MARRY YOUR KILLER
Chapter Seventy-Seven: The Return
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The meeting was called for midnight.
The warehouse was dark. The lights were low. The table was steel. The chairs were filled. Everyone was there. Jay sat at the head of the table, Keifer beside her. Percy was on her left, Aries beside him. Alex was in the corner, his hands in his pockets, his face blank. He was always in the corner now. Waiting.
Freya and Erdix stood by the door. Rakki and Ci N were at the table, their hands together. Grace and Denzel were at the window. Kit and Mayo were at the back. Mica and Calix were at the screens, their fingers moving. Honey was on the line, her voice silent, watching. Ella was beside Aries, her hands folded, her face calm. Care was with Cole, her head still bandaged, her face pale. She was healing. She was getting stronger.
Jay looked at the faces around her. Her family. Her army. The people who had been through everything together.
"We have one more enemy," Jay said. "One more person who's been watching. One more person who's been waiting. One more person who wants to destroy us."
The room was silent.
Mica's voice came through the speakers. "His name is Viktor. He was Keizer's last man. He's been hiding. He's been waiting. He's been planning. And tonight, he's going to make his move."
Percy's face was hard. "Where is he?"
Mica's fingers moved. "He's here. In Manila. He's been here for days. He's been watching. He's been waiting. He's been—"
She stopped. Her face went pale.
"What?" Jay asked.
Mica looked up. "He's at the gate. He's here. He's—"
The lights went out.
---
The warehouse went dark. Complete darkness. The kind of darkness that pressed against your eyes, that made you blind, that made you helpless.
Jay dropped to the ground. Her knife was in her hand. Keifer was beside her. Freya was at the door. Rakki was at the table. Everyone was moving. Everyone was ready.
The lights came back on.
A man was standing at the center of the room. He was tall. His hair was dark. His face was hard. His eyes were cold. He was holding a gun. He was pointing it at Keifer.
"Keifer Watson," Viktor said. "I've been waiting for this moment for a very long time."
Keifer stood up. His hands were empty. His face was calm. "Who are you?"
Viktor smiled. It was a cold smile. "I was your father's last man. I watched him die. I watched your mother die. I watched your wife take everything from you. And now—" He raised his gun. "Now I'm going to take everything from her."
Jay moved. She was in front of Keifer before she could think. Her body was between him and the gun. Her arms were open. Her face was calm.
"Jay," Keifer said. "No."
Viktor's finger was on the trigger. His eyes were on Jay. "Goodbye, Mrs. Watson."
---
The shot came from the shadows.
Jay heard it before she saw it. The crack of glass. The whistle of air. The sound of something moving too fast, too close. Viktor's gun fell. His hand was bleeding. His face was white. He turned. He looked at the shadows. At the place where the shot had come from.
The woman stepped out of the darkness.
She was tall. Her hair was black. Her mask was black. Her clothes were black. She was a shadow. A ghost. A weapon. Her gun was raised. Her face was hidden. Her eyes were visible. They were sharp. They were steady. They were cold. They were Lyra's.
She walked toward Viktor. Her steps were silent. Her hands were steady. Her gun was aimed at his chest.
"You," Viktor said. His face was white. "You're supposed to be dead."
Lyra didn't answer. She walked to him. She stood in front of him. Her gun was at his head. Her mask was black. Her face was hidden.
"I watched your father die because of you," Viktor said. "I watched your mother die because of you. I watched—"
Lyra pulled the trigger.
Viktor fell. His body was heavy. His face was pale. His eyes were open. His hands were empty. The gun was on the floor. The blood was on the floor. The war was over.
Lyra stood over him. Her gun was empty. Her hands were steady. Her mask was black. Her face was hidden. She turned. She walked toward the door.
---
"Lyra," Jay said.
She stopped. She didn't turn. Her back was to Jay. Her hands were at her sides. Her mask was black.
Jay walked to her. Her steps were slow. Her face was wet. "Lyra. Please. Please come home. Please—"
Lyra didn't move. "I can't."
Percy walked to her. His face was wet. "You can. You can come home. We're all here. We're all waiting. We're all—"
Aries walked to her. Their face was calm. Their eyes were wet. "We miss you. We miss you every day. The corner is empty. The house is empty. We're empty without you."
Lyra's hands were shaking. Her shoulders were trembling. She didn't move. She didn't turn.
Ella walked to her. Her face was calm. Her voice was soft. "Alex has been waiting for you. Every night. In your corner. He hasn't moved. He hasn't eaten. He hasn't slept. He's been waiting for you."
Lyra's voice came. Low. Breaking. "Alex."
Care walked to her. Her head was still bandaged. Her face was pale. "I took a hit for you. I took a hit because I love you. Because you're my sister. Because you're my family. And I need you to come home. I need you to be safe. I need you to be with us."
Lyra's hands were shaking. Her shoulders were trembling. Her mask was black. Her face was hidden.
Freya walked to her. Her voice was low. "You saved us. You saved all of us. You saved Jay. You saved Care. You saved Keifer. You saved everyone in this room. Now let us save you."
Rakki walked to her. "Come home. Please. Come home."
Grace walked to her. "We miss you."
Kit walked to her. "We need you."
Mica walked to her. "We love you."
Honey's voice came through the speakers. Soft. Quiet. "Come home, Lyra."
