#/solana roison

[the-red-mafia]

The End?

Velvet and Maroon make their way towards Unor, the rest of the mafia staying behind to fight the guards. Will they be able to overpower him and escape, or...?

Also available on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/TheRedMafia

Next Update: [Redacted] Word Count: 4524

Immediately after “The Strike”

Maroon attempted to stay as quiet as Velvet was as they crawled through the vent, but that was nearly impossible. She eventually stopped and turned to look at them.

“We’re right above the room, but there’s a drop. I’m gonna go down first, so wait for my signal.” 

“Wait? But-” 

“So I can catch you and make sure you don’t make noise,” Velvet clarified. The younger teen’s mouth formed an ‘o’ before they nodded. Velvet disappeared over the edge. Maroon listened for the sound of her hitting the lower level, but it never came. They crawled to the edge and glanced over. 

That’s when the explosion went off. 

Maroon quickly closed their eyes as the vent below them gave out and a wave of heat hit their face. Their back hit something hard, knocking the wind out of them. Maroon quickly attempted to catch their breath, panic rising in their chest. Coughing came from the other side of the room followed by the chilling laugh of Unor Bolton. 

“I would think you would be better at your job than that, fīlia,” he muttered. The smoke and debris began to settle, revealing the man still sitting in his chair. He was turned to his left, away from Maroon. A cough echoed off the walls. 

Velvet. 

Maroon took a deep breath and struggled to their feet. Air slowly filled their lungs as they raised their hands. A mushroom grew off the chair, knocking Unor to the ground. They jumped over the table and kneeled at Velvet’s side. She had a large scrape on her forehead that bled onto her hand. She coughed again but summoned Kil-layye Mo’ore. 

“Maroon, I didn’t see you there!” The younger teen redirected their attention to Unor, who was on his feet again. Velvet threw their sword at him, which he knocked to the ground. Maroon surrounded him with mushrooms that stretched to the ceiling. The man looked between the two teenagers, Velvet grabbing her sword again. 

“Quite a…rash plan you had, Velvet,” he began, “To plan an attack on my home- our home! I’d almost be impressed if you hadn’t executed it so horribly.” 

“How did you know?” Velvet demanded. Unor broke one of the mushrooms, but it quickly grew back. 

“A magician never reveals his secrets,” he said with a wink. Velvet glared at him and raised their sword. 

“Then we’re done here.” She charged forward, but Kil-layye Mo’ore hit empty air. Unor broke through two more mushrooms and backflipped out of the enclosure. His hands glowed a dark black before a handgun appeared in each. He fired a shot at each teen, which they both dodged. Maroon attempted to trap him again but he lunged towards Velvet instead. 

Velvet sliced at his arm before jumping to the right. Unor stayed on the offensive and fired another shot at her. It grazed her left shoulder but Velvet quickly stabbed at him again. The metal embedded itself in his lower abdomen, forcing him to stagger back. 

“Fuck-” she muttered. Maroon grew a mushroom to knock one gun out of Unor’s hand, but it just disappeared in a black cloud. Unor raised the other one and fired a shot straight at Velvet’s chest. Maroon quickly kicked him to the ground, forcing several mushrooms to grow through his hands. He let out a shout but Maroon quickly turned to Velvet. The teen must’ve hit the wall and fallen down but was now getting back to her feet. Unor stared at her as she summoned Kil-layye Mo’ore and walked towards him.

“Crazy what armour will do,” they said through gritted teeth. Unor frowned.

“Armour? I didn’t know you turned into a coward, Velvet.” The assassin kicked him in the stomach, causing the man to let out a grunt. They followed it up by stabbing him in the stomach with their sword. Unor flinched for a moment before coughing. 

“So that’s your big plan? Kill me?”

“I feel like that was obvious,” Maroon mumbled. Velvet pulled her sword out and sheathed it. Maroon’s eyes widened.

“Velvet-”

“I’m not letting him go, don’t worry. Just give me a second.” They reached towards their utility belt but Unor’s foot hit Maroon directly in the head. They fell to the ground but Velvet caught them before their head got hit again. She set them down gently before digging her heel into Unor’s open wound. The man attempted to kick at them but they pushed his feet away. 

Maroon’s head pounded as they sat up.

“Maroon, you okay?” Velvet asked, taking their gun out of its holster. 

“F-fine.” Unor locked eyes with Maroon, sending a chill down their spine. 

