Page 28 of Ashfall
“Yeah, we trashed the place. Hawk’s tied up in your room, Nyx - sorry.” Well, that's one way to clear any doubt if Graves thought I might know. Blitz looks back at me and then to Noc. “I don't like this.” Her face matches the worry in her tone, and the feeling is mutual. But Noc answers her whilst ripping the blood-stained tailored shirt off. My eyes promptly skim over his sculpted torso, all carved lines of packed muscle; it is totallyinappropriate to be doing this right now, but it would be a sin not to admire.
“Hawk knows what he's doing. He's been in this with me for four years. He can handle himself.” Noc sighs. “He knows what to do if he's in trouble.” But he doesn't elaborate further. I tear my gaze away to look at Blitz, stretching my hand through the gap to hold hers rested on the back of the seat, and squeeze. She gives me a smile that doesn't lift far at the corners, then faces back around. I sink into the seat, releasing a breath, a silent hope that it will carry the weight of the stress away with it. Noc's knee bumps into mine and I glance at him undoing his belt, moving to slide his suit trousers off and swap them for the cargos Phantom gave him.
His t-shirt is scrunched up at his chest as he pours antiseptic over the gash. Then he winds a temporary bandage round his torso until we can deal with it properly. Phantom eases the cruiser onto the road, his voice sharp when calls back, “Where the fuck do we go from here?”
I glance up, finding Noc already staring at me as I watch him. “Head for Moscow. It will be a ten-hour drive from here. I've got a safe house on the outskirts we can use. Hawk knows we'll be headed there.” Noc finally breaks the stare, typing the address into someone’s phone. But the second he hands it over; his full attention is right back on me. My thighs clench with an ache of a reminder of what we did just hours before.
He reaches out, wordlessly inviting me closer. I’m too tired to protest, and too drained to argue about whether this is appropriate. Affection with an audience? Unfamiliar territory with him - with anyone. And there’s still so much left unsaid between us. But he doesn’t wait for me to decide. His fingers curl around my arm, tugging me closer, clearly unimpressed with my hesitation. I shift to settle into the seat, resting my head in his lap.
His fingers thread through the loose hair of my ponytail, his touch unbelievably gentle compared to the cutting edges of his demeanor. Anyone would take one look at him and assume he’s incapable of being tender. But I know better. Because here we are, slipping into that old familiarity, like no time has passed at all. He stares out the window, lost in thought, his fingers still gliding in the strands of my hair. Between the feel of his touch, and the events of the last twenty-four hours, exhaustion lies deep in my bones. And somehow, I find myself drifting into the most peaceful sleep I’ve had in the last four years.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
nyx
Twelve hours it took to reach Noc’s safehouse. Traffic slowed us down, along with multiple stops for gas and food supplies that dragged the journey out even more. Eventually, we turn into a quiet road. Noc guides me to which one belongs to him, and I pull the cruiser up to the pavement. The homes here are more spaced out than around his last place, but they still have that touch of luxury. The area provides absolute privacy, with towering hedge cages around each residence, shielding them from anyone passing through.
The only glimpse of what lies beyond comes when the large, blacked-out electric gate slides open, revealing a sanctuary hidden within. The house is modern. Two floors stretch wide into an angular design, paired with a flat roof that sharpens its silhouette. The façade is a blend of soft timber slats, some light, some dark, complemented by shadowed floor-to-ceiling glass windows. Wide stone steps lead up to the entrance, flanked by a garage to the right. I almost laugh - this so-called safe house looks straight out of a movie. Noc steps out, heading over to pull a loose brick free to reveal a hidden keypad; it’s completely invisible unless you know exactly where to look. He punches in a code with ease, like muscle memory guides his fingers. Assoon as the door rises, I ease the car forward, parking beside a blacked-out SUV.
We all jump out - doors slamming shut in quick succession as we follow Noc inside. The space inside is just as sleek, with a corridor opening into a sprawling, open-plan space and a living room anchoring the center. A sunken lounge draws my eye. It has deep brown sofas wrapping around it in a perfect square. Above the fireplace, a massive TV dominates the wall. Sunlight spills through towering bay windows, stretching across the entire back side of the house, flowing seamlessly into the kitchen. The staircase cuts through the room, facing the entrance. Above, a wraparound balcony overlooks the floor below, leading to the second level.
The interior of this home is a stark contrast to the last. The first was unsettling, wrapped in secrecy, and matching the mask he’s worn the past four years. This one feels like the face behind it is being unveiled. His shadows still lurk in the corners, but it feels like this one breathes the air of freedom.
