MARRY YOUR KILLER
Chapter One Hundred Eight: The Last Enemy
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The call came at midnight.
Jay was in the nursery, Aurora in her arms, Alexander in Keifer's arms. The twins were finally sleeping, their faces soft, their breathing slow. The house was quiet. The family was resting. The world was still.
Her phone buzzed. Mica's name flashed on the screen.
Jay answered. Her voice was low. "What?"
Mica's voice was tight. "There's someone. Someone we missed. Someone who's been watching. Someone who's been waiting."
Jay's hand tightened on the phone. "Who?"
Mica was quiet for a moment. "His name is Viktor. He was Keizer's last man. The one who trained Yuri. The one who planned the attacks. The one who has been hiding for years. He's been waiting for the right moment. He's been waiting for us to let our guard down."
Jay looked at Keifer. His face had gone still. His arms were tight around Alexander.
"Where is he?" Jay asked.
Mica's voice was steady. "He's here. In Manila. He's been here for weeks. He's been watching the house. He's been watching the twins. He's been waiting."
Jay's hand was shaking. "For what?"
Mica's voice was low. "For you to be happy. For you to be comfortable. For you to forget that there are still people who want to destroy you."
---
The meeting was called in the study.
The house was dark. The lights were low. The family was gathered. Percy was in the armchair, his face pale, his hands empty. Honey was beside him, her face calm, her eyes sharp. Aries was with Ella, their hands intertwined, their faces pale. Care was with Cole, her medical bag open, her hands ready. Rakki was with Ci N, her face hard, her eyes cold. Mica was at her laptop, her fingers moving, her face focused. Calix was beside her. Freya was at the door, her arms crossed, her face sharp. Erdix was beside her. Grace was with Denzel, her fists clenched. Kuya Angelo was with Ion, his face calm, his hands steady. Tita Gemma was with Tita Rachel, her face wet, her hands shaking. Keiran was with Keigan, his face pale, his hands empty. Keigan was beside him, his arms crossed, his face cold.
Lyra was in her corner. Her face was blank. Her hands were steady. Alex was beside her, his hand in hers.
Jay stood at the center. Keifer was beside her. Her hands were empty. Her face was calm. "There's someone else. Someone we missed. Viktor. He was Keizer's last man. He trained Yuri. He planned the attacks. He's been watching. He's been waiting. And now he's ready to move."
The room was silent.
Mica's voice came through the speakers. "He's been in Manila for weeks. He's been watching the house. He's been watching the twins. He wants revenge. He wants to finish what Keizer started. He wants to destroy everything we've built."
Percy stood up. His face was hard. "Where is he?"
Mica's fingers moved. "He's at the old warehouse. The one where Yuri died. He's been there for days. He's been waiting for the right moment."
Rakki stood up. Her face was hard. Her hands were fists. "Then we don't wait. We go now. We end this."
Jay looked at her. "We go together. We end this together."
---
The warehouse was dark when they arrived.
The sun was not yet up. The sky was gray. The water was black. The building rose before them, rusted and silent, the place where Yuri had died, the place where Lyra had been shot, the place where the war had almost ended.
Jay stood at the entrance. Keifer was beside her. Freya was behind her. Lyra was in the shadows. Rakki was at the front. Ci N was with her, his face pale, his hands steady. Mayo and Kit were at the back. Grace and Denzel were at the side. Care was at the van, her medical bag open, her hands ready. Cole was beside her.
Percy was on the roof with Aries. Honey was with them, her eyes sharp, her gun drawn. Keiran was in the van with Keigan, his face pale, his hands empty. Keigan was watching. He was always watching.
Mica's voice was in Jay's ear. "He's inside. Alone. He's been waiting for you."
Jay's hand went to her knife. "Then let's not keep him waiting."
She walked through the door.
---
The warehouse was lit with a single light.
It hung from the ceiling, white and harsh, casting long shadows across the floor. Viktor was standing in the center. He was tall. His hair was gray. His face was hard. His eyes were cold. He was holding a gun. He was smiling.
"Jasper Jean Mariano Watson," Viktor said. "I've been waiting for this moment for a very long time."
Jay walked toward him. Her knife was in her hand. Her face was calm. "You should have stayed hidden."
He laughed. It was a cold sound. "I've been hiding for years. Watching. Waiting. Keizer was weak. Yuri was weak. Ava was weak. They didn't have the stomach to finish what they started."
He stepped closer. His gun was raised. His eyes were on her. "But I do."
---
The fight was short.
Viktor was fast. He was strong. He had been trained by Keizer. He had trained Yuri. He had been waiting for this moment his whole life.
But Jay was faster. She was stronger. She had been trained by her father. By the war. By the blood. She had been waiting for this moment her whole life too.
She moved. Her knife was in his hand before he could fire. He fell. His gun clattered on the floor. His blood was red on her hands.
Viktor looked up at her. His face was white. His eyes were empty. "You think this is over? You think you've won? There will always be someone else. Someone who wants what you have. Someone who wants to take it from you. Someone who—"
Jay knelt beside him. Her face was calm. Her eyes were steady. "Let them come."