“Are you sure about that?” He asked. His voice was darker, the words seemingly twisting themselves around Maroon’s mind. He continued speaking, but Maroon couldn’t tell what the words were. Their breath became shallower and their heartbeat sped up. 

Attack 

Mushrooms exploded around the room, sending Velvet down to the floor again. Unor laughed. 

What’s happening? What am I- 

Maroon looked around for Velvet. She was getting back to her feet again, this time with mushrooms clinging to her mission uniform. 

“Maroon!” They shouted, “Snap out of it!” 

“Velvet, I got the camera working again. What’s happening-” Maroon reached up and ripped their comms out of their ear. They threw it on the ground and staggered forward, hands still raised. Velvet moved in front of them. Maroon’s vision blurred but they felt her grab their hand. The mushrooms began spreading but Velvet kept a firm grip. 

“Maroon, listen to me-”

“There’s no point, dēvōtiō,” Unor shouted, “They can’t hear you!” Velvet glared at him. 

“What did you do to them?”

“Just a little magic,” he said with a smirk. Velvet turned back to Maroon. 

“Maroon, I need you to take a breath and calm down. Stick to the plan-”

“Knock her out, Maroon!” Unor called out. Velvet tensed up but didn’t let go of them. 

What…Velvet-

“Maroon…” they mumbled. The younger teen took a deep breath, causing the mushrooms to recede from Velvet’s hand. Several more surrounded Unor and pinned him to the floor. He attempted to squirm out of them with little success. 

“Maroon, free me this instant!” He demanded. Their vision slightly cleared as they carefully shook their head. Velvet kept a tight grip on their hand as she raised her gun.

“You wouldn’t dare,” he taunted. Velvet narrowed her eyes. 

“Try me.”

“You’ll die. If you kill me, half your soul will die. The other half will follow and you’ll cease to exist.” Maroon’s eyes widened.

“That’s…no-” the younger teen tried, but the fuzziness in their head stopped them. Unor smirked.

“It is. If you kill me, Velvet will die.”

“I don’t care.” Maroon’s vision blurred again as they turned to look at their friend. 

What? Velvet walked forward, finally letting go of Maroon’s hand. She pressed the gun to Unor’s head.

“Did you not hear me?” he breathed. Velvet glared at him. 

“If you’re dead, I don’t care if I’m alive. What matters is stopping you.”

Velvet took a deep breath and squeezed the trigger. Maroon watched the bright red liquid pour out of Unor’s head before their vision blurred to the point they could barely see. They could hear Velvet’s quiet breathing and footsteps as they walked back over to them. She took their hand again.

“We did it,” she muttered, “He’s dead.” Maroon took a deep breath and let out a small laugh. 

“We did, didn’t we?” Velvet immediately tensed up next to them, causing Maroon to turn to their left. They could barely make out their bright red hair and familiar brown eyes.

“What the fuck is that?” they breathed. Maroon frowned.

“What-” Before they could finish their sentence, a gust of wind hit their face and their vision went black. 

Solana blocked a guard’s attack with the pole of his spear before stabbing him in the chest. A vine wrapped around the guard and threw him out of the already-broken window. Solana attempted to catch her breath as she glanced at Thorn, who was also panting.

“I think,” it breathed, “That’s all of them.” 

“Don’t-” The wall to their right shattered, allowing another squad of B.A.D. agents to come running in. They shouted and pointed at the two mafia members.

“Jinx us,” Solana finished. The elf raised her spear. 

“How does he have so many guards?” Thorn groaned. 

“Money.”

“I wish Zaeor paid us. Maybe then I wouldn’t hate him as much as I do.” Solana raised an eyebrow and blocked a gunshot from one of the guards. 

“Not a Zaeor fan, huh?” 

“Is anyone?” Thorn jumped forward and wrapped several guards in vines before sending them out the window. Solana charged as well, spear slicing through a few arms.

“Velvet is.”

“Velvet doesn’t count.”

“And I don’t really mind him, you know?” Solana stated, “He’s a bit, I don’t know, odd? But he’s got good intentions.” 

“I guess.” Their conversation was cut short by a guard, who ran forward and managed to stab Thorn in the shoulder. The teen yelled out in pain and Solana quickly jumped to aer aid. They pushed him to the ground and quickly slit their throat.

“Thorn, you good?”

“Fine-”

“Velvet, I got the camera working again. What’s happening-” Mad’s voice cut out right as Solana felt a sharp pain erupt in her left side. Metal clattered to the ground behind her.

