━━ CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE / mogart's

After they sorted out the earpieces, Ronny fell silent again as the boat continued to move across the lake. Her back almost entirely turned away from Layla and Marc as she closed her eyes, resting her head against the edge of the boat. She was exhausted still and felt herself drifting between sleep and consciousness. Her chest rose and fell steadily, almost perfectly still.

Marc looked over at Ronny and Layla was watching him carefully. The group on the other side of the boat were dancing and Marc briefly looked over at them before he turned to look at Layla. She tilted her head.

"Why are you working with her?" Layla asked. Her tone was calm, not accusatory, just curious. Marc seemed taken aback by the question and he gave a half-shrug. Layla waited and watched as Marc looked at Ronny again. The look in his eyes was one she was familiar with but he used to look at her that way.

"I don't know," was his simple response. Layla rolled her eyes, glancing at the group across the boat before she looked right back at Marc. He had a look on his face that Layla couldn't quite read now that he had turned to look back at Layla.

"Do you trust her?" Layla asked as she rested her hands against her knees, fiddling with her fingers as she looked up.

"Yeah." Marc nodded firmly as he leant back. Ronny was somewhere between sleep and consciousness still, only acutely aware of the conversation but not processing enough of it to care what was being said. Layla assumed that she wasn't listening or had fallen asleep to some extent.

"Good," Layla said, nodding her head. She was silent for a few minutes and then added, "You need someone who you can talk to." Marc was once again taken aback by her words but he did his best to disguise it as he adjusted in his seat.

"Steven likes her," He deflected. It was an obvious deflection.

"You could have told me about it, you know?" Layla said. Marc looked away, something akin to regret briefly passed over his features before he just shrugged and leant back again as she spoke, "What it's been like for you. About Steven," Layla elaborated briefly.

"For what it's worth, I had it under control until recently," Marc responded, keeping his voice even but he looked vulnerable. Like he was admitting something he shouldn't. Layla didn't know what to say, "I didn't intend for her to know either." He tried to return to a neutral facial expression but the more he tried, the harder it seemed to be.

"Why?" Layla asked, a frown on her face. Marc shrugged, looking away. He looked so completely vulnerable, "We could have handled it together." Maybe some part of Layla wanted to get back with Marc, wanted to be with him again but the bigger part of her knew that it would never work. But she still had regrets, things she wished they had both done differently before she signed those papers. Things could have been different.

"That's not really what I do, is it?" Marc said before he rubbed his face with his hands. He took a deep breath before he let his hands drop to his knees again, "Never really been able to just talk about anything."

"Anything real?" She asked as she leant forward to look up at him. He still looked so vulnerable. He hated being vulnerable and he looked so tired again. Even after having a decent night's sleep, he looked exhausted.

"Yes." Ronny had slipped completely into sleep by now. The words drifted off as she fell into a light sleep. Any loud noise would wake her up but she was resting at least. Marc glanced at Ronny before he looked away across the water again. The night was closing in on them, the pink and blue lights of the boat were the only thing to light up the night. Even the moon seemed dim under the cover of the boat.

"Yeah, I know. But that doesn't mean that we shouldn't have. I could have tried harder." Marc could see the regret and he just stayed quiet for a moment before he sat up straight again.

"A little too late for that now," He responded. His face returned back to neutrality, not showing any emotion. Layla gently shook her head at him before she looked away at the brunette. Ronny somehow looked more exhausted than Marc did.

"Does she make you happy?" Layla asked. Some part of her was probably bitter but she knew that Marc deserved to be happy with whoever that was. And Ronny seemed lovely, a little stand-off-ish but intelligent and cautious. Layla couldn't help but admire the brunette even if she had never liked her in all the years they knew each other.

"We should get our story straight." Like he always did, Marc ignored the question, swerving around the topic that was probably the most important. He knew Ronny did. He knew that Ronny made him feel happy and the guilt became less crushing when he was beside her but he couldn't admit that. He couldn't bring himself to be that vulnerable. Not to her. He knew he would get hurt.