“Bathrooms at the far end,” Noc says, pulling me from my assessment. “Two guest rooms across from it. Another upstairs with an ensuite, along with the master. My office is up there too, along with a safe room stocked with weapons.” Blitz doesn’t wait to hear anything else, she bolts for the stairs. “Ensuite room is mine!” Her thudding footsteps echo through the house. Adam lets out a low whistle as he strolls through, taking in our new ‘base.’ “Nice pad. Must’ve set you back.”
By the window, Phantom taps a finger against the glass, assessing the security. “Level five?” He glances at Noc for confirmation on the grade, but Blitz shouts from the stairs before he can answer. “Seven!” Clearly, she’s already picked it up from her room. Phantom puckers his lips, nodding, seeming impressed.
I head to the fridge and open it, thanking the Gods when I find it fully stocked. Without hesitation, I grab an ice-cold bottle of water. Adam wanders over, raising a brow at my lack of manners. “What?” I shrug, twisting off the cap. “I think we’re past pleasantries, don’t you?” If he knew the things Noc and I had done before we got here, he’d realize asking for water is way past its sell by date.
Noc heads over to the door closest to me, opening it to reveal which can only be described as a control room. Small screens expand over the wall, and equipment is spread over a desk with a large leather chain placed front and center. “Hawk says you’re the cyber guy, You can use this room whilst you’re here.” Adams eyes light up like a kid on Christmas morning, one that’s been handed the newest gaming console on the market. He wanders right in, dropping into the seat, and placing his laptop on the desk. “I've missed this.” He whispers, inhaling a deep breath, as if the smell of the untouched electronics alters the chemistry in his brain. I can’t help but chuckle, watching him completely in his element as Noc walks him through the CCTV system. Adam nods along, focused, soaking in every detail with interest.
“This connects to a server that Hawk and I share to allow us to communicate in secrecy. If Hawk’s in trouble, he can raise the alarm through it and it’ll alert the phones connected to it. There’s also an alarm in the hallway in the event it can't reach the devices.” Adam looks up to him in total bewilderment from the chair. “That’s genius.” Noc pushes back from the desk with a smirk on his face, and I watch the two of them from the door frame.
Phantom appears close to my side, “I’m gonna head up for some shut eye. I don’t think I can watch Adam any longer. He's gonna jizz in his pants soon with that much technology at his fingertips.” I bark out a laugh, as his footsteps fade inthe opposite direction. Noc glances over at me, his features softening as we lock eyes.
My heart pounds in wild and restless beats, as if the fiery life inside me, which I thought long diminished - is finally flickering back to life as I watch his prowl. He's dressed like the rest of us, and looks every bit the killer. The sight drags me back to old memories - to the days when he stalked the military base in dark gear, his presence every inch a weaponized force. He looks the part now, just as he did then, but this time, there’s an edge to it. Something heavier, and darker. I push off the frame and fall into step behind him, the silence stretching between us. I don’t know where to start; there's so much unsaid. One night won’t be enough to fix it all, but we need to start somewhere.
Noc picks up on my apprehension, stopping just before the stairs. His hand rises, fingers brushing against a loose strand of hair that’s escaped its tie. “You suit the darker hair,” he murmurs, his voice laced with something unreadable. “Matches that little demon inside you.” A wicked smile tugs at his lips and, for a brief second, it steals the breath from my chest. Then he takes my hand, leading me towards the stairs. “Go ahead upstairs to my bedroom, I need to quickly get stitched up and then I’ll come find you,” he says, glancing back at me. “I can see the internal gears working overtime. Best to get it over with before you give yourself an aneurysm.”
He disappears around the corner, and I pause when I reach the second floor, taking a few moments to admire the view over the balcony. The large bay windows stretch across the back wall, offering a full view of the garden below. The tree line spreads along the perimeter, though there’s a tiny glimpse of another home further through the thick foliage, its roof peeking through the leaves threatening to swallow it. The upstairs has the same minimal vibe as the ground floor, all wide-open airiness. My feet guide me on their own towards the right, down a smallercorridor with a door on one side and a larger black one at the end.
I hesitate when I reach the grander looking entrance, taking a couple of minutes to slow my breathing down, because when Noc gets back, every word unsaid between us is about to spill after years of containment. Closing my eyes, I reach out my hand against the darkened wood, and push open the door to reveal what's undoubtedly, his bedroom.
