20. Nineteen

I hung up with Eli and stared down at the black spade playing card, turning it over in my fingers, and gazed up at the imposing skyscraper before me. The glass and steel tower stretched endlessly into the clear blue sky, its mirrored surface reflecting the bustling city below. At the top waited Echelon, Columbus's most exclusive and expensive restaurant.

I'd never been, but knew Echelon's reputation—panoramic views, Michelin-starred cuisine, and a clientele of the city's elite.

The doorman nodded as I approached, his white-gloved hand reaching for the door. “Good afternoon, sir.”

I inclined my head in acknowledgment and stepped through into the opulent lobby. My shoes sank into plush crimson carpeting as I took in the soaring ceilings, glittering chandeliers, walls adorned with original artwork. Fresh flowers perfumed the air, an enormous arrangement of white roses and lilies dominating the center of the space.

A marble staircase led left, but my focus was on the gold-trimmed elevators ahead, where an attendant waited.

The attendant smiled. “Good afternoon, sir. Can I see your membership card?”

I frowned. “I’m afraid I’m not a member, but I do have this.” I carefully extracted the embossed ace of spades card, handing it over.

The attendant glanced at the card, then at me, then back at the card briefly before handing it back. “Right away, sir. If you’ll follow me?”

I stepped into the waiting elevator, the attendant following close behind. The doors slid shut with a muted hiss, encasing us in a gilded box of mirrors and marble. The attendant inserted a small gold key into the panel and pressed the button for the top floor. The elevator began its smooth ascent, the floor numbers flashing by on the digital display above the doors. Classical music played, doing little to ease my tension.

The elevator glided to a stop, and the doors opened with a chime, revealing a small foyer. Unlike the opulence of the lobby below, this space was understated elegance with muted lighting, rich wood paneling, and a single display of white orchids in a sleek glass vase.

The attendant stepped out and gestured for me to follow. “Right this way, sir.”

He led me down a short hallway to a set of double doors. With a practiced flourish, he grasped the brass handles and pushed the doors open, revealing the inner sanctum of Echelon.

The dining room was a study in restrained luxury with crisp white linens, sparkling crystal, and polished silverware. Floor-to-ceiling windows wrapped around the circular space, offering a breathtaking three hundred sixty-degree view of the Columbus skyline. The midday sun streamed in, glinting off the crystal chandeliers that hung from the ceiling.

Quiet conversations hummed beneath the soft strains of a live string quartet tucked discreetly in the corner. The clientele was as polished as the décor, boasting men in bespoke suits and women dripping in diamonds. Power and wealth perfumed the air as thick as the aroma of seared meat and exotic spices.

A tuxedoed ma?tre d' approached. “How may I assist you today?”

I withdrew the card from my suit pocket and presented it again, watching the man's eyes widen fractionally as he took in the embossed spade. “I believe I'm expected.”

“Of course, sir. Right this way.” The ma?tre d' led me through the maze of tables toward the back of the restaurant, where a single table sat apart from the others, positioned in front of a wall of windows overlooking the glittering expanse of the Scioto River.

As we approached the secluded table, I took in the man already seated there, dining alone. He was older than me, but not by much, with dark hair and a strong jaw. Piercing blue eyes gleamed with intelligence.

He wore a pale gray suit impeccably tailored to his fit frame, the fabric so fine it almost shimmered in the sunlight pouring through the windows. A crimson pocket square added a splash of color, matching the cabochon ruby cufflinks glinting at his wrists. A heavy gold Rolex peeked out from under his cuff as he lifted a crystal glass of amber liquid to his lips.

There was an air of casual elegance about him, a confidence and ease that came from being unquestionably at the top of the food chain. This was a man accustomed to power, to getting what he wanted. And right now, his laser focus was trained on me.

The ma?tre d' came to a stop beside the table. “Your guest has arrived, sir.”

The man smiled, setting down his glass. “Ah, Dr. Laskin! Please, have a seat. I’m so glad you could join me today!” He gestured to the empty chair across from him.

I pulled it out and sat. “I was made to understand I didn’t have a choice in the matter.”

