Midnight.
Vex was standing at a different corner this time. Not Fifth and Morrow. Somewhere else.
Ninth and Pike. Still Ashward. But deeper. Worse part.
The kind of place where even cops didn't go unless they had to.
He'd been standing there for ten minutes. No van yet.
Message said midnight. It was 12:11 now.
Where were they?
Vex checked his burner again. No new messages.
Just the one from earlier: "Midnight. Ninth and Pike. Wait for pickup."
He was waiting. Where were they?
Cold out here. Really cold. Or maybe that was just nerves.
Probably nerves.
A car pulled up. Not a van. Sedan. Old one. Rust on the doors.
Window rolled down. Guy in the driver's seat. Older. Maybe forties. Balding. Scar on his neck.
"Vex?"
"Yeah."
"Get in."
Wait what?
"I thought I was just picking up a package."
"Change of plans. Get in."
Vex didn't move. This felt wrong.
"I'm just supposed to deliver. That's it."
The guy sighed. "Look kid. Boss wants you for something different tonight. You coming or not?"
"Different how?"
"Get in and find out. Or don't and deal with the consequences. Your choice."
Consequences. Right. His family.
Vex opened the back door. Got in.
Car smelled like cigarettes and old fast food. Gross.
There was another guy in the passenger seat. Younger. Maybe late twenties. Tattoos on his neck. Didn't turn around to look at Vex.
Driver pulled away from the curb. Started driving.
"Where are we going?" Vex asked.
"You'll see."
Great. Helpful.
They drove in silence. Through Ashward. Then out of Ashward. Into The Hollows.
Vex's stomach tightened. The Hollows at night was. Not good. Not good at all.
The further they went, the darker it got. Fewer streetlights. More abandoned buildings.
Finally they stopped. Outside a warehouse. Different one than where he'd met Raze before.
This one looked. Worse. Half collapsed on one side. Windows all broken.
Driver turned off the car. "Out."
Vex got out. So did the other two.
They walked to a side door. Driver opened it. Went in.
Vex followed. What choice did he have?
Inside was dark. Flashlight from the driver's phone. Only light source.
They walked through corridors. Smelled like rust and rot and something else. Something dead maybe.
Finally stopped at a room. Door was metal. Heavy. Had a padlock on it.
Driver unlocked it. Opened the door.
"In."
"What's in there?"
"Someone you need to pick up."
Pick up? Not a package. A person?
Vex looked at the driver. "I deliver packages. Not people."
"Tonight you do. Boss's orders."
"I don't—"
The passenger guy grabbed Vex's arm. Tight. "Stop asking questions. Do what you're told."
He pushed Vex toward the door.
Vex stumbled in.
Room was small. Dark. Smelled worse than the hallway.
There was someone in the corner. Sitting. Hands tied behind their back. Bag over their head.
Oh fuck.
"What is this?" Vex asked.
"Delivery," the driver said. "You're taking him to an address. Handing him over. That's it."
"I can't—"
"You can and you will."
The person in the corner made a sound. Muffled. Trying to talk through the bag maybe.
Were they gagged too?
This was wrong. This was so wrong.
"I deliver packages," Vex said. "Not. Not people. Not this."
"You deliver what we tell you to deliver." Driver stepped closer. "Unless you want to explain to Raze why you refused."
Raze. Right. Of course.
"Get him up," the driver said to the passenger guy.
Passenger walked over. Pulled the person up. Rough. They stumbled. Almost fell.
He pushed them toward Vex.
Up close, Vex could see. Guy was young. Maybe late teens. Early twenties. Clothes torn. Dried blood on his shirt.
What the fuck had they done to him?
"Who is he?" Vex asked.
"Doesn't matter. You're taking him to this address." Driver handed Vex a piece of paper. "Building on Foster Street. Apartment 5A. Knock three times. Someone will answer. Hand him over. Leave."
Foster Street. That was. Fuck. That was on the edge of Irongate. Steel Serpents territory.
Different gang.
"You want me to deliver someone to a rival gang's territory?"
"Smart kid. Yeah. That's exactly what we want."
"Why?"
"Not your concern. You're the delivery boy. Deliver."
This was insane. This was completely insane.
"What if I get caught?"
"Don't get caught."
"What if—"
The driver pulled out a gun.
Pointed it at Vex.
"Stop. Asking. Questions."
Vex froze.
First time he'd had a gun pointed at him.
Wasn't fun.
"You're taking him. Now. Or I shoot you. Then I go visit your mom at the diner. She works on Fifth Street, right? Late shift tonight?"
Ice. Pure ice in Vex's veins.
"How do you—"
"We know everything. Your mom. Your sister. Your friends. Everyone. So you're going to do this. And you're going to keep your mouth shut."
Vex looked at the guy with the bag on his head. Then at the gun. Then back at the driver.
No choice.
Never any choice.
"Okay."
