The Dark Side of Fate

121 The Assistant
~Leo~
"I can't believe we kicked ass like that," Dominic said, feeling happy about what we had achieved in the woods.
"I have never felt so strong in my life. Is this what the AgK32 does?"
Dominic asked Erik, who was laughing. I could see the pleasure in Erik's eyes. He looked like someone that had made a
breakthrough in research. It also made me realise we were his guinea pigs. I did not want to bring it up there until he was alone.
"Leo, did you see yourself? You were like Amelia. You were a blur," Vino said, and I frowned and looked at Devin, who nodded.
"The way you tore that wolf's belly was epic. One second you are under him, the next you are away from him, and his guts are
on the ground," Theodore said, and I was surprised at myself.
"The AgK32 worked well; with your genes," Erik said, smiling, and I looked at him.
"I know we are the first people to use your stuff," I linked him, and his smile faded. I caught him.
"Do not worry, I won't tell the king but do not try this kind of bullshit on us again. What if it hadn't worked?" I linked him, and he
shook his head.
"It would have worked. I had tested it before but not in a battle," he linked me back, and I dropped the matter so I do not end the
joy of the moment.
"See who I found," Andrew said, and we all looked in his direction. It was a weird-looking guy. I did not need help to know he was
a Stepanov.
"Melvin?" Erik asked him, and the guy looked away.
"Do you know him?’ Sylvester asked Erik: of course he did.
"My former assistant," Erik said, walked to where Melvin was held and punched him in the face.
"What is the meaning of this?" Erik asked, annoyed. It seemed the man had snapped. This could happen to anyone after facing
a near-death experience.

"What are you doing here?" Erik asked him, and the man cowered on his knees; it was clear he did not have the courage for a
confrontation.
"We tracked your cell phone," he said, and I looked at Erik. We had all come with our cellphones.
"Why? Who put you up to it," I asked him.
"Yuri said we should bring Erik," he said, and I took comfort that it had nothing to do with Ighor.
"So you decided to ambush us in the woods. Why not come to the Estate?" Dominic asked him, and he shook his head.
"The security is strong at the Estate, and we did not know Erik was in the north until the hearing. That was when we started to
track his phone. When I picked his signal, we took a helicopter to the woods where the signal was, " He said, and I frowned.
"So, where is the helicopter?" I asked him, and he shook his head.
"We jumped off the helicopter. It did not land. We took out the Kappas in your helicopter and lay in ambush." He said, and I
wondered how they could travel with feral wolves and jump off their helicopter. It seemed impossible and tedious.
"The hounds?" Erik asked.
"Normal warriors, but the collar turns them that way. We improved on the mechanism." He said, and Erik growled at him.
"You call that improvement? Turning normal people feral isn't an improvement," he said, and I agreed it wasn't an improvement
but madness.
"So this was why you left me to go and work for Yuri, so you can steal my inventions and use them for evil. That collar was
created to control and stabilise feral wolves, not run normal people mad," Erik said, sounding angry.
"Does Yuri know we are in the woods?" I asked him because he must know we had Ighor. If he did, the information we got from
Ighor would no longer be useful because their position would have been compromised.
"No. We thought Erik came to run some experiments here. We did not know he was with the King and Lords. We just wanted to
grab Erik." Melvin said, and I relaxed.
"What else do you know about our reasons for being in the woods other than our experiments?" Sylvester finally spoke.
"Nothing, your Majesty. I have no qualms with you. I was sent here to retrieve Erik, that is all,” He said quickly with fear.

"And you decided to kill us while you are at it," Sylvester added coldly, and the man shook his head in tears. I could see his fear.
It was understandable since people close to Sylvester saw him as a monster and feared him. It was a good image, one I planned
on building for myself.
"Very well. Let us take him back with us," Sylvester said.
"You will tell me all you know of Yuri's plans and where we can find him," Sylvester said, and we all laughed, knowing the torture
that would entail.
Devin and Dominic secured the prisoner, and we carried him back to the helicopter. Our clothes were on the floor, so we sorted
them out and dressed up.
We secured Melvin in the helicopter, and Theodore and Marcel became our pilots. Two more innocent kappas had lost their lives
to Yuri's madness. I was counting, and I planned to pay him back.
The ride back to the Estate was silent. I could tell Erik was very angry and had all the right to be so. Melvin had stolen from him
and tried to use his inventions against him.
We landed at the Estate, and the kappas came to the landing spot to take Melvin from us. Sylvester ordered that they secure the
prisoner while we headed into the building.
"The lounge," Sylvester linked all of us. I was looking forward to having a bath and eating something, but it seemed time was not
on our side. A lot needed to be done, and there was little time for it.
"Moonlight, where are you?" I linked Amelia while we moved towards the lounge. I wanted to let her know I was back and also to
find out how she was doing.
There was silence. It took a bit before she responded. She was sleeping, and my link had woken her up from sleep.
"I just want you to know we're home safely. Go back to sleep, Moonlight. I will join you soon," I said, and she said it was okay.
Everything going on was mentally and physically draining. Still, we just had a few more hurdles to jump, and we will be okay.
We got to the lounge, and everyone took their seats. It was clear none of us wanted to be there, but we needed to have this
meeting.