“Come now, Doctor. The illusion of choice is the domain of the lower class. Men like us, we do as we must.” He gestured to someone behind me. “Will you take wine with your lunch, Doctor Laskin?”

“I’d rather know who it is I’m having lunch with,” I replied with muted irritation.

The man smiled as the sommelier appeared to fill our glasses. “Ah, yes. Where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Algerone Caisse-Etremont.”

“Should I know that name?” I said, unimpressed.

“I know you,” he said, with no small amount of smugness. “But no. No one knows who I am, and as long as I do my job, it should stay that way. Except, of course, for those who need to know. Normally, I’d conduct business such as this through proxies and messengers, but I felt this warranted a more…personal touch.”

“How do you know about my sister?” I demanded.

Algerone smirked. “In good time, Doctor. We should set the stage first, shouldn’t we? You did, after all, ask who I was.”

I leaned back in my chair, studying Algerone with narrowed eyes. “By all means then, Mr. Caisse-Etremont. Enlighten me.”

He swirled the wine in his glass, the ruby liquid catching the light. “In simplest terms, I am the CEO of a multi-national covert operations firm. We specialize in... delicate matters that require a certain finesse and discretion. Assassinations, high-stakes thefts, rescue missions—the sort of work that governments and corporations need done but cannot do themselves, you understand?”

I fought to keep the revulsion from my face. “You're a mercenary.”

“Please, Doctor. Mercenary is such an ugly word. I prefer to think of myself as a businessman. A facilitator, if you will, in the gray areas where legality blurs.” He sipped his wine, blue eyes shimmering. “The world is not so black and white as people like to believe. Sometimes, bad things must be done for good reasons. That is where we come in.”

“And what does any of this have to do with me?”

Algerone set down his wine glass and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the pristine tablecloth. “It has come to my attention that your sister, Daniella, has become entangled with a certain... organization. A cult, to be precise.”

My teeth ground against each other. “How do you know about that?”

“Information is my trade, Doctor Laskin. There is little that happens in this city that I do not know about, especially when rich and powerful men such as yourself are involved.” He waved a dismissive hand. “But that is beside the point. What matters is that I am uniquely positioned to help you extract your sister from this unfortunate situation.”

I narrowed my eyes, suspicion coiling in my gut. “And why would you do that? What's in it for you?”

Algerone smiled, a dangerous look. “I'm a businessman. I don't offer services for free.”

“Name your price then.” I spoke through gritted teeth, hating the desperation that crept into my voice.

“It's simple. You have something I want, and I have something you need. A trade, of sorts.” He paused, taking a sip of wine before continuing. “Your brother, Xion. He is currently a resident in Twin Valley Behavioral Health’s long-term care unit, yes?”

The breath left my lungs in a rush. I stared at Algerone, my mind spinning. “How do you know about Xion?”

After his psychotic break five years ago, he’d been quietly committed to a state hospital when he was found incompetent for trial. Since he was a minor, that information was buried deep under layers and layers of red tape.

Algerone's smile turned predatory. “I told you. Information is my trade. I know much about the Laskin family.” He leaned back. “Let’s focus on my offer.”

I fought to keep my expression neutral even as my heart raced. “And what, exactly, is this offer of yours?”

“A trade. You help me extract Xion from Twin Valley, and I, in turn, will assist you in liberating sweet Daniella from the clutches of her cult.” Algerone sipped his wine with a smirk, as if he’d already won.

I shook my head. “You expect me to help you kidnap my own brother from a secure psychiatric facility? What could you possibly want with Xion?”

“Now, now, Doctor. Let's not get bogged down with something so insignificant. Not when there are four million better reasons for you to say yes. And if it wasn’t clear, that’s the finder’s fee. Four million dollars could go a long way to setting your sister and her unborn child up in their new life, don’t you think, Doctor?”

I stared at Algerone, struggling to process his outrageous offer. Four million dollars was an obscene amount of money, enough to ensure Daniella and her baby would want for nothing. But the price he was asking...

“You're insane,” I said coldly, even as a small, desperate part of me whispered that it might be worth it to save Daniella. “I won't be party to kidnapping my own brother, no matter how much money you throw around.”

