Chapter 257: Friends

“Motherfucker!” Matthews screamed, her frustration boiling over. She wanted nothing more than to bash Ace’s indifferent face in. But since she couldn’t do that, she’d settle for smashing something—except she couldn’t do that either. The office wasn’t even hers; she’d only borrowed it from Bishop for the next 24 hours.

“Ma’am, should I finish what I started?” Senior Agent Man Hunter asked. She had already tried increasing the effects of her ability by several notches—this time through scent—but somehow, he hadn’t reacted. It didn’t make sense. 

However, that was far from her best. This time she wanted to attack all five of Ace’s senses with her ability. No one could stay that nonchalant after having all five of their senses hijacked. But pushing it further could leave him impaired… or worse. And there was no way a mortal tier would be able to survive that kind of sensory stimulation.

“No, damn it! I want him alive,” Matthews snapped, running a hand through her hair in frustration. “Killing him would be a huge waste of a good resource.”

Why the hell did everything go sideways when it came to Ace? She had taken down actual feared curse criminals—men and women who had massacred entire cities without batting their eyes. They cracked to her in that very interview room. Yet somehow, this one teenager was on the verge of ruining her entire career.

Sure, her name wasn’t mentioned anywhere in the files related to Operation 9Ks, but that wouldn’t stop her enemies. Curse users had a very long-term and razor-sharp memory. A little investigation—just a little—and they’d dig up the truth her mentor had so carefully buried to build his so-called legacy.

And once the truth was out? They’d drag her out of this office and throw her back into the field like some kind of disgraced agent. Then all of her hard work over several decades would go down the drain. Damn, she missed her baby girl’s entire childhood because of this damn job. She wouldn’t mind if it was the consequences of her mistake but she would forced to pay for the consequences of someone else’s mistake. Now, that wasn’t right.

“Ma’am, I don’t understand,” Agent Man Hunter said, brows furrowing. Was Matthews telling her not to waste resources trying to kill Ace? Or was she saying Ace was the resource she didn’t want to waste? Which was it?

“Just go ask him to return the employment contract if he doesn’t want to sign it,” Matthews ordered, pinching the bridge of her nose. “But if he needs time, give it to him. And keep an eye on him—anything suspicious, I want to know immediately.”

She was too ashamed to face Ace right now. Hopefully, the investigative team would finally come through. Then, and only then, would she be able to look him in the eye—watch his face when she told him she had him dead to rights.

“Yes, Ma’am,” Agent Man Hunter agreed. Saluting the acting EAD she then excused herself from the EAD’s office. 

…

In the C.I.B. Headquarter’s Criminal Investigations Department’s Floor’s Lobby,

“Why can’t I meet him?! He’s not under arrest or anything!” Janice yelled, her voice echoing through the lobby as she glared at the blonde, short-haired, hunky male agent blocking her way.

“For the hundredth time, Janice, guests aren’t allowed on this floor. Even if it’s you.” Bart, the agent in question, sighed, arms crossed. “So, please, stop embarrassing yourselves—and our family. Just go wait in the visitor’s hall. Your friend will be out when the interview is done.”

He was so done repeating himself. But Janice? She just wasn’t getting it. The only reason he had been stuck with this task was because he was a McSuile too—not a direct-line descendant, but high enough in the hierarchy to talk to Janice casually.

“Hic—Bart, step aside unless you wanna start vomiting eyeballs for the rest of your life,” Elinor slurred, her glare unsteady but still dangerous.

Bart shot her a look of pure disdain, he did not seem to have an iota of respect for the latter as he advised her, “Elinor, you’re already suspended. Go home, peacefully, and wait for their call. Don’t make me have someone throw your ass out of the building for creating a scene.”

“Janice, I can’t reach him,” Lola suddenly said, worry creeping into her voice. She had been texting Ace, but none of her messages were going through. When she finally tried calling, the line didn’t even connect. Fear gnawed at her, and she turned to Janice for reassurance.

