An unnecessary warning but a welcome one anyway. When we step out into the night, each of us is more than equipped to deal with a bastard like Philip.
The night air is freezing as we make our way to Evie’s place, scattering through different gaps to tail her separately. Xavier was right that we’re preparedfor this situation, and the plan unfolds perfectly through the comms. The actor’s raving, the chaos in his wake, the sound of glass bottles breaking. The escalation only takes minutes before Evie runs out. Until it becomes a string of ducks, with Philip tailing Evie, and us tailing the both of them.
I’ve never considered myself a lazy son of a bitch.
But I don’twillinglyhave the patience or the capacity for this level of operation.
It could only be around 10 pm when Evie waltzes into the nearest park and sits on the swings. In such a tight corner, anyone passing by would miss her if they weren’t looking carefully. It’s a well-lit place on the cusp of a four-way intersection—with see-saws, slides, the usual sandbox—and the neighbourhood is relatively safe, so it shouldn’t trigger any suspicion or immediate danger.
Philip watches from across the street, hidden in the darkness of a tall fence, and beneath flora that reach out from over the paling to stretch into the road. He’s dressed warmly again, an executioner who isn’t used to the cold, and his long coat hangs heavy. Its fabric is thick enough to muffle steel, and his scarf is drawn high, to hide the shape of a mouth that never smiles.
I’m twenty steps behind, around the corner and out of his line of sight. I don’t know where Tobias and Christian are, but I know they’re close by, closer to Evie.
Moments pass like that—maybe minutes, maybe an hour… until I’m this close to losing my shit.
Until Philip makes his move and approaches Evie.
I let him go, taking his place in the darkness, beneath the overhanging trees.
And Evie’s surprised gasp cuts into the comms, “Oh. You.”
“Me.” Philip’s voice is soft—curious, “It’s not safe out here, you know.”
“I… Sorry. I was just… out for a walk. But the same goes for you.” I can hear the smile in her voice as she takes him in, “Late night shopping?”
“… You could say that.”
Sick bastard.
Philip sits on the swing beside her.
“You—You don’t need to keep me company,” she sounds flustered. “I usually take my walks out here. I’ll be fine.”
“At this time?”
“… It’s nice and quiet. And the stars are pretty.”
“I see. Still, I’d feel bad if I left you out here alone. Would it be okay if I stargazed with you?”
Evie watches him for a moment, before returning her gaze to the stars, injecting gratitude into her soft voice, “I’d appreciate that.”
Suddenly, Christian is beside me.
I notice how pale he is. How frustrated. How angry. I’m quiet as I lace my fingers with his, squeezing gently, grounding him in my touch. When our eyes meet in the darkness, only then does his energy settle. He exhales and his tension dissolves. He gives my fingers a gentle squeeze and his eyes warm with unspoken thanks—his energy shifts into quiet confidence.
Philip and Evie part ways late that night, but somewhere along the way, light conversation becomes easy laughter. It becomes an opening into something deeper, something meaningful. It is the snowball that has finally shifted into the avalanche and cemented like stone between them.
And even though the lines on the comms are silent, an undeniable clarity sets in across the team.
Evie has successfully ensnared the Harvester.
And now the hunt for his sponsors begins.
Chapter 22
‘Christian’
“So, how long have you been dating?” Gabriel’s voice interrupts my thoughts and white tea immediately spews from my nose.