Marc nudged Ronny's shoulder and after a few seconds, her eyes blinked open. She felt exhausted still but she rubbed her eyes and turned to face the pair. She pushed her fingers through her hair out of her face and settled back, forcing her eyes open.

Then Marc asked, "What's the plan?"

-

The trio had split up already. Ronny had snuck off into the perimeter while Marc and Layla went to meet with Mogart. Ronny couldn't hear anything that they said, deciding against setting the earpieces to that setting. Her backpack was hidden under the pier along with the earpiece control pack so she couldn't change it even if she wanted to. But she could communicate with them when it was necessary and they could do the same for her.

It was dark around the perimeter, the party mostly concentrated in the main grounds of the mansion. It was extravagant from the glimpses Ronny saw through the trees. People were dancing, having fun and nobody paid enough attention to even notice Ronny as she zipped across the treeline. She was shielded from the moon and her eyes had adjusted enough to make out the shapes in the forest so she didn't fall over.

Ronny stopped walking when she was adjacent to a pen. Horses were standing stationary and behind the pen were two glass pyramids and Ronny could make out shapes. That was probably where the artefacts were hidden. She moved her gaze over to Marc and Layla. Mogart stood across from them. Layla was calm, Marc looked wildly uncomfortable, tense. He was trying to keep his cool but Ronny knew it wouldn't take much for him to snap. This felt too dangerous especially if Harrow's men were keeping tabs as they suspected.

"This is a waste of time." Thoth's voice boomed through Ronny's skull and she physically jumped back. The God stood a few feet away in the gloom of the trees. She could only just make out his ibis-head as she turned to look at him. Ronny stepped away from the treeline, walking deeper into the trees but still close enough to keep an eye on the pair.

"This is our only lead," Ronny said quietly. Thoth strolled across the grass and looked out past the trees before he shook his head. He turned to face Ronny and she cocked an eyebrow at him.

"You are trusting Khonshu. That is a dangerous choice." His voice was full of disapproval and the air of annoyance surrounded him. Ronny shook her head and glanced over at the pair. They seemed safe and were moving across to the pyramids now.

She continued walking, concentrating on securing the perimeter and preventing Harrow's men from attacking. As she walked, she said, "I am not trusting Khonshu. I am trusting Marc." Thoth quickly followed after his avatar and his eight-foot stature meant a stride for him was at least three for her so he caught up with her quickly.

"Marc is the Fist of Vengeance. He is not to be trusted. You have done wrong in your life. What is to say he won't turn on you?" Thoth asked and Ronny scoffed. They may have a long and complicated history but Marc wouldn't do that. Not now. She couldn't imagine him doing it now.

"I saved his life," Ronny snapped as she glared up at the God. Thoth nodded his head.

"And that is why you are here." Ronny scoffed and pressed her finger to her earpiece.

"East side, clear," She said before she dropped her hand and glanced around. She continued to walk, stepping over rocks before continuing, "You chose me. You waited for me." Thoth didn't say anything for a moment and Ronny glanced past the treeline. All she could see was the house and people milling around the side. Stolen kisses, drinking and exchanging secrets away from the prying eyes of the crowd. The party would give her so much information but she couldn't abandon the plan.

"He cannot be trusted to execute this plan alone," Thoth said, finally deciding to respond but he completely avoided the topic. Ronny knew her past, she knew what led to her being here and the man she was currently protecting was one of the main reasons. But Thoth had always said it was more. She wasn't sure how much she believed him anymore.

"I trust him." Ronny said as she turned onto the south side of the property. There was nothing so far and that was good. It meant that Harrow had not discovered what they intended to do just yet and they still had time.

"You are being fickle and gullible." His annoyance had turned to anger at her and Ronny stopped abruptly. She lifted her head up and stared at the God. He made her feel so small but she didn't let that intimidate her. He was just an old man with too much anger and an ego too big for his own good. He was pathetic.

