DEVORA WAS AT the gym again for the next three days after Nathan had explained their plans to the rest of the team. Her training had been stricter, fiercer, as she tried to whip herself into better shape for the impending conflict. She was in the middle of practicing her punches when Markus peeked through the gym door.

The little boy's hair was neatly combed back, his small body dressed in a neat suit unfitting for his age paired with a bowtie. Markus looked so out of place as he walked past the older, bulkier, brawnier people that filled the gym but his walk didn't lack any confidence. His chin was tilted high, back rod-straight, and his steps relaxed but swift.

At the sight of him, Devora smiled in delight.

"Good afternoon, Mark," she greeted. She then followed it up with a question, a bright, amused smile dancing on her lips as she held the punching bag in its place to prevent it from swinging back and forth. "Is it time for tea again?"

"Precisely at 3 o'clock, just like every other day," came Markus's equally bubbly reply.

From across the room, Nathan was sending heated gazes their way. Devora could feel Nathan's eyes searing holes into her skin, practically scrutinizing her every movement. Grinning, she reached her right hand out for the child to hold. Almost too eagerly, Markus's hand rose to grasp hers. The two people were out of the room after, a skip in their steps as the door closed behind them.

All the while, Nathan's eyes didn't once leave Devora's figure. He kept staring until the duo had gone too far out of sight, long curved the corridor and into the shadow.

A few seconds after, Leah threw her last knife against the practice board. She had been practicing with Nathan and Dallas, away from Devora since they were doing different exercises. Smirking, her eyes needn't even leave the board and she knew Nathan hadn't once looked away from the gym doors.

"Close your mouth, Nathan," she snarkily warned. "You might catch a fly or two in there."

"Well, what do ya know," Dallas mused, suppressing a chuckle. "The little lad's got more charm in him than our big man, our leader, the great Nathaniel Jerald."

Dallas received a deadly glare from Nathan and a knife thrown right by his ear almost immediately after.

"Shut the hell up, Dallas."

♕♕♕

Taking the last sip of the fruity tea in her cup, Devora settled the porcelain teacup back onto the table with a satisfied sigh and a clink. The sugary sweet tea still lingered on her lips, faintly perfuming the air she breathed in.

"So, how has your day been, Mark?"

"Father bought me a new board game yesterday after dinner. Although, I'm not quite sure what I can do with the game since I'm usually by myself after our daily tea. I don't want to complain or seem whiny but...," he hesitated. "I would've much preferred if he had gotten some books for me instead or simply spent some time away from his work. Still, I'm just glad that he thought of me enough in a day to get me something."

Devora frowned.

"Your father loves you more than he shows, Markus. He's just... a very busy man."

"Busy taking lives," Markus corrected. "I sometimes wonder why my father would accept such a job. It's inhumane."

Although Devora partly agreed with young Markus's words, the other side of her — the one that knew better — wanted to argue and speak up in defense for Julius Cain. She, too, had the same train of thoughts once upon a time. However, with each passing day and each passing mission, she started to see the flip side of things.

"That's not exactly true, Markus. The people we're tasked to kill are those against the law. They're criminals who have committed grave mistakes, people that the ordinary police force can't get to."

"That still doesn't make killing right," Markus mumbled.

"No one ever said it did." All of a sudden, a new voice rumbled from behind them. Devora spun around, looking over her shoulder to find the overbearing gaze of her direct superior. Julius Cain stood there proud and tall, looking down at them from his great height. He turned his gaze from Devora and instead, allowed it to land on his son. "Markus, head up to your room. There are some things which I have to discuss with Miss Evans."

Unlike a father talking to his son, Cain's words were more like an order from a commanding officer to a recruit. He was strict, firm, and left no space for Markus to argue. Of course, it didn't seem like the boy was going to. At his father's words, he stood up immediately. While his actions were quick, Devora didn't miss the brief flash of hurt in his eyes. Markus then wordlessly walked out of the room, lightly closing the doors behind him. The air of sadness trailed after his disappearing physique. Devora realized that Markus only ever truly seemed small when around his father.

"You could've been softer with him," Devora piped up. She only dared to after she had noticed Cain's eyes softening at the closed doors, still staring although Markus was long gone. "He's just a little boy."