---
Lyra stood in the center of the room. Her mask was black. Her face was hidden. Her hands were shaking. Her shoulders were trembling. She didn't move. She didn't turn.
Alex walked to her.
His steps were slow. His hands were empty. His face was wet. He stopped behind her. Close enough to touch. Far enough to let her breathe.
"Lyra," he said. His voice was low. His voice was breaking. "Please. Please come home. Please—"
She turned. Her mask was black. Her face was hidden. Her eyes were visible. They were wet. They were breaking. They were saying yes.
He reached up. His hands were shaking. His fingers touched the edge of her mask. She didn't move. She didn't stop him.
He pulled the mask away.
Her face was pale. Her eyes were dark. Her lips were thin. Her cheeks were hollow. The scars were white on her skin. Her hair was short. Her face was the same. Her face was different. Her face was Lyra's.
He looked at her. His hands were on her face. His eyes were on hers. "Lyra."
She looked at him. Her face was wet. Her hands were shaking. "Alex."
He kissed her.
It was soft. Slow. A kiss that said everything he had been waiting to say. A kiss that said he had been waiting for her. A kiss that said she was home.
She kissed him back. Her hands were in his hair. Her face was wet. Her heart was pounding. She kissed him like she had been wanting to kiss him for months. Since the day she fell. Since the day she died. Since the day she disappeared.
He held her. His hands were on her face. His eyes were on hers. "Come home. Please. Come home."
She looked at him. At the man who loved her. At the man who had been waiting for her. At the man she had been running from for months.
"I'm scared," she said. Her voice was small. Her voice was breaking. "I'm scared to come home. I'm scared to be that person again. I'm scared to—"
He pulled her close. His arms were around her. His face was in her hair. "You don't have to be that person. You don't have to be anything. You just have to be here. With me. With us. With the people who love you."
She held him. Her hands were shaking. Her face was in his chest. "I love you. I love you and I'm scared."
He kissed her hair. "I love you too. And I'm scared too. But we're going to be scared together. We're going to be okay together. We're going to be home together."
She pulled back. Her face was wet. Her eyes were bright. "Together?"
He smiled. It was small. Tired. Real. "Together."
---
Percy walked to her. His face was wet. His hands were empty.
"You're coming home," Percy said.
She looked at him. "I'm coming home."
He pulled her close. His arms were around her. His face was in her hair. "You scared me. You scared all of us."
She held him. Her hands were steady. "I scared myself."
He pulled back. His face was wet. "Don't do that again."
She almost smiled. Almost. "I won't."
Aries walked to her. Their face was calm. Their eyes were wet. "Welcome home."
Ella walked to her. Her face was calm. Her voice was soft. "We missed you."
Care walked to her. Her head was bandaged. Her face was pale. "You're home."
Lyra looked at her. At the bandages. At the wound. At the sister who had taken a hit for her. "You're hurt because of me."
Care shook her head. "I'm hurt because I love you. Because you're my sister. Because you're my family. And I would do it again. I would do it a hundred times."
Lyra pulled her close. Her arms were around her. Her face was in her hair. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything."
Care held her. "I know. I know."
---
Jay walked to her. Her face was wet. Her hands were empty.
"You're home," Jay said.
Lyra looked at her. "I'm home."
Jay pulled her close. Her arms were around her. Her face was in her hair. "Don't leave again. Please. Don't leave again."
Lyra held her. "I won't. I won't leave again."
Keifer walked to them. His hand was on Jay's back. His face was calm. His eyes were wet.
"Welcome home," Keifer said.
Lyra looked at him. "Thank you. For taking care of her. For taking care of all of them."
He smiled. It was small. Tired. Real. "They take care of me."
---
The night was ending when they left the warehouse.
The sun was rising. The sky was gold. The city was waking. The war was over. Lyra was home.
Alex walked beside her. His hand was in hers. His face was bright. His eyes were on her. He didn't look away. He didn't want to.
"You're staring," she said.
He smiled. "I'm observing."
She almost smiled. Almost. "Same thing."
He pulled her close. His arm was around her. His face was in her hair. "I love you."
She leaned against him. "I love you too."
---
The house was waiting.
The garden was blooming. The steps were new. The windows were bright. The corner was empty. Waiting for her.
Alex stopped at the door. He looked at her. "Are you ready?"
She looked at the house. At the garden. At the steps. At the corner where she used to stand. At the home she had left. At the home she was coming back to.
"I'm ready," she said.
He opened the door. She walked inside.
The house was warm. The lights were soft. The air smelled like coffee and flowers and home. Percy was in the kitchen, making noise, making food. Aries was beside him, their hand in his. Ella was at the table, her hands folded, her face soft. Care was on the sofa, Cole beside her, her head bandaged, her face calm. Grace was with Denzel. Kit was with Mayo. Freya was with Erdix. Rakki was with Ci N. Mica was with Calix. Honey was on the screen, her face soft, her voice quiet.
Jay was at the window. Keifer was beside her. His hand was in hers.
Lyra walked to the corner. Her corner. The one where she used to stand. The one where she used to watch the street. The one where she used to wait for Alex.
She stood there. Her hands were empty. Her face was blank. Her eyes were on the window.
Alex stood beside her. His hand was in hers.
"Welcome home," he said.
She looked at him. Her face was blank. Her eyes were not.
"I'm home," she said.
---
END OF CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN