CHAPTER 0015

Underworld 

"Person 1 is moving to the west side of the city, going 50 miles per hour," said the man in charge of tracking Ace, his voice steady as he relayed the information through the comms.

I leaned forward, my eyes narrowing as I watched the digital map on the screen, red dots representing Ace and his grandmother, moving across the city like rats scurrying through the maze I had laid out for them. 

The room around me buzzed with activity—my team working tirelessly, hands moving across keyboards, eyes glued to monitors, analyzing every piece of data.

"Keep him in sight. I want constant updates on his location," I ordered, my voice cold and devoid of any emotion. 

There was no room for error. I would not let them slip through my fingers again.

The silence in the room was broken by the sharp ring of my phone. I glanced at the screen—Andrew. He was the one I trusted most to bring me the information I needed.

"Hey, my brotherrr, i missed youu" 

Andrew's voice was filled with that familiar playful tone, but I wasn't in the mood.

"Get to the point, Andrew," I responded, my patience wearing thin.

There was a pause, followed by a dramatic sigh. "Ah, the cold shoulder. But fine, fine, business it is," 

he laughed, though I could sense the seriousness lurking beneath his words. 

"I've got their current location. They're planning to move far away, to some remote place where they can regroup and plan their next move. But here's the kicker—I don't know what they're planning, but whatever it is, it's big. They're not just hiding; they're preparing."

I processed his words, my mind already calculating the next steps. "Where are they now?"

"They're heading northwest, near the old industrial district. Probably going to lay low there for a while. But Luci, you need to act fast—they won't stay in one place for long."

"I know," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "Thanks, Andrew."

"Wow, thank you? That's new," Andrew chuckled, but I had already hung up, my focus shifting back to the task at hand.

My eyes returned to the screen, watching the blinking dots that represented my enemies. 

They thought they could outmaneuver me, but they were wrong. Every move they made, every direction they turned, I was there, waiting, watching.

I wouldn't stop until I had them cornered, no matter how far they ran or how well they hid. Ace and that wretched woman wouldn't escape me again.

And when this was all over, I'd finally have time to focus on what really mattered—Venneca. 

She would be mine, completely, and nothing would stand in my way.

"Increase surveillance on the northwest side," I ordered, my voice slicing through the air like a blade. 

"I want eyes on every entrance and exit in that district. We'll trap them like the rats they are."

The men around me nodded, immediately executing my commands. 

I watched as the surveillance feed split into multiple screens, each showing a different angle of the industrial district. It was only a matter of time now.

I could already picture the moment of victory in my mind—Ace and his grandmother on their knees, begging for mercy that I would never grant. 

And then, with them out of the way, I'd finally be able to focus all my attention on Venneca. 

She was already mine in every way that mattered, but I'd make sure she knew it, felt it in every fiber of her being.

But first, I had a hunt to finish. My enemies were running out of places to hide, and soon, they'd have nowhere left to go.

"Keep me updated," I said, turning away from the screen. "This ends tonight."

The room buzzed with quiet determination as my team continued their work, and I allowed myself a rare moment of satisfaction. 

Soon, this would all be over, and Venneca would be mine—just as it was always meant to be.

I walked to the large window overlooking the city, my thoughts momentarily drifting back to her. 

She'd been through so much, but once this was over, I'd make sure she was safe. I'd protect her, and she'd never have to worry about anything again. 

Venneca and I—we'd have all the time in the world, and no one would dare stand in our way.

But as I stood there, a sudden thought crossed my mind—what if this was all part of their plan? What if this was the distraction they wanted? My gut twisted, a dark feeling creeping in. 

I couldn't ignore the possibility that Ace and his grandmother were leading me into a trap, drawing me away from something more important. But what?

Before I could dwell on it further, the door to the room creaked open, and one of my top lieutenants, a sharp-eyed demon named Darius, stepped in, his expression grave. 

"Lucifer, we've intercepted something."

"What is it?" I asked, turning away from the window, my attention snapping back to him.

Darius held up a tablet, and with a swipe of his finger, a video feed began to play. 

The footage was grainy, likely captured from a low-quality camera, but what it showed was unmistakable. Ace and his grandmother were not just running—they were gathering. 

The video showed them meeting with other figures, some familiar, some not. Allies. 

They were rallying others to their cause, preparing for something much bigger than I had anticipated.

"They're building an army," Darius said, his voice heavy with the weight of the realization.

I felt a surge of rage, my blood boiling at the thought. This was more than just a chase; this was war. 

And they were trying to outmaneuver me on my own battlefield.

"They think they can take me on," I growled, my fists clenching at my sides. "Fools."

I slammed my fist down on the table, the force of it rattling the screens and equipment around the room. 

"Double the surveillance. I want every inch of that district covered. And Darius, start preparing our forces. If they want a war, I'll give them one they won't survive."

The room buzzed with a renewed sense of urgency as my orders were carried out. 

My enemies had just escalated the stakes, but they had no idea who they were dealing with. 

I'd tear their plans apart piece by piece, and when I was done, there would be nothing left of them.

And when the dust settled, Venneca would be safe, and she would be mine—completely and utterly. 

No one would ever come between us again. 

But first.. I had a war to win.