Page 22 of Fang

My fingers curl into fists beneath the desk. The logical part of my brain acknowledges his caution—it’s what’s kept him alive, kept the club intact through wars and betrayals. But logic feels distant now, overshadowed by the desperate look in Mina’s eyes when she spoke of her brother. A look I recognize from my own mirror on the anniversaries of Tommy’s disappearance.

“I ran every possible check on her,” I say, fighting to keep my voice steady. “Her story holds up. The cartel’s been using her brother as leverage for years.”

Vapor’s gaze doesn’t waver. “And what if they still are? What if they know she’s reached out to us, and they’re using her to infiltrate what’s left of our operation? One woman with a sad story is a small price to pay for getting inside our defenses.”

My chair scrapes against the hardwood floor as I stand abruptly. The sound is harsh in the quiet room, a physical manifestation of my fraying patience.

“You think I haven’t considered that?” The words come out sharper than intended. “I’m not some prospect still wet behind the ears. I’ve been doing this long enough to know when someone’s playing me.”

Vapor watches me, his expression unchanged by my outburst. That controlled calm only fuels my frustration. My hands clench and unclench at my sides as I struggle to reassemble my usual composure. I don’t know what crawled up Vapor’s ass today, but he’s being unreasonable.

“What’s up with you?” I demand. “Normally you wouldn’t question my data.”

“It could be fake.”

“But it’s not. You’re giving me the third degree, like I’m some fucking prospect. Do you still trust me or what?” The question hangs in the air between us.

For a long moment, Vapor says nothing. The silence stretches until I feel like an overloaded circuit, ready to spark and burn. When he finally speaks, his voice has softened almost imperceptibly. “I trust you, brother. I don’t trust the cartel. And right now, Mina works for them.”

“Not by choice. That’s the whole point.” I exhale slowly, forcing my shoulders to relax. Typically, I never get this worked up, but nothing about this situation is normal.

Vapor stands and rounds the desk, closing the distance between us. He’s a full four inches taller than my six-foot-one frame, forcing me to look up to meet his eyes. When we first met, that physical advantage was intimidating. Now it’s just Vapor—the man who gave me a home when I had none, who saw value in a tech geek with martial arts training and a missing brother-shaped hole in his life. I’m relying on that connection to garner his support.

He places a heavy hand on my shoulder, the weight of it both reassuring and constraining. “Find me something definitive,” he says. “Something that proves beyond a doubt she’s broken ties with the cartel. Something they can’t fake or force. Do that, and the club will back your play on extracting her brother.”

“I will,” I promise, reaching for my laptop. He’s not going to help us. There’s no point in continuing to beg. At least I tried to get through to him. “See you at Church.”

“Hey, Fang?” he calls as I walk toward the door. I pause to glance at him. “Watch your back. If she is as good as you claim, then the cartel won’t let her go easily. And if she isn’t…” He doesn’t finish the thought. He doesn’t need to. Also, it doesn’t matter. I’ve already made up my mind about what to do next.

“I’ll keep my eyes open.” I reach for the door.

“One more thing. Don’t tell her about Tommy.”

I freeze, hand on the doorknob. “Why would I?”

“Because you see yourself in her.” His words hit with the precision of a sniper. “Your judgment’s compromised when it comes to missing or endangered siblings. We both know that.”

The observation stings precisely because it’s accurate. I know what Vapor’s trying to tell me. He’s warning me not to lose sight of what’s at stake, but the weight of two missing siblings—Tommy and Rory—seems to press against my chest as I walk. One lost to circumstances I couldn’t control, one still within reach. I can’t change what happened to Tommy, but maybe, just maybe, I can help save Rory. And in doing so, perhaps save Mina from a life tied to men who use her talents while threatening what she loves most.

I just nod once in acknowledgment before stepping into the hallway and closing the door behind me. The corridor stretches before me, empty and quiet except for the distant sound of pool balls clicking against each other in the rec room. Back in my room, Mina’s waiting for news, hoping I’ve secured her brother’s salvation. I’m not giving up yet. I’ve got a few other ideas up my sleeve and I don’t need the club’s help to implement them.

I detour to my office and lock myself inside. After setting the laptop on the desk, I jump online to research Rory’s condition. Details are important. If I’m going to do this withoutVapor and the club, then I need to know exactly what I’m getting into. Fucking this up isn’t an option. The only way Vapor’s going to forgive me after the fact is if I’m right about everything and I execute a precise plan flawlessly. Anything else could get me kicked out of the club.

After making a few calls, I leave the office. Balancing club loyalty against this new mission is a dangerous game. But as I make my way back to my room, I feel a clarity I haven’t experienced in years. For once, the path forward isn’t buried in code or hidden behind firewalls. It’s right in front of me, challenging but clear. Vapor’s going to be pissed once he finds out what I did, but hopefully I’ll have Rory safely tucked away before that happens.

Chapter 10: Fang

The walk back to my room feels longer than usual, each step weighted with the knowledge that I’m about to defy Vapor. I don’t feel good about it, but I also don’t see any other option. The evidence I showed him should have been enough to convince him that she’s for real, but it wasn’t. Sucks, but it is what it is. I’m on my own. Well, I guess I’ve got her too. She’s smart. Her intelligence will come in handy.

As I approach my bedroom door, I straighten my shoulders. Going against Vapor isn’t something I do lightly, but the look on Mina’s face when she spoke about her brother burns in my mind. He could be right and this could all be an elaborate trap, but I don’t think it is. I’m also good at what I do, and I would have found something if she wasn’t legit.

She’s right where I left her, perched on the edge of my bed. She looks up and frowns. “What happened?”

“I talked to Vapor.”

“And?” she asks, voice steady despite the anxiety radiating from her posture.

I punch in the code to lock the door behind me. The soft click of the mechanism feels oddly final tonight, sealing us into a shared conspiracy.

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