"I want to commend everyone for the performance today. It shows we are ready to take those bastards down," Sylvester said and
looked at Erik.
"I want you to speed up the AgK32 so we can administer it to our warriors. But based on all that has happened now, I do not trust
any Stepanov other than the ones in this mansion." He said and sighed.
"I am saying, Erik, that I will no longer need the Stepanov army. I would rather fight with people I can trust than people who can
turn on me anytime. As things are, your circle is highly compromised. Ighor and Melvin have shown how vulnerable you are and
how much ground Yuri has gained against you in your clan. I do not need any more surprises. So I will need the cocktail to
administer to our warriors before we go to Gad. I can expect their loyalty. My men and Leo's men will be enough to take them
down,* Sylvester said, and Erik shook his head.
"Please. I know people who do not support Yuri and have a bone to pick with him. It is only fair you let Stepanovs join in this
fight. You have kept your end of the bargain. Please allow us to keep ours. Igor was an unfortunate fool that claimed to be
neutral. He was neither for nor against.
I do not know what happened, and I do not feel sorry for him. As for Melvin, he was a traitor before I met you. His ideals differed
from mine, and since Yuri could not get me on his team, he decided to take my assistant and steal my things. These men should
not sum up your perception of my clan, your Majesty. Allow me to bring together people I can vouch for with my life. People that
have a bone to pick with Yuri. People I know who will give their life for the cause and those I know will not betray us. Allow me to
do my part, or I cannot accept what you have given because I will feel like a thief." He said, and I knew honour was part of his
reason. Sylvester was silent for a while. It was a difficult situation. Both of them had a valid point.
"I will think about it and get back to you tomorrow. I want to discuss this with my wife," Sylvester said, and it was a plausible
response. Tamia's view would be different, and he can then decide. Erik was grateful Sylvester did not shut him down.
"Meanwhile, Kappa Levi and Wilson have brought the deeds to the properties so we can look through them and have every
location searched for the hostages," Marcel said.
It was a good idea, but I doubted it would yield anything. While we waited for the Kappas to bring the documents, my phone
rang, and it was a weird number with an eastern area code.
"Hello," I said, answering the phone.
"Leo," I heard Casper's voice, and I was relieved and scared at the same time.

"Max found us, and we are going back to Mountain. He was badly injured, but he will live. I am just calling so you will stop
worrying about us. Once we get to Mountain, I will let you know," He said, and as much as I wanted to be happy, I could not
shake off the fact that Max was injured.
"May I speak to Max, please," I asked him, and there was silence. Then I heard Max's voice on the phone?
"I guess we can focus now," he said, breathing hard.
"Save your breath," I said quickly, not wanting Max to trouble himself more than he already had.
"Once we get to Mountain, we will tell you; by the way, Yuri is currently in Gad. I heard one of his men discussing it when they
thought we had been knocked out. I do not know where, but that is where he is. I will drill Inkabod to get his properties' locations
there. Hopefully, it would lead somewhere," Casper said, and I was glad for the news, but I doubted Inkabod would have that
information. There is no harm in trying, though.
"What about Gordon?' I asked, and he sighed.
"They killed him. Took off his head completely a few hours ago. They believed he was a liability and must have given a lot away.
They believe he was the one that led you to Erik. Apparently, Erik is essential to them. I do not know why, but they do not want
Erik working with you. They took off his head completely without remorse. We were in a bunker in Hayland.
Imagine them doing that to him on his land. I guess karma came calling," He said, and I already knew why Erik was important. It
was because the AgK32 made their ability common.
No one would want that. Their abilities set them apart from others, so for Erik to create a serum that could give others that ability,
even if it was for a short period, was unfair. Thanks to the broadcast, they now know where Erik is. No waonder Melvin came for
him. We needed to protect Erik.
I hung up and narrated all that Casper had told me. They were all happy for me and wished Max a speedy recovery. He was
indeed a true friend. The fact that Max had risked his life to get those people back showed the depth of his heart. I was glad he
would be getting his pack back after this. I also hoped to hear good news from Kyle. I did not want any more deaths. Too many
lives had been sacrificed already.
"I guess all we have to do is prepare and gather our troops now," Marcel said.
"Meanwhile, let's try to hunt for Yuri. Once he is out, the others will surrender," Erik said, not wanting anyone to die.

"No, Erik. The war must be fought. We do not want a situation where another Yuri will spring up. I plan to wipe all of them out so I
can have peace. No more surprises," Sylvester said, and he clearly meant what he said. I was in support too. We needed to wipe
Yuri and his cult out, or another bastard would come along seeking revenge, and we couldn't have that.