Nathaniel moved through the underground corridors of the lab with the silent grace of a man who had spent a lifetime navigating shadows. The scent of antiseptic and arcane chemicals clung to the air, a sterile, clinical stench that had long since stopped bothering him. His mind was elsewhere, already calculating the steps ahead, not even the screams of that victim Eryx had strapped to that table could break his focus.

The Insignia girl had seen the shipment. That complicated things. He thought.

Mordecai had been predictably furious, his temper flaring the moment Nathaniel relayed the information. But for all his intelligence, the scientist lacked seeing the brighter side. He panicked too easily when an obstacle struck. Nathaniel, on the other hand, knew better. Problems weren't roadblocks—they were merely pieces on the board, waiting to be repositioned. To be used.

Killing her outright would be clean, efficient. But it would also be reckless. The Insignia family had power, connections, and despite their facade of civility, they were just as ruthless as the Mochizukis. A dead daughter meant war. A missing daughter, however? That was something to work with.

Still, the decision wasn't his to make alone.

Nathaniel pulled out his phone, dialing a secure line. The call connected instantly.

"Speak," a deep, authoritative voice commanded.

"One of the Insignia kids saw the shipment to the senator." He started. "The girl."

Silence. Then the faintest exhale. "How certain are you?"

"Certain enough that we need to act." Nathaniel said realizing he should've had this meeting done in person.

A faint shuffle of movement, and then another voice, smoother, sharper—the consigliere. "That is... inconvenient."

Inconvenient. Nathaniel rolled his eyes.

"Agreed," Nathaniel said.

The consigliere hummed in thought. "Killing her is out of the question. We do not need that kind of heat. Does she know what she saw?"

"Unclear. She saw enough to be a problem, but I doubt she understands the full picture."

"Then she will understand nothing at all." This time, the voice belonged to the underboss, the boss's son. Arrogant, impatient.

"You want her gone?" Nathaniel asked.

"Not gone," the consigliere corrected. "Contained."

A slow smile pulled at Nathaniel's lips, a pretty girl like her contained under his watch. "Understood, bosses."

The boss finally spoke again. "Take her. Make sure she won't be found. If she becomes useful, we will decide her fate then."

The line cut off.

Nathaniel tucked his phone away, already shifting gears. The order was given. Now all that was left was execution.

The night air was thick with the pulse of the city.

Nathaniel stood on the rooftop of a neighboring building, watching the girl through the shifting glow of neon signs. She was alone—arrogant, careless. The Insignia family had power, but power made people feel untouchable. She had walked into the city's underbelly without an escort, without even a glance over her shoulder.

He had seen people like her before. Born into influence, unaware of what lurked beneath the surface of the world they thought they controlled. She had no idea that, from the moment she had laid eyes on that shipment, her fate had been sealed.

He adjusted the gloves on his hands, the enchanted fabric thrumming faintly with stored magic. He designed these himself, the fabric embedded with magic that erases his finger prints and replaces it with someone else's.

It would be easy.

She turned down a quieter street, the hum of the main roads fading behind her. Perfect. The city had its blind spots, places where people disappeared without a trace. He stepped off the rooftop, his magic catching him in a whisper of air, guiding his descent like a silent specter.

He landed soundlessly in the alley ahead of her, concealed in the deep shadows.

She walked closer, unaware. God why is this so easy?

Nathaniel flexed his fingers, magic coiling beneath his skin like a waiting serpent.

And then, as she passed, he struck.

He wrapped his arms around quickly. His hand covering her mouth muffling any scream that would rip from her lungs. His back hit the wall as she struggled against him but either she wasn't fighting at full strength or she was just really-

"Pathetic." Nathaniel chuckled in her ear, his lips ghosting over it. "I'm sorry, Angel, but you've seen too much"

He spun, shoving her against the wall, his knuckles brushing against the brick instead of her face. "See, I didn't let your pretty face get scratched up." He pinned her to it with his body while his hand produced a small, blue, star shaped pill. He forced her lips open and stuck two knuckles between her teeth and pried them open. Keeping her jaw apart while he shoved the pill in her mouth making sure it was close to the back of her throat.

"Swallow it or I force it down your throat with my cock." Nathaniel's hand clamped over her mouth again, using his magic to fill it with water, forcing her to swallow or drown.

"Good girl.." He murmured in her ear once she swallowed it. He felt her start to sway, the spirit dust effects taking effect immediately. He gave her a high dose, one meant to subdue people but also give a great high.

He picked her up and cradled her to his chest as if she weighed nothing. He had a plan, kind of. He was going to take her home to his apartment at the midnight lotus figure it out from there.

Some fucking plan. He berated himself as he began to walk home.

The walk to the hotel was fast since he took the back roads and the gorgeous woman in his arms was passed out and no longer squirming. So was moving through the lobby. No one bat an eye at him, to guests, he looked like a loving boyfriend taking his sleeping girlfriend back to their room. But to some of the staff they knew and that made him smile.

His smile lasted as he stepped into the elevator and seeing their reflection on the mirrored walls. It stayed until he kicked the door to his minimalistic apartment shut and locked behind him.

"Welcome home, Angel." He murmured in her ear and laid her in his bed. He lifted her hands up and used his enchanted rope to tie her to the headboard. They were soft and wouldn't cut into her skin if she tried to struggle out of them.

Once he was happy with knots and knew she wouldn't escape he grabbed a pair of sweatpants and went to the bathroom to shower. But not before double checking that the front and bedroom door was locked leaving the bathroom one open.