"What's the matter? Any news?" Charles asked, already knowing that with Reyn's help, the Silver Emperor had dismantled Black Hawk's influence, and the Gates of Hell were now firmly in his hands. Janice had asked about the Vegas incident before, but he had skillfully avoided revealing the darker sides of his world. Everything that had happened… was over.
"Reyn's two men have located them. Professional killers—they survive in dangerous situations all the time," Shaun reported, his eyes lighting up as he quickly connected the dots.
"But Manfred… I can't be sure," Shaun added cautiously. They didn't really know him; whether he had survived was uncertain. A month had passed. If he had escaped, he would have appeared by now. And yet… there was the grim possibility that he hadn't.
"I understand," Charles nodded, though the flicker of hope in his eyes immediately dimmed. He knew that, despite her calm exterior, Janice still held a quiet but persistent concern for Manfred.