"You told me you trusted me. I am not easily swayed, Thoth," She said, her voice raising. The moonlight lit up the skull now and it stretched out in one long shadow across the grass. He calmed with her response and looked away, beginning to walk away. Ronny followed after and reached the end of the south side, communicating that to Marc and Layla.

"I only urge you to be cautious. Nothing is ever as it seems." That was the second time Thoth had said something like that. Something so simple yet sinister. Ronny never let herself be caught up or naive to people's intent but Thoth always found a way to make her doubt her own perception.

"What does that mean?" Ronny kept her voice calm as she continued down the west side of the building. It seemed to be quiet on all angles and she knew that something could appear from the other side but there hadn't been any suspicious shadows. Just trees.

"It is a lesson you learn with the Gods. They are not to be trusted and their avatars act only in their own interest." Thoth explained and continued to walk while Ronny stopped quickly. There were men walking among the trees. A familiar face among them, barely lit up by the torches in the men's hands. Arthur Harrow.

"Harrow is here." Ronny said as she pressed her finger against the earpiece. She took several steps back and watched as he crossed through the trees. There were too many for her to take on alone without causing a commotion which meant it was time for Mogart to meet Arthur Harrow. Maybe that would make him more agreeable.

Ronny walked to the tree line and stared up at the walls of the mansion. They weren't too tall, she could probably climb up and watch from a higher vantage point. Her cape would make it easy for her to join in if a fight broke out.

"Do not do anything stupid." Thoth warned and Ronny winked at him.

"No promises." Thoth stared at her for a moment and she rolled her eyes. She pulled the gun from her holster and checked the number of bullets before she put it back, "Just be prepared to heal me if I get shot," Ronny said after a few beats of silence. Thoth looked disgruntled by the request, or well demand, but he didn't say anything more. He stepped back into the shadows and Ronny walked out of the trees and towards the edge of the mansion. Thoth never liked healing her. It took too much out of him but she didn't care anymore. Protecting Marc and Layla was her only priority even if that meant being shot.

Harrow was walking towards the pair now - who already seemed to be in trouble - and Ronny summoned the suit and jumped, gripping on the edge of the second floor window before she hauled herself onto the roof. She stood on the edge and watched from afar. She had a good vantage point from the edge of the mansion. Her hand reached behind her back for the gun and she held onto it as Harrow walked across the gravel. The altercation was quickly calmed by Harrow who held out the scarab before he let his hand drop.

Ronny couldn't make out any of the conversation but she saw no easy way to get closer especially not from this high up, it would only cause more problems. Mogart wanted her dead so she stayed hidden for the moment. Only able to watch as Layla's face turned to a frown and Marc shook his head, annoyance written across his face in bold marker. Whatever Harrow was saying, he didn't like it. Ronny knew Marc wasn't stupid enough to attack Harrow here but Khonshu was.

The left pyramid then lit up in bright purple before it disappeared into thin air. Senfu's sarcophagus had been destroyed and another Egyptian relic had been lost to the greed of humanity. She looked back at Mogart - who seemed stunned - and then Marc and Layla who had yet to spot her.

Then in the blink of an eye, Marc was on the top of the pyramid in his suit and Ronny gently shook her head. She pressed her fingers against the earpiece and mumbled "Show-off". Marc had a non-reaction as he threw his crescent shaped blade into one guard's heart and then dived down at the other. The guards were dead within seconds and Marc was on the ground, too close to the pen for comfort. Layla shot at the guards coming from the other side and Ronny lifted her gun and shot one of the ones closest to the roof before she dived off and hit the ground with a thud but stood up this time. The suit absorbed the shock from the drop and she stood across from Layla as guards began to close in from the other side of the pen.

"Glad you could join us," Layla said sarcastically as she let her hand drop. Ronny shrugged and glanced at Marc who quickly came over to them, "I need time," Layla said quickly and then the gun fire started. Marc lifted his cape, protecting the three of them.

