Chapter 22: No Option

Avery's fingers hovered over his phone, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. The Cleaner's app notification glared up at him, mocking his failure. 

The Siren Song had struck again.

"No way," he muttered, running a hand through his messy hair. "Violet was supposed to be safely guarded!"

Hadn't he assigned his people to watch her? Also, the politician's guards were supposed to be top-notch. So how...?

With a frustrated growl, Avery punched in Slick's number. If anyone could make sense of this mess, it was him.

"Boss?" Slick's usually calm voice had an edge to it.

"Status report. Now."

"We're outside this fancy resort," Slick explained. "The Mayor booked the whole place. Security's tighter than a drum. There's no way—"

A wailing siren cut through the air, drowning out Slick's words. Avery's grip tightened on his phone as he listened to the chaos unfolding.

"Slick? Talk to me!"

There was a pause, then Slick's voice came back, shaky. "Boss, an ambulance just pulled up. Medics are rushing in. It's... it's not looking good."

Avery's stomach dropped. He could picture the scene – panicked guards, the frantic rush of the medical team. And at the center of it all...

"There's a body bag," Slick whispered, confirming Avery's worst fears.

For a moment, Slick couldn't speak. Their first real mission, and they'd failed spectacularly. The Siren Song had danced circles around them.

"Get out of there," he finally managed. "Make sure no one sees you. Tell everyone to fall back."

"Got it, boss."

As the call ended, Avery stared blankly at his phone. This was just the beginning, he realized. The real game was about to start – and they were already behind.

…

Avery slouched in the uncomfortable hospital chair, his eyes fixed on Billy Johnson's pale face. After weeks of uncertainty, the guy was finally waking up from his Traumatic Brain Injury. Talk about timing.

Billy's eyelids fluttered, then opened. His gaze, unfocused at first, settled on Avery.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes," Billy croaked, his voice rusty from disuse. "You look like you need this bed more than I do. Want to trade?"

Avery almost cracked a smile. Almost. "I should get the nurse—"

"Nah, sit your butt down," Billy waved a weak hand. "I heard you talking to those guys earlier. The ones who...you know."

Avery's jaw tightened. No point in sugarcoating it now. "Yeah, the ones who tried to kill you. I took them in."

To his surprise, a faint smile crossed Billy's face. "Good. That's...that's good."

"You're weirdly chill about this," Avery couldn't help but point out.

Billy's eyes, though tired, held a spark of something. Wisdom, maybe? "Look, in the Third Street, it's not black and white. Most folks aren't bad – they just don't have better options. Give 'em a chance, and they'll surprise you."

Avery leaned back, studying the man before him. "But you found another way."

Billy's eyes flickered with a mix of pain and understanding. "Me? I've done worse than those guys. But then... everything got taken from me." He paused, studying Avery's face. "You look like someone who's lost it all, too."

Avery let out a bitter laugh. "That obvious, huh?"

"I might have a busted brain, but my ears work fine," Billy retorted. "I heard everything earlier."

Avery's shoulders slumped. "Her blood's on my hands."

"Maybe," Billy conceded. "You made a choice. Judged what you thought was right. It went sideways, and someone died. That makes you an accomplice, sure."

"I belong in jail with the rest of them."

Billy's eyes flashed. "You mean that man in suit who tried to ice me? No way. That guy would've tossed me in some alley and forgotten about me in a heartbeat. You... you saved me. I'm nothing, even in the cesspool of Third Street, but when you took those hits for me? I felt like I mattered. I thought back then, it wouldn't be bad to die this way."

"Stop," Avery muttered. "I only did it 'cause I thought I'd survive."

"Exactly. You're not playing hero. So why are you beating yourself up? What are you really trying to protect?"

"My life."

"Then protect it. Be selfish. Make the hard calls if you have to."

Avery's brow furrowed. "Isn't that... heartless?"

"Do you have another choice?"

Silence stretched between them. Avery couldn't find an answer.

"See?" Billy's voice was gentle. "You and the folks on Third Street? We're not so different. Sometimes, there are no good options."

Avery's fists clenched. Violet's face flashed in his mind, accusing.

"If you want to make peace with her ghost, get her justice," Billy continued. "But I doubt she's even looking for it. She got a quick out. People on Third Street? We're dying every day, slow and painful."

…

Sheriff Davis glared across the table, her fingers drumming an impatient rhythm. Opposite her, Lacuna slouched in his chair, the picture of nonchalance. Getting him here had been a nightmare – all that whining about a sprained ankle. Jenkins bought it, but Davis? She wasn't falling for his act.

"Look," Davis snapped, leaning forward. "We've got the evidence. Jars full of hearts. Human hearts. It's only a matter of time before forensics confirms they belong to your victims."

Lacuna's face remained blank, not even a flicker of emotion.

Davis changed tack, her voice softening. "Work with us here. I could get your sentence bumped down from death row to life. Don't you want to live? Aren't you afraid of death"

For a moment, silence stretched between them. Then, Lacuna's lips curved into a smile that sent chills down Davis's spine.

"Afraid of death?" he chuckled, the sound low and menacing. "Sheriff, I'm more terrified of staying alive now that you've caught me." His eyes locked onto hers, suddenly intense. "You have no idea what you've stumbled into."

Davis felt her confidence waver. This was no ordinary criminal. As she stared into Lacuna's dead eyes, a horrifying thought struck her: what if catching him had been part of someone else's plan all along?

She shook off the feeling. No, she was Sheriff Davis. She'd crack this case wide open, no matter what secrets were hiding in the shadows.

"Try me," she growled, refusing to back down.

Lacuna's smile widened, revealing teeth that seemed just a bit too sharp. "Oh, I won't Sheriff," he purred. "But I think they will."