“Fuck-” A teen, no older than Thorn, approached. He had light brown hair and sea-blue eyes. Unlike the other guards, the only armour he seemed to be wearing was a bulletproof vest. He held several throwing knives in his two hands. Thorn quickly grew a vine wall in front of them and steadied Solana.

“Don’t let them get close to Mr. Bolton!” Someone, presumably the teen, shouted. 

“Solana, you okay?” Thorn mumbled. 

“Maroon’s powers- Unor did something to them,” Velvet’s voice came through the comms. One of the guards groaned as Thorn tensed up next to them.

“Commander, it is not safe for you-” Thorn reached up to their comms.

“Do you need me-” Another knife sliced through the wall and the side of Thorn’s cheek. 

“You may give me orders when you can deal with a teen and an elf, captain.” 

“Shit-” Solana mumbled, glancing at their teammate, “Okay, Thorn, you take out that kid. I’ll keep the others off your ass.” 

“Got it.” He jumped around the corner of the wall and attempted to trap him. Solana went around the other side, pulling out their pistol. She fired shots at the remaining guards, drawing their attention.

“Velvet-” Mad paused. 

“What’s going on, Mad?” Solana asked, hitting a guard right in the nose. They glanced at Thorn. It narrowly avoided an airborne knife from the other teen.

“The camera’s out and Maroon’s unconscious. Velvet, are you there?” Thorn’s eyes widened and ae turned to Solana. The commander swung a punch at Thorn, knocking him to the ground. 

“Shit-” she muttered. Solana fired a shot at the teen but they dodged it. Thorn jumped back to its feet and kicked them in the stomach. 

“Solana, Thorn, can you clear me a path to the vent? I’m going in.” Solana turned back to the guards and continued firing. 

“We can try,” the elf mumbled, “Thorn, can you get that kid outta here?”

“I’m fucking working on it,” Thorn hissed back. A shot hit Solana’s left elbow, knocking the pistol from his hands. Another shot hit her in the stomach and bounced off her vest. Solana frantically picked up the gun before jumping behind the wall. 

“Fucking hell-” Bullets ricocheted off of the plants in front of them. Thorn fell to the ground to his right and the teen immediately jumped on him. They held the knife to aer throat as Solana lined up her shot. A laser hit the commander’s back, sending them flying over Thorn’s head. Thorn stayed on the ground for a few seconds before scrambling to their feet. 

“Mad!” they shouted. The bullets stopped hitting the wall but the sound continued. The other teen crawled towards Thorn and grabbed his ankle right as Mad made it past the vine wall. The droid continued towards the vent. Thorn attempted to kick his legs free but eventually grew vines that attached themselves to the commander’s legs. The vines pulled them to the window. The teen went flying but took Thorn with him. 

“Thorn!” Solana shouted. Mad turned around just in time to see the two teens disappear below the second-story window. 

“Fuck,” the droid muttered, “Solana, take care of the rest of the guards and then go after them.” Solana popped around the corner of the wall and unloaded another magazine at the guards. Another shot embedded itself in Solana’s right arm. The elf’s wounds screamed in pain as she hid behind the wall again. Blood dripped down from his arms, hitting the white marble floor. 

“Mad, I can’t-” they turned to the vent, but Mad was already gone. They took a deep breath.

You’ve got this, Mona. Just don’t think about the pain and- She peeked around the corner but something hit her in the back of the head. He stumbled to the ground, vision blurring. Solana fumbled with the pistol. Several guards surrounded her, one kicking her gun away. Another lifted their foot and slammed it into her skull, forcing her unconscious. 

“What the fuck is that?” Velvet breathed. She stared at Unor’s corpse, or more specifically, the glowing yellow light enveloping it. 

“What-” Maroon began to her right. The younger teen suddenly fell, hitting Velvet’s shoulder. Velvet caught them and lowered them to the ground. She kneeled next to them, glancing down to see Maroon’s unconscious face before focusing on the light once again. They moved their head to their lap, keeping their sword firmly in their left hand. She could feel her teammate’s soft breathing, their chest slowly rising and falling. 

The light grew brighter and split into five parts. Each morphed into different shapes, different people. They were vastly different in age and looks as the light solidified. In the centre was a tall woman, about 25 with long blonde hair and purple eyes. Her pink blouse was torn with a knife sticking out of her chest. She looked at Velvet with sympathy in her eyes.

