The villa was unusually quiet. The sun filtered through the curtains, casting golden lines across the floor as everyone sat.
Mara and Lina sat close, both still new to the weight of it all. Lina’s eyes flicked around the room, wary. Mara… watched Kai. Carefully.
Darren and Marcus sat straighter, knowing this wasn’t just another meeting.
Kai stood, hands resting calmly on the table’s edge. His voice was steady, almost ceremonial.
Kai:
“Today marks the beginning of something new… for all of us.”
He looked at Mara and Lina.
“Mara, Lina — officially… welcome.. You’re part of us now.”
Mara swallowed hard but nodded, while Lina barely managed a quiet “thank you.”
Kai turned his eyes to Darren and Marcus.
“And you two… you proved yourselves.”
Jonah stood up, handing Kai two sleek black cards.
Kai took them, then walked over — handing one card to Darren, the other to Marcus.
“From today, you’re officially part of this organization. These cards… grant you access to the organization’s funds — for missions, but also for yourselves.”
His gaze sharpened.
“Use them wisely. Earn your place.”
Darren and Marcus exchanged a look — both gripping their cards tight.
Kai let the silence settle… then continued.
“You’ve all heard the stories — the Watchers. They chose each one of you.”
His voice lowered.
“We’re here to help those no one else will. And to do that… we grow.”
He straightened, his tone shifting — more serious.
“We’ve gained new members, but with that comes a problem — space. Resources. Reach.”
Kai looked around the room, locking eyes with each of them.
“If we stay small… we fail. So starting today, we expand. But the right way — quietly, carefully.”
He gave them a moment to process… then gestured for their input.
“Ideas. I want them all — how do we grow, how do we move without being seen?”
Darren (blurting):
“We could… get a warehouse. Somewhere bigger to operate from. Set up cameras, monitors — full surveillance. Like a base.”
Marcus:
“Yeah, maybe even stash some weapons or gear. You know… in case things go bad.”
Felix smirked:
“Great, and how do we explain that if someone stumbles in? ‘Oh hey, just your friendly neighborhood cult in a warehouse.’
Jonah chuckled but added thoughtfully:
“What if we try going legit? A business front. Something clean — a café, or even a gym. Places people talk, where we hear things.”
Evan:
“That’s risky too. People ask questions when a bunch of randoms start owning things.”
The room went quiet. Kai watched, letting them think — until Iris finally spoke, her voice calm but precise.
Iris:
“You’re all thinking… places, not purpose.”
She looked up, meeting Kai’s gaze.
“What if… instead of a front… we own something that naturally gathers information? Like a private investigation agency.”
The room blinked.
Marcus:
“What — like, become detectives or something?”
Jonah:
“You know you need papers for that, right? Permits, licenses… legal stuff.”
Kai (nodding slowly):
“And I’m not risking our faces, or our names, on official records. Too dangerous.”
Iris (leaning in, voice sharper now):
“We don’t start one.”
She let it hang.
“We find one… already dying. A desperate agency, barely holding on. We buy it. Keep the name. Their licenses. Their access.”
Felix’s eyes lit up:
“That… actually works. If they’re close to going under, they won’t ask questions. We control the inside, use their network — clients, city connections — without being visible.”
Kai’s smile was thin, sharp:
“And no one suspects a dying agency. They’re invisible. The perfect cover.”
Jonah grinned, half-joking:
“We might even make money from it too.”
Kai’s voice cut through — calm, but firm:
“No… we don’t need the money, Jonah.”
He leaned forward, his eyes sharp, voice steady.
“The Watchers didn’t put us here to chase profits. We’re here to help the ones no one else would.”
The room fell silent — the weight of his words sinking in.
Kai continued:
“Remember — the people who truly need us… can’t afford to hire anyone. That’s why the system fails them.”
He glanced at each of them. “So if this works, we take every case — money or not. We decide who gets help. Not a price tag.”
Jonah swallowed hard and nodded. “Right… you’re right.”
Kai leaned back, his gaze fixed on Felix.
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Kai:
“Felix… start digging. See if there’s any private investigation agency out there that fits what we’re looking for — small, struggling… but still holding on.”
Felix nodded, already spinning toward his setup. Fingers danced over the keyboard, screens flashing one after another. The villa fell into a tense silence — only the soft clicking of keys filling the air.