"You take the left, I take the right?" Ronny suggested. Marc nodded and Layla ran off into the glass pyramid - where Senfu's sarcophagus lay destroyed. He shook the bullets from his cape, sending them pinging across the pen. Most of them injured the guards and then Marc threw the crescent blades, taking out each of them one by one. Ronny lifted her gun and managed to get a few before her bullets ran out and she threw it to the side.

She jumped onto the fence and dived at one of the guards. Punching him across the face and kicking him in the stomach. The guard staggered back and dropped to the floor but she was quickly becoming surrounded. She reached behind her back and produced Thoth's golden staff. Intricately designed and gorgeous, ancient and heavy. She swung it towards the first guard, the end smashed against his temple and he staggered. She turned and rammed the end of the staff into one of the other guard's stomach and smashed it around his head while elbowing the first guard in the face who had staggered back to his feet for another round. She pressed on the edge of the staff and the blade came out. She swung the blade around and it cut across the second guard's cheek before she rammed it into his shoulder and across his neck. He collapsed to the floor and Ronny had four more to take on.

It didn't take long for them all to be dead on the ground and she wiped smeared blood from the mask only to hear 'That's it, time-out' from Marc's direction. The men on horses with wooden poles were scheming and Steven. Steven had taken over.

"Steven!" Ronny shouted and she glanced at the men on horses before she rushed at him. He tilted his head at her and she could feel his confusion. She glanced at the men on horses and they were galloping towards them now. She put her hands on his cheeks, "Give Marc the body, now." She ordered before she turned them both around completely. The pole that came right for Steven sliced through her shoulder and she gritted her teeth harshly against the pain.

The men changed direction and Steven backed away quickly. His eyes widened and she gave him a small smile. The men were galloping violently around and then Marc was back in Khonshu's ceremonial armour. He went for the last guard and then the poles came for him as Ronny stumbled back, snapping the end of the pole. She couldn't take it out because she'd bleed out but she still had to fight.

Both ends were snapped enough and she grabbed the staff from the floor just as Mogart smashed Layla across the face. Ronny went for Mogart's horse, smashing the staff against the horse's legs but it only resulted in a kick to the face by the horse which sent her flying across the sanded-arena. She cried out softly as she pushed herself to get up from where she was sat.

Mogart was going right for Layla and Ronny tried to push herself to her feet but the wooden pole had been dislodged and she was bleeding heavily, blood leaking quickly from the hole in her chest. Then Marc managed to break free from the wooden poles and got to Layla first. He sent a crescent moon blade into Mogart's back as his horse went galloping into the fog towards the treeline.

The pair ran up to Ronny as she collapsed back to the floor. Her suit was covered in blood, seeping into the fabric of it as she quelled the urge to scream. Marc's hands were all over her, lifting her face up as she squeezed her eyes shut.

"Ronny, you need to heal. We need to leave," Marc insisted and she chuckled weakly.

"That's not my decision to make. I didn't come to you with that wound for fun," Ronny responded sarcastically. Marc furrowed his eyebrows and glanced up at Layla. She was looking around, paranoid that Mogart could return any minute.

"We have to get out of here." Marc insisted. Ronny let out a soft 'uh-uh' before she pushed herself up to her feet. Her legs felt weak but she managed it. Her chest was burning in agony. Her skin was on fire and then she spotted Thoth across the pen. He seemed unimpressed.

"Heal me." Ronny demanded as she stared past both Layla and Marc. Layla looked back, almost expecting someone to be there but there wasn't anybody.

"You could have died."

"I had to protect him. Heal me." The blood was practically covering her front and she could feel the wooden pole sliding out from her back. In two seconds she'd be dead and then Thoth began to speak. Words that Ronny couldn't even understand and the wooden pole clattered to the floor and the wound healed across her chest in a second.

Thoth staggered slightly and then disappeared in front of her eyes. Ronny let out a breath of relief, her hands shaky and she pushed a smile onto her face.

"We need a car."

-

NOTE; took a little longer than i would have wanted to! but here is chapter 25!! i'm a little rusty in writing the action scenes so pls ignore it if it's awful but yeah :) hope you enjoyed <3