She stood. She walked away. She didn't look back.
---
The sun was rising when they left the warehouse.
The sky was gold. The water was bright. The city was waking. Jay stood at the entrance, her hand in Keifer's, her face turned toward the sky. The family was behind her. The war was over. The last enemy was gone.
"It's over," Jay said.
Keifer pulled her close. "It's over."
She leaned against him. "For good."
He kissed her hair. "For good."
---
Lyra stood at the edge of the water. Alex was beside her. His hand was in hers. Her face was blank. Her eyes were on the sunrise.
"You're thinking," Alex said.
She looked at him. "I'm thinking about Yuri. About Viktor. About the war. About how it's finally over."
He pulled her close. "It's over."
She leaned against him. "It's over."
---
Percy stood on the roof. Honey was beside him. His face was wet. His hands were shaking.
"It's over," Honey said.
Percy nodded. "It's over."
Honey pulled him close. "We're safe."
Percy held her. "We're safe."
---
Care stood at the van. Cole was beside her. Her medical bag was closed. Her hands were empty.
"It's over," Cole said.
Care nodded. "It's over."
Cole pulled her close. "We're safe."
Care held him. "We're safe."
---
Rakki stood at the entrance. Ci N was beside her. Her face was hard. Her eyes were wet.
"It's over," Ci N said.
Rakki nodded. "It's over."
Ci N pulled her close. "We're safe."
Rakki held him. "We're safe."
---
Mica closed her laptop. Calix was beside her. Her face was calm. Her eyes were bright.
"It's over," Calix said.
Mica nodded. "It's over."
Calix pulled her close. "We're safe."
Mica held him. "We're safe."
---
Freya stood at the gate. Erdix was beside her. Her arms were crossed. Her face was sharp. Her eyes were soft.
"It's over," Erdix said.
Freya nodded. "It's over."
Erdix pulled her close. "We're safe."
Freya held him. "We're safe."
---
Grace stood at the side of the warehouse. Denzel was beside her. Her fists were open. Her face was soft.
"It's over," Denzel said.
Grace nodded. "It's over."
Denzel pulled her close. "We're safe."
Grace held him. "We're safe."
---
Kuya Angelo stood at the van. Ion was beside him. His face was calm. His eyes were wet.
"It's over," Ion said.
Kuya Angelo nodded. "It's over."
Ion pulled him close. "We're safe."
Kuya Angelo held him. "We're safe."
---
Tita Gemma sat in the van. Tita Rachel was beside her. Her face was wet. Her hands were shaking.
"It's over," Tita Rachel said.
Tita Gemma nodded. "It's over."
Tita Rachel pulled her close. "We're safe."
Tita Gemma held her. "We're safe."
---
Keiran stood at the van. Keigan was beside him. His face was bright. His eyes were wet.
"It's over," Keigan said.
Keiran nodded. "It's over."
Keigan pulled him close. "We're safe."
Keiran held him. "We're safe."
---
The sun was rising over Manila. The city was waking. The war was over. The last enemy was gone.
Jay stood at the door of the house. Keifer was beside her. His hand was in hers. The twins were in the nursery. Sleeping. Safe. Home.
"It's over," Jay said.
Keifer pulled her close. "It's over."
She leaned against him. "For good."
He kissed her hair. "For good."
---
The house was quiet when they walked in.
The nursery was warm. The twins were sleeping. Aurora was in her crib, her arms spread, her face soft. Alexander was in his crib, his fists clenched, his face serious.
Jay stood in the doorway. Keifer was behind her. His hand was on her back. "They're safe."
Keifer kissed her hair. "They're safe."
Jay leaned against him. "We're all safe."
He pulled her close. "We're all safe."
---
Lyra stood in her corner. Her hands were in her pockets. Her face was blank. Her eyes were on the window. The sun was rising. The garden was gold. The roses were red.
Alex stood beside her. His hand was in hers. "You're thinking."
She looked at him. "I'm thinking about how far we've come."
He pulled her close. "We've come far."
She leaned against him. "We've come home."
---
The family gathered in the living room.
The sun was bright. The coffee was hot. The laughter was loud. The war was over. The last enemy was gone. They were safe. They were home. They were together.
Percy raised his cup. "To the end."
Honey raised her cup. "To the end."
Aries raised their cup. Ella raised hers. Care raised hers. Cole raised his. Rakki raised hers. Ci N raised his. Mica raised hers. Calix raised his. Freya raised hers. Erdix raised his. Grace raised hers. Denzel raised his. Kuya Angelo raised his. Ion raised his. Tita Gemma raised hers. Tita Rachel raised hers. Keiran raised his. Keigan raised his.
Lyra raised her cup. Alex raised his.
Jay raised her cup. Keifer raised his. "To the beginning."
They drank. The coffee was warm. The laughter was loud. The family was together.
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END OF CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED EIGHT