Minutes ticked by.
Finally, Felix leaned back with a small grin, grabbing the printer’s warm sheets.
Felix:
“Took a bit… but I’ve got three that look interesting.”
He laid the files on the table — crisp profiles printed out, paper edges still warm.
“All three are barely keeping the lights on… but none of them are dead yet.”
Felix started:
“First one — Graystone Investigations. Owner’s a former cop. Ran it for twelve years, but the last three years ? A disaster. Lost most of his clients, had a suspension record in the force — excess violence charges.”
Jonah scoffed, flipping the file lazily.
“A violent ex-cop. That’s not what we need.”
Evan smirked, eyes scanning the report.
“Yeah… but look here — Internal Affairs cleared him. Lack of evidence. Could be he just took the fall for someone.”
Iris shook her head, unimpressed.
“Or… maybe he was violent, and they covered it up. Cops protect their own — always have.”
Felix moved to the second file.
“Next… Whitehall & Sons. Old family-run agency. Solid reputation back in the day — until the owner died. His son took over… but the guy’s a mess. Lost half the staff, clients jumped ship. Barely afloat.”
Marcus snorted.
“Sounds like a sinking ship.”
Felix finally tapped the third file.
“Last one — Cross & Locke Investigations. Smallest of the three. Run by a guy named Leonard Cross. Ex-military background. Clean record. Good work history… but.”
Kai’s eyes narrowed.
“But?”
Felix sighed.
“Divorced six years ago. Everything went downhill after that. Gambling, drinking… debts stacking up. Business barely surviving. Takes mostly low-level cases now — background checks, cheating spouses.”
Iris leaned forward, eyes sharp as she scanned the report.
Then she paused — a faint smile creeping in.
“Wait… look at the timeline. The debts, the gambling — it all started right after the divorce.”
The room went silent.
Iris added, voice soft but steady:
“That’s not a bad man. That’s a man who lost everything. He wasn’t always like this.”
Evan shrugged.
“Still risky… what if he’s too far gone?”
Kai stayed quiet, processing — then finally spoke, voice calm and thoughtful:
“Maybe. But out of the three… he’s the cleanest. No history of violence. No family legacy dragging him down. Just… broken.”
He leaned back, steepling his fingers.
“Broken men rebuild easier than corrupted ones.”
Iris smirked.
“And if we give him a reason… maybe he drinks less.”
Kai’s lips curled faintly.
“Or we buy him out completely… keep him if he’s useful, replace him if he’s not.”
The group chuckled — tension easing as the decision took shape.
Finally, Kai tapped Leonard Cross’s file.
“Alright. This is the one. Set up the meeting, Felix.”
Felix nodded.
“On it.”
Kai’s voice dropped, sharp and final:
“Remember… this isn’t just business. It’s our cover. Our eyes. If it works… this is the first step toward something bigger.”
Silence settled — heavy but full of meaning.
The group exchanged glances — the weight of what they were building finally sinking in.
The group was still gathered around after finalizing their decision. The files lay open on the table, but Kai’s attention shifted.
He turned his sharp gaze toward Iris.
Kai:
“You’ll be in charge of the negotiations.”
Iris blinked, straightening up.
“Me?”
Kai nodded slowly, his voice calm but firm.
“Yeah. You’re the right person— for this. I want you to go with Evan.”
Iris smirked lightly, the corner of her lips curling up.
“Of course, boss. Don’t worry… I’ll make sure the deal happens.”
Kai’s eyes softened for a brief second, then the usual cold edge returned.
“I’m not expecting anything less from you.”
Iris gave a small nod, her confidence steady.
The Next Day — Early Morning at the Villa
Iris and Evan went over the final details of the meeting with Kai one last time. Floor plan, backup plans, how to handle if Leonard Cross refused — everything.
Once satisfied, Kai waved them off.
“Go. I’ll be watching.”
Evan gave a nod, Iris flashed a grin, and the two left the villa.
Kai exhaled deeply, settling into his chair beside Felix.
“Let’s keep eyes on them.”
Felix nodded, already pulling up the live feeds — the tiny cameras Evan had wired up earlier showed every angle.
Jonah, Marcus, and Mara sat around the coffee table in the back, lazily playing cards. Mara’s sister — Lina — quietly took a seat next to Kai, her eyes flicking toward the monitors.