Driver lowered the gun. "Good. Take him. Car's out back. Keys are in it. You drive. Drop him off. Come back here. Leave the keys in the car. Walk home. Simple."
Nothing about this was simple.
Passenger guy pushed the captive toward Vex.
Vex caught him. Steadied him.
Guy was shaking. Could feel it through his shirt.
Scared. He was terrified.
Vex was too.
They walked out. Different door. Led to the back of the warehouse.
Car there. Different one. Van actually. White. Old.
Vex opened the back. Passenger guy shoved the captive inside. Rough. He hit the floor. Groaned.
"Be careful," Vex said.
"Don't care. Not my problem." He slammed the doors shut.
Vex got in the driver's seat. Keys in the ignition. Like they said.
Started the van. Pulled out.
Foster Street. Irongate.
Twenty minute drive. Maybe twenty-five.
Vex drove. Kept checking the rearview mirror. Making sure no one was following.
Streets were empty. Late night. No traffic.
His hands were shaking. Gripping the steering wheel too tight.
This was different. This was so much worse than packages.
This was a person. A person who was probably going to get hurt. Or killed.
And Vex was delivering him to it.
He thought about calling the cops.
But then what? They'd arrest him too. He was kidnapping someone. Or. Accessory to kidnapping. Whatever the legal term was.
And then the Fangs would go after his family.
No. Can't call the cops.
What about letting the guy go? Just. Stop the van. Open the doors. Let him run.
But the Fangs would know. They always knew.
And then. His family.
Always came back to that.
His family.
Vex kept driving.
Got to Irongate. Different feel here. Industrial. Warehouses. Factories. Most closed at night.
Foster Street. Found it.
Building was. Rough. Old apartment complex. Half the windows boarded up.
Vex parked. Turned off the van.
Sat there for a second.
Could still turn back. Could still—
No. Couldn't.
He got out. Went to the back. Opened the doors.
Guy was still on the floor. Hadn't moved. Or couldn't move.
"Come on," Vex said. Quiet.
Helped him sit up. Then out of the van.
Guy's legs were shaking. Could barely stand.
Vex supported him. Half carrying him.
Into the building. No lock on the front door. Just pushed it open.
Inside smelled like piss. Worse than Tobi's building even.
Stairs. Fifth floor.
No elevator. Of course not.
Vex basically dragged the guy up. Five flights. Both of them breathing hard by the top.
Fifth floor hallway. Dark. One light working. Barely.
5A. There.
Vex walked to it. Guy leaning heavy on him now.
Knocked three times.
Waited.
Footsteps inside.
Door opened.
Two guys. Big guys. Looked like fighters. Scars. Tattoos. Cold eyes.
They looked at Vex. Then at the captive.
"From Raze?" one asked.
"Yeah."
"About time."
He reached for the captive. Grabbed him. Pulled him inside.
The guy made a sound. Scared sound. Pleading maybe.
Vex's chest hurt.
"Wait—" he started.
Second guy stepped forward. Blocked the door.
"You're done. Leave."
"What are you going to do to him?"
"Not your problem. Leave."
Door started closing.
Vex stood there. Frozen.
Door slammed shut.
He heard sounds inside. Voices. Then. A scream.
Muffled but. Definitely a scream.
Vex's stomach turned.
He backed away from the door. Down the hall. To the stairs.
Ran down. All five flights. Didn't stop.
Out of the building. To the van.
Got in. Hands shaking so bad he could barely get the keys in the ignition.
Started it. Drove.
Away from Foster Street. Away from Irongate.
Back to The Hollows.
That scream kept playing in his head. Over and over.
What had he done?
What the fuck had he just done?
He'd delivered a person. To people who were going to hurt him. Maybe kill him.
And Vex had just. Done it.
Because he was scared.
Because they threatened his family.
But that guy. That captive. He had a family too probably.
And now.
Vex's eyes burned. Don't cry. Don't fucking cry.
He kept driving.
Got back to the warehouse. Parked the van. Left the keys inside like they said.
Got out. Started walking.
Home. Just. Get home.
Walked through The Hollows. Through Ashward.
His burner buzzed.
Message: "Good work. $1000 credited."
One thousand dollars.
For delivering a person to their death probably.
Blood money.
That's what it was.
Blood money.
Vex wanted to throw up.
Kept walking.
Got home at 2 AM.
Apartment dark. Everyone asleep.
His room. Closed the door. Sat on the bed.
Stared at nothing.
That scream.
Kept hearing it.
Over and over.
He'd crossed a line tonight.
A line he could never uncross.
He wasn't just delivering packages anymore.
He was. What was he?
Accomplice. Accessory. Criminal.
Kidnapper.
That's what he was now.
A kidnapper.
Vex lay down. Didn't undress. Just lay there.
Staring at the water stain.
Sleep didn't come.
Just. That scream.
Again and again.
Until morning.