooled in a grotesque mess, the stench unbearable.
Adrian tucked his gun back into place.
"You don’t deceive me and think you can play me on top again. I’m not stupid. Who do you think I am—a five-year-old?" Adrian giggled hysterically, his laughter turning into something evil.
Jake didn’t dare react. No one did. Better silence than ending up with a shattered skull.
Finally, they arrived at a sprawling settlement, massive vegetation stretching far, leading to a huge gate. Beyond it stood a magnificent villa.
"Hmm. A rich household," Adrian thought, already planning Daniel’s punishment.
When the car stopped at the gate, Jake stepped out and rang the bell. The gateman, unsuspecting, opened without hesitation.
Satisfied with the man’s response, Jake slipped back into the car and drove inside, parking at a corner. By then, Greta and Cassian had vanished into the shadows. Adrian didn’t comment. He hadn’t trained them for nothing—this was their job.
Only Jake and Adrian approached the head staff, who had been called since Butler Fin was out.
"I came to find a young blond man named Daniel Morreti," Jake asked.
But the female staff’s attention was locked on Adrian. His aura was so deathly it made her skin prickle with goosebumps.
"Did you perhaps leave your brain somewhere? They’re talking to you." Adrian snapped at her, his patience thinning. He was losing his cool, and when that happened, murder was inevitable. He tried to hold back—violence here could draw too much attention. And though he wasn’t afraid, carelessness wasn’t an option. Too many people wanted his demise, and he wouldn’t give them the satisfaction.
Back at the Villa.
Draven’s attention was caught by the head chef. Curious about who had asked for Daniel, he moved to the window.
Through the glass, he saw two figures in black, their expressions cold. That wasn’t too surprising—until he noticed the hidden guns. His sharp eyes caught what they thought was concealed.
"Oh shit. Shit. Shit. Daniel!"
He rushed upstairs to where he had left Daniel, but the room was empty. The window curtains flapped in the breeze. Daniel was gone.
Meanwhile, Daniel was already running, his pace frantic as he fled toward the gate. Suddenly, a heavy wooden plank smashed against his head. He stumbled, turning to see Cassian and Greta—two prominent Raven members.
Greta, the one who had struck him, let out a crooked smile.
"Caught in the act. Did you really think you could escape, useless fool?"
They dragged Daniel, his body tumbling over tree trunks and stones. His forehead cracked and bled, but they couldn’t care less. With a tight rope, they bound him viciously and bundled him into the trunk of the car.