When Cain finally tore his eyes away from the door to look at Devora in the eye, she regretted her words. She cursed herself for speaking up, for caving in to the temptation to nag him as if he was a close friend instead of just wisely keeping her mouth shut. One look from him was enough to send shivers down her spine. Thankfully, she didn't have to scramble for a last-minute apology because he broke the silence.

"He will have to learn from a young age that no one will be there for him forever. They will always leave, separated either by choice or by death. It is better for him to have it imprinted in his mind."

Devora wondered what had happened to the poor man that had caused such a thought to overcome him. As he had said those lines, Julius Cain seemed like he had aged even more. He wasn't an old man— barely even in his forties. However, at that moment where he was immersed in memory, Devora could clearly see the lines time had ravaged on him. He must've been beautiful before circumstances made him this way, both in the mind and body.

The two stood on the balcony that overlooked the grand city below them. At such a great height, the winds bellowed loudly, unrestricted by the other buildings which couldn't reach up as high as the one they were in. The afternoon sun crusaded through the air before shifting downwards into a cruelly long descent. The road for the sun seemed so long and far but Devora knew the path would end and the sun would reach its destination within mere seconds.

Sunsets never did last.

Cars bustled down on the streets below them, all rushing towards home in the peak hour jam, eager to return to their families or the comforts of their bed after a long, grueling day at work. The world spun around them, time rushing by without stopping for anyone— there was no exception.

How insignificant Devora felt to be a part of a world so large. She was a mere speck of dust, something small and perfectly replaceable, eventually meant to be forgotten with the passage of time.

"How strange, isn't it. The calm before the storm. It screams in such a loud volume about fear and one's bravery. In times like this, I'm not quite sure which is it I have."

Cain's words brought a rush of surprise, making Devora's eyes widen slightly. She hadn't expected such a profound phrasing from her murderous boss and yet, it showed the same clever wisdom that could be found in Markus.

"You didn't run when informed about the traitors. I think that is enough to show that cowardice is not something you have in you. You've decided to stay and fight." Devora paused, chewing on her bottom lip. "That's brave. I don't think I can do that if I was in your position."

Cain laughed, one that was cold and emotionless.

"And yet I've recruited some of my best fighters to possibly die for my life. How is it that you aren't running away in disgust at the moment, Miss Evans? Or even fear? You've said so yourself. If you were in my position, you would choose to flee."

"Well," Devora shrugged, "You are my boss. I've got to work for my salary." Devora attempted to joke. Thankfully, it paid off. A rare, genuine smile cracked on Cain's face for a second. "But also... Markus is my friend. He doesn't have a lot of people to spend his childhood with and I don't think any child deserves this at all. I want to try my best for him."

"You must think I'm a horrible father for not spending time with my son." Cain sighed. "I assure you, I have my reasons. My duty is to protect my family. At that second I had failed to protect his mother, I knew I had to do whatever it takes to guarantee my son's safety. I'll do it at any price, even if I have to rob him of a normal childhood."

"Oh..." Devora's eyes went wide, finding herself shocked once more as her eyebrows furrowed. She hadn't thought about Cain's wife, or simply Markus's mother if the boy had been born out of wedlock. So, when thrown with such a piece of information, Devora didn't know what was the right way to react, or if there was a right way at all. "Sorry, I didn't know."

"No worries, Miss Evans. Not even Markus knows about his mother. That story is something he should never learn of until he's old enough."

"Pardon me for being... erm... blunt, but did that affect your choice of occupation?"

"Curious now, aren't you, Miss Evans?" Cain retorted, casting Devora a sideways glance. He then took a brief glance at the door. Devora had a feeling he was making sure Markus was truly gone and not listening in on the conversation from the other side of the door. "My wife was killed by a simple robber. Stripped of her jewelry and killed for her silence. I broke that man's neck two months after with my bare hands, shortly after starting up this company."

Swallowing the bile in her throat, Devora could barely even process the words properly before a crack of thunder reverberated from the darkening sky outside. The sun was long gone now, the orange glow melting into a blanket of indigo and navy. However, despite the dark, the stars couldn't be seen. They were covered by the storm clouds, a telling sign that rain was about to fall.

"I've lost something once," Cain continued, his eyes practically glowing in the dark. "I'll do anything to ensure I will not make the same mistake again. Everything that is a threat to my son will be eradicated."

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