The one to her left was a man, probably around Unor’s age. His blue eyes refused to meet Velvet’s. Blood dripped from his head, staining his blue hair a dark purple. He wore a B.A.D. agent uniform with three stars lined up on the sleeve.

The next one, all the way to the left, was a teen. He seemed to be older than Velvet but had pitch-black hair and bright green eyes. He had a set of Roman armour on and a large shield strapped to his left arm. A large red cut stretched along his neck.

Velvet could barely make out the other two people. One was much smaller and hid behind the woman in the centre. All the teen could see was chocolate brown eyes staring at her. The other one, a 25-or-so year old man, was facing away from them. Familiar black hair sat on his head.

“Velvet Bolton,” the woman breathed, “Hello, child.” Velvet stared at her as the ethereal glow steadied. 

“Who are you?” Velvet tried to sound intimidating, but her voice faltered. The woman walked forward, the kid staying right behind her. She stopped about a metre away and smiled warmly. 

“You wouldn’t remember me. My name is Jacqueline King.” Velvet frowned.

King? 

“You would be more familiar with my husband, Mark. I believe you worked together when you were younger?” Velvet carefully nodded. “I…knew Mark. But…aren’t you dead?” 

“I am. I- we,” she gestured to the man and teen, “are the people your father killed to steal their souls.” A chill went down Velvet’s spine. 

“W-what?”

“Don’t worry, we’re not here to harm you,” she clarified, “Your father’s actions are not your fault.” Velvet glanced back at Unor’s lifeless body. 

“So…that was his actual body?” the assassin asked. Jacqueline nodded. 

“Your mission is over, child. You did it.” Velvet’s muscles relaxed involuntarily. The woman’s voice seeped into her body, calming her despite the possible danger surrounding her.

“We have something of yours.” Velvet looked up at her as she moved to the side. She gestured for the child behind her to walk. 

“Go on, sweet one.” The girl, about 14 years old, stepped into view. A large patch of blood pooled near her abdomen, shining through her white dress. Her long black hair, chocolate brown eyes, gold moon necklace-

Me. Velvet’s eyes widened, That’s me. The girl stood in front of her.

“H-hello,” she mumbled. Velvet looked between her and Jacqueline.

“...Hi.” 

“I take it you know who she is, Velvet dear?” Jacqueline asked. Velvet stared at the girl in front of her. 

“Is this real?” she muttered. The older man stepped forward next to Jacqueline.

“As real as something involving magical souls can be,” he stated.

“Robert…”

“What? Forgive me if I’m a bit sceptical.”

“I don’t know how you could still be sceptical…” the armoured teen stated, crossing his arms. 

“That’s enough, you two-”

“Can we just finish this up?” the man facing away shouted. Robert turned to glare at the back of his head.

“I don’t know why you’re in such a hurry to go to hell, asshole.” 

“I’m in a hurry to get the hell away from you asinī,” he shot back. Jacqueline sighed and turned towards him.

“Do you have anything you want to say to your daughter, Unor? An apology, perhaps?” The 25-year-old finally turned around and met Velvet’s eyes. Pitch-black irises stared her down, sending a chill down her spine. 

“What do I have to apologise for?”

“Your actions led to what she went through.”

“Trust me, I don’t need a fucking apology from him,” Velvet hissed. The black-haired girl took a step away from them. 

“She’s scary,” she mumbled, “I don’t want to be scary.” Jacqueline put an arm around her.

“I know she may seem scary, but she’s not. She’s scared, like you. Do you see that kid lying in her lap?” 

“The one taking a nap?”

“Mhm. She’s worried about them. She thinks we might do something to hurt them. You two are not as different as you think, child. You are two halves of one whole, with different strengths, weaknesses, ideals, and morals. Now, you’re going to become one again.” Velvet’s eyes widened once again.

“What?” Jacqueline turned to them and laughed. 

“Did you think we were just going to keep the other half of your soul?”

“I-” the assassin paused, “I didn’t think it was possible.” The armoured teen, Ethan, raised an eyebrow.

“Who told you that?” 

“Well-” Jacqueline’s form flickered, the light dimming.

“I’m afraid we don’t have the time to discuss,” she said, pushing the younger Velvet forward, “Go on, little one.” She looked at Jacqueline with a fearful look in her eyes. The woman gave her one final squeeze.