For a while, no one spoke — only the low chatter of the card game and the hum of the monitors filled the room.
The silence broke when Lina leaned forward, pointing at one of the live feeds.
A soft frown tugged at Lina’s face.
“Your third feed’s off… sound’s lagging,” she noted, almost casually.
Felix glanced over, surprised.
“You sure?”
Lina leaned forward, pointing.
“Yeah — it’s off by about a second. Could be the stream buffer or your encoding priorities. If you tweak it…” she tapped the screen, ”…you’ll clean up the delay.”
Felix blinked, quickly typing — his eyes darting between code and the stream. A second later, the audio synced perfectly.
“Damn,” Felix muttered, impressed. “You’ve got an eye for this.”
Lina gave a small shrug, keeping her gaze on the screens.
“Spent enough time messing with audio and video rigs. It sticks after a while.”
Jonah raised a brow from the couch, grinning.
“What are you a streamer or something?”
Lina smirked. “Something like that. Learned it on my own — figured out how to balance audio, clean up video feeds while streaming.”
Felix grinned. “We could use that. Running these live feeds clean is harder than it looks — surveillance isn’t just about what you see… it’s how it sounds, too.”
Kai, silent until now, nodded once — his voice calm.
“Good. From now on, you sit next to Felix. Anything he pulls up — you make sure it’s clean. I don’t want any loose threads.”
Lina blinked — surprised but… pleased.
“Yeah. Alright. I can do that.”
Felix gave her a nod of approval.
“Welcome to the mess, then.”
Jonah smirked, leaning back.
“Look at that — our little team’s getting all fancy now.”
On the other side, Iris and Evan arrived at the location. The small building sat tucked between a pawn shop and a laundromat — its faded sign barely readable, paint peeling off the walls. Iris stepped out of the car first, smoothing her clothes. Evan followed, glancing up at the crumbling facade.
“Classy place,” Evan muttered under his breath.
Iris shot him a quick glare to stay professional before pushing the door open. A dull bell chimed above them.
Inside, the air smelled faintly of stale coffee and dust. The place looked barely functional — old wooden floors creaking underfoot, filing cabinets stuffed full, papers piled high.
Behind a worn desk sat a woman in her late fifties — hair pulled back tight, glasses hanging from a chain. She glanced up, squinting.
“Can I help you?” Her voice was flat, tired.
Iris smiled politely. “Yes. Iris and Evan. We have a meeting with… Leonard Cross?”
The woman blinked, then checked the old calendar in front of her. “Meeting… right.” She sighed, reaching for the phone. “Hold on.”
Iris and Evan exchanged a glance as the woman dialed, tapping her fingers impatiently.
“Leonard? Yeah, it’s me… your secretary — the one keeping this dump running,” she snapped into the phone. “You remember you had a client today? A meeting? No? Oh — let me guess… you’re at the goddamn bar again?”
There was a muffled response on the other end — not loud enough to catch, but the woman’s face darkened.
“Listen, you piece of shit… we haven’t had a paying client in weeks. WEEKS, Leonard. If you blow this, I swear to God I’m done. I’ll quit, I’ll walk out, and you can drink yourself into a coma for all I care.”
Another pause.
“Ten minutes. That’s all you get.” She hung up hard, muttering under her breath.
Forcing a tight smile, the woman looked up. “He’s… on his way. Please, follow me.”
She led Iris and Evan down a narrow hallway that smelled of mildew. At the end was a small, cluttered room — a few chairs, a dusty table, and yellowed blinds that barely let in any light.
“Wait here,” the secretary sighed. “I’ll let him stumble in when he shows.”
Iris nodded politely. “Thank you.”
Evan flopped into a chair. “Professional, huh?”
They waited — long enough for Evan to grow restless, bouncing his leg. Finally, footsteps echoed from the hall.
Leonard Cross appeared — late, unshaven, and slightly hunched. His shirt was wrinkled, tie loose, eyes bloodshot. The faint scent of whiskey followed him like a shadow.
“Sorry… rough morning,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. “You’re the… clients?”
Iris stood, her face calm, unreadable. “We are. And you… must be Leonard Cross.”
He winced. “Yeah. That’s me.”
He glanced toward the hallway — where the secretary was watching — and grumbled, “Let’s… get this over with.”
