Jasper almost scoffed out loud.
Fake.
Keep faking it.
As if a manipulative bastard like him wouldn't do anything reckless?
Even a dog wouldn't believe that lie.
The meeting appeared to be going flawlessly.
Everyone analyzed the data meticulously.
Everyone seamlessly bounced ideas off one another.
Everyone seemed fully committed to the concept of 'sticking together'.
But in reality...
Julian flipped through the documents with his gaze lowered, his mind completely
made up.
The plan was solid on paper.
But that ship was a death trap.
None of them could be allowed to go.
He would use his Joker persona to board alone.
Whether it was The Sanctum Vault or The Raven's elaborate trap, he would handle the bloodshed for her.
Jerrick sat with his arms crossed, his face an impenetrable mask of stoicism.
Internally, he had already shattered the group plan into a dozen solo tactical contingencies.
Sending the entire team on board was a tactical nightmare.
His sister was the primary target for both The Black Sun and The Raven. The moment she stepped on that ship, they would swarm her.
Having the family there would only give her liabilities to protect.
It was completely unnecessary.
Infiltrating the ship's security apparatus alone as Fenris was the only strategically viable move.
When the time came, he would crush every threat in her path before they even realized he was there.
Jasper twirled a pen between his fingers, looking so bored he might as well have been daydreaming.
But his mind was rapidly calculating the pass codes, the Hunter manifests, and the bounty ledgers linked to The Grinning Wraith.
Look at them, dreaming big.
Sticking together? Please.
His little sister was a walking magnet for trouble. The second she boarded, every rabid dog on that ship would lunge for her throat.
Naturally, it fell to him, the best bounty hunter in the game, to go up there first and break all their legs.
As for this lot...
They could stay home and wait for his good news.
They were far too soft for this kind of work. They needed to rely on the undisputed champion of the dark web.
Nicholas kept his eyes down, his thumb idly tracing the rim of his glass.
Serena had just officially granted
him his title as her fiancé. He wasn't about to let her risk her life in The Raven's twisted game. .net>
Qu
Once he boarded as The Sterling Sovereign, he would eradicate every hidden threat on that vessel before she ever set foot on it. .net>
Serena lowered her gaze, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Of course, she knew none of them had any intention of playing by the rules.
But then again, neither did she.
Her brothers and Nicholas wanted to protect her.
And she wanted to protect them.
Whitecliffe Harbor was a warzone, and The Black Sun's trap was set. She would face it alone.
Inside the study, everyone looked entirely focused and professional, yet their minds were plotting entirely separate missions.
They even managed to gracefully conclude the meeting in perfect, harmonious agreement.
Finally, the action plan was set in stone.
Julian closed the file and said softly, "Then it's settled. We execute the plan in exactly three days."
Serena nodded. "Yes. We stick together."
The brothers nodded in unison. "Absolutely. In three days, we move as a unit."
Everyone agreed far too quickly, nodding along as if they were actually capable of following orders.
...
The three days vanished in the blink of an eye.
Boarding was scheduled for two in the morning.
On the surface, the Lancaster estate was a picture of tranquility.
Catherine Vinton hovered over Serena during every meal.
Old Mr. Lancaster strolled past
Serena's
courtyard with his cane at
least three times a day, pretending it was just a coincidence
Edward Lancaster was busy mobilizing the family's overseas assets.
The brothers acted perfectly normal.
Nicholas reported to the Lancaster estate every single day.
He stayed for dinner.
He kept Serena company.
And naturally, he endured Jasper's relentless insults.
Everything seemed perfectly ordinary.
Until the final day before departure.
They all gathered in the Lancaster dining room for one last meal before the mission.
The dining room was bathed in warm light, the air rich with the aroma of home- cooked food.