“Don’t worry, my sweet dove. We will meet again. Maybe not in this life, nor the next. It may be thousands or millions of lifetimes from now, but it will happen. And when it does, I will embrace you for as long as I have waited.” A tear fell from the black-haired girl’s face as she nodded. She turned back to Velvet and held out a hand. Velvet stared at it. 

“Go on, child,” Jacqueline said to them, “You will be safe.” Velvet lifted her right hand, readjusting Maroon as well. The golden figures slowly dimmed, dust-like particles flaking off. 

“Take care of yourself, Velvet,” Jacqueline said, smiling sadly, “You are more important than you could possibly know.” Velvet grabbed the younger girl’s hand. With that, the whole world went black. 

Thorn was falling. 

The wind whooshed past his ears as he tried to kick free of the other teen’s grip. The duo hit the ground hard. Thorn gasped for air but the commander jumped on top of them again. Angry blue eyes stared down at him as cold metal pressed against his throat. Thorn took a deep breath.

“Listen, man, I don’t think you want to do this.”

“Shut up.” Thorn grew several vines that each tried to pry him off to no avail. The blade nicked Thorn’s skin but the commander moved it. The two locked eyes before the other teen threw his blade on the ground.

“You know what? I’m done.” He stood up, leaving a slightly confused Thorn on the ground.

“What?”

“I’m not helping Unor kill a kid my age. I can’t do this anymore.” The prince quickly hopped to aer feet. 

“Uh- well- I’m glad you had a change of heart?” The commander turned around and began walking towards the gate. Thorn glanced between him and the window two stories up. They heard Solana say Mad’s name before her voice suddenly stopped. 

I’ve got to get back up there. Thorn raised a hand but was hit in the stomach with a bullet. They fell to the ground and the sound of the shot seemed to catch the commander’s attention because he turned around. Thorn’s abdomen burned with pain that the 16-year-old had never felt before. It bit its tongue to keep from screaming.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were deserting, commander.” Thorn tried to move to see the voice’s source, but aer body screamed in pain. They watched the commander draw a pistol from the holster on his belt. 

“Watch your words, lieutenant.” Another shot rang out and the commander staggered back a bit as it hit him in the chest. Another hit his hand and knocked the gun to the ground. Thorn bit his tongue again and raised his left hand. A vine wall sprouted in front of the commander, who after realising, mouthed ‘thank you’. 

“What the fuck,” the voice breathed. A man’s face appeared in Thorn’s view. He scowled and raised a gun.

“This bitch is still conscious.” Faint sirens hit Thorn’s ears, and the man looked away. 

“Sir, I see UPS ships entering the atmosphere.”

“If they’re not supposed to be here, the guns will shoot ‘em down,” the man growled, turning back to Thorn, “Night night, little bitch.” A final shot rang out, hitting Thorn in the stomach. Their eyelids forcibly closed from the pain, and they quickly fell asleep. 

Mad scanned the scene in front of it, screen blank. Mushrooms took over the entire area and outlined the chair from earlier. Maroon and Velvet were unconscious on the far left of the room while Unor’s corpse was a few metres to the right, mushrooms already beginning to decompose it. Mad ran towards the two teens, joining them on the floor.

“Mad.” The droid looked up to see Zaeor standing over Unor. He was dressed in his pitch-black robe, sigils floating around him. Shadows pooled at his feet, forming a lake of darkness. Mad stared at him.

“Zaeor?” they asked, “What-” The god walked forward, almost glaring at it.

“You’re not supposed to be here.”

“I saw Maroon and Velvet go down. I came to help.”

“Velvet’s already dead. I made sure of it.”

“What…do you mean you ‘made sure of it’?” Mad placed their hands on each of the teen’s necks. It was faint, but both still had a heartbeat. 

Shadows quickly pushed Mad, slamming it into the wall. Their screen cracked when they fell to the ground. 

“You fucking nosy droid,” he growled, “Do you know how many times I had to change my plans because of you? I have been so close to getting Velvet killed hundreds of times, but you kept getting in my fucking way.” Shadows lifted the robot up and pinned it against the wall. Mad’s mind raced as he stood in front of him. He glared, his face close to their TV. 

“I knew it,” Mad muttered, “You never gave a shit about us.”

“You? No. You proved to be the worst decision I made in my plan.” Mad attempted to struggle out of the shadowy restraints to no avail.

“What plan? Killing us all?” Zaeor laughed darkly, sending a shiver in Mad’s soul. 