“We both know your ethics are flexible when motivated. How many criminals have you made disappear?” He leaned in. “We're not so different. We do what must be done, though I don't pretend it's noble.”

I clenched my jaw so hard my teeth ached. I wanted to lash out, to wipe that smug look off Algerone's face with my fists. But I couldn't afford to make an enemy of him, not when Daniella's life hung in the balance.

“I’ll find some other way to free her,” I said flatly. “Whatever you’re offering, I’m not interested.”

Algerone's smile only sharpened at my refusal. He tilted his head. “Do you know what fascinates me about you, Doctor Laskin?” he said, voice deceptively soft. “Your arrogance. Your belief that you are somehow above it all, that your ethics and morals make you untouchable. But I wonder... How strong are those convictions, truly? Everyone has a breaking point. A price at which they will sacrifice anything, even their own soul.”

I glared at him, hands clenching into fists beneath the table. “You clearly don't know me very well then. There is nothing you could offer that would make me betray my own brother.”

“Nothing?” He reached into his suit jacket and withdrew a sleek black phone, tapping at the screen. “Perhaps this will help clarify the gravity of your situation.” He turned the phone to face me.

The blood drained from my face as I stared at the image on the screen. It was a photo of Eli, walking down the street, unaware he was being watched. The picture had clearly been taken from a distance, the graininess suggesting it was shot through a telephoto lens.

“It would be a shame if something were to happen to your pretty little pet,” Algerone said casually, as if remarking on the weather. “Elias, isn't it? Such a sweet, trusting boy. It'd be tragic if he got caught in the crossfire of your obstinacy.”

Rage and terror warred within me, turning my blood to ice and fire. Eli was mine . How dare he threaten what belonged to me .

I stared at that grainy photo of Eli, my heart pounding against my ribcage like a caged animal. A red haze of fury clouded the edges of my vision. Keres stirred under the surface of my skin, wanting nothing more than to lunge across the table and wrap my hands around Algerone's throat, to squeeze until his smug face turned purple and the life faded from those cold blue eyes.

“Prove it,” I demanded. “Prove you are who you say you are. How do I know you’re not bluffing?”

Algerone's smile widened at my challenge, a shark scenting blood in the water. He set down his phone and steepled his fingers, fixing me with that piercing blue gaze.

“You require proof of my capabilities? Very well.” He glanced over my shoulder, giving a subtle nod to someone behind me.

A moment later, a man in a dark suit approached our table, leaning down to whisper something in Algerone's ear. Algerone listened intently, his expression never changing, before dismissing the man with a flick of his fingers.

“Your boyfriend had a visitor at the tattoo shop earlier today,” he reported. “An FBI agent. Valentine, I’m told. He seemed quite shaken after. Or is it more detailed information you want? Would you like to know Elias Baker’s blood type? How many fillings he has in his teeth? We intercepted some of his medical data earlier this morning. Good news. He’s STI free. I can get you a copy of the report if you’d like.”

I stared at Algerone, my mind reeling as I processed his words. The implication was clear. There was no part of Eli's life that was hidden from this man. He had eyes and ears everywhere, an insidious network of informants reporting back to him. Eli was exposed, vulnerable... and it was all my fault.

My fault for thinking I could keep him safe. My fault for being arrogant enough to believe that caring for Eli wouldn't put a target on his back.

Algerone watched me, sipping his wine with a smug, knowing look. He had me cornered, and he knew it. With a few choice words, he had neatly boxed me in, using my feelings for Eli as a weapon against me.

I swallowed hard, forcing down the impotent rage and fear churning in my gut. I couldn't afford to let my emotions rule me, not now. Not with so much at stake.

“I'll do as you ask. But Eli remains unharmed. That is non-negotiable.”

Algerone's smile was a razor's edge, sharp and cutting. “Of course, Doctor. I'm a man of my word. As long as you uphold your end of our bargain, no harm will come to your precious pet.” He tucked the phone back into his jacket, his movements casual, almost lazy. As if he hadn’t been threatening to hurt Eli right in front of me.

I met Algerone’s cold gaze, jaw clenched. “Tell me exactly what you want me to do.”