“Don’t waste your time trying to call him,” Elinor interjected with a hiccup. “Unless you’ve got a cursed phone, you won’t get any signal on this floor. Especially in the interview room.”

Lola’s face paled, her concern deepening.

Meanwhile, Sonia, Evil Eyes, and Delores stood behind them, watching Janice and Elinor stir up a scene without interfering.

“You think what they’re saying is true?” Sonia asked, lowering her voice as she glanced at Evil Eyes. “Did he really do it?”

Evil Eyes took a moment to think before answering, “Well… he had the motive, and the curse sensors on that floor did stop working briefly—right when he happened to be talking to them. But all of that’s just circumstantial. Nothing damning, so—”

“He did it, alright.” Sonia and Evil Eyes both turned in surprise as Delores cut in with a knowing grin on her face.

Ignoring their shocked expressions, she smirked and continued, “For a crime of opportunity, he was very thorough. He even volunteered to cooperate—just to see if they had anything on him. If any of you are thinking about crossing him—or even trying to kill him—make sure he’s dead and stays dead.” She leaned in slightly, her tone almost amused. “Otherwise? A life worse than hell is what’s waiting for you… if your mind even manages to survive the torture that is.”

With a side glance at Sonia, Delores made sure her warning was crystal clear. Not that she particularly cared about her—she just knew Ace could handle his own business thoroughly. Honestly? She was impressed with the kid.

“You heard her, right?” Evil Eyes nudged Sonia’s thigh with his elbow, snapping her out of her thoughts as that’s how far he could reach her with his height. When she finally came to, she waved off his concern, “My sole focus at present is getting top grades at boot camp.”

She said that, but deep down, she was worried. How the hell was she supposed to get revenge on someone like Ace? At first, she had been relieved, even smug, thinking he was just some mortal-tier runt. But after watching him run circles around the entire C.I.B., a small voice in her head whispered that maybe—just maybe—it was best to put that particular grudge on hold. For now.

“Good for you,” Evil Eyes said, though he wasn’t fooled for a second. “I’d hate to see you waste your potential on something as stupid as revenge.”

Not that it was his problem. He’d said his piece—what she did with it was up to her. Especially since he didn’t even know what Ace had done to make her hate him so much.

Meanwhile, across the room, Janice was losing her patience.

“Damn it, Barton J. McSuile!” she snapped, her frustration boiling over. “Just let me check on him and I’ll go wait in the damn waiting room like a good little girl.”

She knew how the C.I.B. operated. It claimed to be about the law, but that wasn’t always the case. And right now? She was genuinely worried about her best friend’s favorite nephew. If it were her in there and Mandy was in her place, she knew damn well Mandy would be doing the exact same thing.

“Janice, Jason told us to go home,” Lola said, putting her phone away.

Janice turned to her, her eyes narrowing. “What?” she asked, only to hear Lola explain that Jason did not care. “I just got off the phone with him. You asked me to call, and I did. He shot us down immediately.”

Janice clenched her fists in frustration before declaring, “Fuck it, I’m going in—”

But just as she prepared to push past Barton, a familiar voice called out from the waiting room. “Delores! Delores!” She froze seeing Ace had just walked out.

When Ace spotted Delores by the reception desk, he immediately beelined toward her, dragging his feet like he had just run a marathon. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her chest, exhaling dramatically.

“I’m finally safe,” he uttered causing to Delores stiffen, her entire body going rigid. She darted a glance around the room, taking in the very confused expressions of everyone watching Ace cling to her like a lifeline. Her first instinct was to shove him off, but then she caught sight of his face—pale, exhausted, and drained.

Her brows furrowed. Did he slip up somewhere? No. Impossible. If Matthews had anything solid on him, there was no way she’d have let him walk out that door.

Janice, initially relieved to see Ace, immediately scowled at the scene before her. Her arms crossed over her chest as she glared at Delores. “What the hell is this?” she demanded. “Since when did you two get so close?” She knew Delores wouldn’t pull something like this. But still… Ace was a boy of many means, and that made her suspicious as hell.

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