Dark wood and plush carpets dominate the space. There are barely any solid walls here, the room mostly encased in shadowy glass, the ink wooden blinds drawn halfway to ensure privacy. Ahead, the bed sits on a raised platform, centered against a half-paneled wooden wall. It’s huge, and looks almost untouched. I drift forward, curiosity pulling me deeper into the room. Sleek, glossy black wardrobes line my left, but what catches my attention is the hidden space behind the bed. Stepping up, I find myself in the bathroom. The windows have a small glass door that leads to a wraparound balcony on the exterior. A wide countered sink sits at my side, an oversized mirror hanging above. Against the far wall, a rainfall shower looms at the back - and god does it look inviting. I turn back to the bedroom to find Noc sitting on the bed, waiting for me.
“This place is beautiful. It's so, you.” I say and the shyest smile he’s even given makes the joints in my knees weaken. “I don’t get to come here often. I keep it hidden from my world. If I were to make it out of this shit in the end, this is where I would want to spend the rest of my days.” I pick up on the tinge of sadness in his words, as I sit next to him, crossing my legs as I grab a pillow and place it on my lap, resting my arms on it. “You still do that huh?” and I notice that he's referring to my comfort habit. His eyes are lost in nostalgia when I search them. But beneath the surface, creeping in the edges of his gaze, turmoil is haunting the depths. Noc’s eyes have always been able to tellme more than his words ever could. The breath I take expands against the walls of my lungs before I speak.
I ask the one question that's been lurking in the back of my mind, never letting me forget. “Why did you leave, Lev?” My voice is barely above a whisper. The silence thick and heavy between us, as he too searches my eyes. It makes me wonder what he sees within them. How soulless I've become since? My eyes were more colorful once, before he was gone. The light in them faded a long time ago. Then again, the world itself felt more vibrant when he was in it. For the past four years, it’s been dulled. Empty. “I had to, Brodie.” It’s all he gives me, and it’s not enough. He knows it.
“I’m not taking that as an answer. I might have four years ago, but not now. Not ever.” Something shifts in his expression. He realizes he can’t sway me the way he once did. His exhale comes out slow, and deep, as if pulling breath from the very core of himself, gearing up to finally tell me the truth.
“It took two years for Graves to try and catch up with me at the base, two years to manipulate the evidence your mother had. He workedhard. Making sure he covered his tracks and removed anything that wouldn't make sense to be blamed on me.” He adjusts his position so he's fully facing me, as I comfort myself by sliding the material of the pillow between my fingers. “That last mission, I didn't know that was going to be the last time I saw you.” I force down a swallow of emotion threatening to travel up my throat. “Graves had planned for Volokov to capture me, deliver me to him. So he could find out what I knew and where the files were. But he'd gotten greedy, enjoying the thrust of power he had stepping in as Acting General before James took over when your mother passed. Volokov went off him. He was going rogue from their agreed plans, and it cost Volokov big time.”
“So when Volokov got me on the field,” his eyes break our stare as he looks at my scarred wrist. “He made me an offer.” My body goes rigid, wondering what the hell could be so big that he'd give up everything he ever knew, to be erased from the world. “He asked me to help bring Graves down, but in return, I couldn't bring Volokov down. Had to let him continue with his plans. Said he'd be able to help me prove my innocence.” I stare at him, not liking where this is going, my skin feels icy with each word he speaks. “But that wasn't the only offer.” His eyes finally find mine again, the turbulence intensifying, like he's not sure whether to tell me the rest.
“Tell me, Lev. Please.” He bites back a silent curse as he looks at his hands for a long moment, then lifts them back to me, “He knew that alone wouldn’t be enough for me… Not until he mentioned you.” The hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention, unease crawling up my spine “Me? I don't understand.” he leans forward with his hands clasped together, dangling them between his legs, he’s no longer facing me as his sights are fixed on the open space. “Graves had plans for you. He was going to arrange for Volokov's men to kidnap you, put you through hell. Make it nationwide news that the deceased General's daughter had been kidnapped by terrorists whilst out on a deployment, allowing him to be involved in political negotiation talks on the national level. Swoop in and rescue you as a certain route to the highest fucking award the military has ever offered. He'd make history books, riddled by his guilt for not being able to save the mother, but able to make it in time for the daughter. He said he'd make sure you were so fucked up after it, they'd have no choice but to let you go, not fit enough to serve anymore due to the trauma.” His jaw clenches so tightly, the muscles in his throat flex.
I can't get my lungs to work, and my throat feels like there's a vice gripping it. I’m focused on Noc’s side profile, waiting forhim to say he’s exaggerating. He’s got to be. Graves can't be that unhinged. “I thought he wanted to use me as a weapon? The video of my mom-” he cuts in as he finally gives in to look at me.