Iris smiled faintly — polite, controlled.
“Let’s.”
Leonard Cross slumped into the chair across from Iris and Evan, his eyes bloodshot, the faint smell of whiskey lingering like a second skin. He gave a half-hearted glance at them before mumbling, “So… what can I do for you folks?”
Evan leaned back, unimpressed, but Iris leaned forward — elbows resting lightly on the table — her eyes studying Leonard like a predator gauging prey.
She took in everything: the scuffed wedding band still on his finger, the faded photo of a young girl tucked halfway into his worn wallet peeking from his jacket pocket, the tremble in his fingers. Divorce… child… guilt.
“Mr. Cross,” Iris began, voice smooth, “I know what this looks like — some rich clients walking in with a job you probably don’t care about.” She paused, giving him a knowing smile. “But that’s not why we’re here.”
Leonard snorted. “No? What then?”
Iris leaned closer, dropping her voice. “We’re here because we’ve done our homework. Graystone? Too violent. Whitehall? Legacy mess. But you… You’ve seen the worst of it — war, divorce, rock bottom. You’re not a bad man… just lost.”
Leonard blinked — the first real reaction. “That supposed to make me feel better?”
Iris smiled gently. “No. But it means you’re exactly what we’re looking for. Someone who’s been burned enough to stop caring about it — but not enough to forget what right looks like.”
Evan watched, eyebrow raised. Damn, she’s good…
Leonard shifted, uncomfortable. “You think you can read me, huh? What is this, some kind of mind game?”
Iris’s eyes flicked to the picture sticking out of his jacket. “You’ve got a daughter, don’t you?” she said softly. “Haven’t seen her in a while. Not the way you drink. Probably not by choice.”
Leonard froze — anger flashed, but only for a second before fading into something far worse — shame.
“Don’t mention my daughter.”
“I’m not here to hurt you, Leonard,” Iris continued, voice almost a whisper. “I’m here to offer you a way back. A chance to matter again.”
Leonard scoffed, leaning back. “Doing what? You two don’t need a washed-up PI.”
Iris smiled wider now — the hook set. “No… we need someone who knows how ugly the world can get. Someone who’s desperate enough to keep secrets… but smart enough to know which ones matter.”
Leonard stared at her — hands twitching.
“We buy the agency. Clean slate,” Iris said smoothly. “You stay on — if you want. Or… walk away, with enough to drown in whiskey or go find your daughter. Your call.”
Leonard’s throat bobbed as he swallowed. “And if I stay?”
“Then you get to work for someone really powerful, bigger than you can imagine. You’ll be helping people — really helping. Doing the job you signed up for.”
The silence stretched.
Finally, Leonard let out a dry laugh. “You’re good… You really are.” He rubbed his face. “And if I say no?”
Iris’s smile didn’t falter. “You won’t.”
Leonard’s lips twitched — a ghost of a grin. “You sure about that, sweetheart?”
Iris leaned back, eyes sharp. “Dead sure. Because I know men like you, Leonard. You don’t want to rot in this place. You just need someone to remind you there’s still a way out and trust me, my boss will make sure you’re taking care of.”
Iris didn’t smile — not yet. She just watched Leonard — the broken man making the deal of his life.
The air in the villa was heavy, tense — every eye locked on the monitor as Iris worked her magic. Even the soft shuffle of cards from earlier had stopped. Jonah, Darren, Marcus, even Mara — frozen, leaning in.
Felix’s hands hovered above the keyboard, but he didn’t type. Not a single click.
Lina, standing beside him, barely breathed. And then — almost like she didn’t realize the words left her lips — she whispered:
“She’s good…”
The sound was barely audible, but it carried — everyone heard it.
Kai, sitting still with his chin resting on his steepled fingers, allowed the faintest smile to tug at the corner of his lips.
Kai murmured, eyes never leaving the screen. “She’s exactly what we needed.”
Lina, cheeks flushed from speaking out, glanced at Kai. “I… didn’t know she had it in her.”
Kai didn’t look away from the screen. “That’s why I sent her.”
On the monitor, Leonard Cross was breaking — leaning forward, the wall he’d built for years crumbling under Iris’s calm, precise words.
The room stayed silent — captivated — watching the moment a man’s life was rewritten… and knowing they were witnessing the birth of something far bigger.
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