“Not all. Velvet was the priority, Solana’s a nice bonus.”

“You’re not hurting Solana-”

“I don’t need to. You already did that, leaving him alone with the guards.” Mad’s soul dropped. 

No- Zaeor raised a fist and swung, hitting the left side of Mad’s TV. It recoiled as a ‘critical damage’ notification popped up. The restraints disappeared for a second, causing the droid to slam into the floor. They reformed and pinned it to the ground.

“Returning the favour,” the god mumbled. Zaeor leaned over and tilted Mad’s TV so the camera was looking at his twisted smile. 

“And now, with Velvet and you out of the way, my plan can truly begin.” Mad broke out of his grasp, causing him to laugh again.

“Oh what a glorious sight it will be. Such a shame you won’t be able to see it,” he mumbled, “Me, ruling the multiverse with the most powerful weapon by my side.” Mad looked back at him.

“Weapon?”

“Maroon, of course. I’d never let such a talent go to waste. They’ll make a perfect leader for my new army,” he laughed, “Hell, I don’t even have to cast my own mind control magic! Unor did it all for me.” Mad glanced at the younger teen, still passed out in Velvet’s lap. 

Velvet’s still alive and he doesn’t know that. I can’t let him take either of them. 

“Sure, it will take time,” Zaeor continued, “But I’ve waited 500 years, what's a few decades more? Soon, all gods in the multiverse will bow to me and I will have the power I fucking deserve.”

“You don’t deserve-” Zaeor punched it again, shattering what remained of its screen and disabling the camera. Mad sat in darkness as the god chuckled. 

“This is very therapeutic, you know? You can’t imagine how much I wanted to do this to you over the past year.”

“You’re…you’re not going to get away with this,” Mad mumbled, “Thorn-”

“Is dead. That is also partially your fault.”

“Shut up.” 

“What, Mad? Can’t take responsibility for your own actions?” Mad could feel their systems shutting down, no doubt due to the damage. 

“It’s not…my…fault.” Zaeor let out one last loud laugh.

“I didn’t realise a robot could be so delusional.” Mad heard his footsteps as he backed up. 

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a mansion to blow up,” he called out, “Enjoy shutting down, knowing that all of your friends' deaths are entirely your fault.” A swoosh went through the room, leaving Mad alone with their malfunctioning camera. The shadows pinning them down dissolved. It jumped to its feet, despite the warnings not to. Mad walked forward but tripped over a mushroom on the floor.

They slammed hard onto the ground, their TV detaching from their body and shattering into a billion pieces on the floor. 

A/N:  ...hi chat. fortis here. 

thats it. the books over. is there a sequel? maybe. whens it starting? who knows. youre assuming there is one. 

But in all seriousness, thank you all so much for the support on this project. I'll try not to get super sentimental but this book has been one of the best parts of my life for the past 2 years we've been working on it. While I did most of the actual writing, this would not be possible without the other writers, so shout out to them. All of our links are available below so go follow them. And stay tuned: we've got more planned for our favourite traumatised redheads. 

If you're reading this on Tumblr, congrats, hit the follow button and stay in the loop on what we're working on. I've got several oneshots, headcanons, and funny stories from the writers room I'm going to be sharing. If you're reading on Wattpad (which most of you are), go follow the Tumblr and get access to all of that stuff. You're gonna want to see it :) 

I'm also going to be working on editing earlier stuff, mainly part 1, and fixing formatting on the Wattpad. But in general, the story of this book is over. And I'm pretty happy with it, as I hope you all are. Still have questions? Shoot us an ask on the main TRM Tumblr or my personal blog and I'll see what I can do. But that's it. Signing off for the last time,

- Fortis (@iamf0rtis)

Writers' Socials Fortis/iamfortis: Wattpad - https://www.wattpad.com/user/iamf0rtis  Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCphcnJc-xn1sONNXsLJZxKA  Tumblr - @iamf0rtis or https://www.tumblr.com/blog/iamf0rtis Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/iamf0rtis/ Cohost - https://cohost.org/iamfortis?page=0

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[the-red-mafia]

The Lost

The whole mafia expected Velvet to be upset following her mysterious conversation with Zaeor. What Maroon and Thorn didn't expect, though, was her running off to break into the B.A.D. mansion all on her own. The two scramble to follow them and the trio unite to search for answers within the walls of Velvet's childhood home. Also available on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/TheRedMafia Next Update: [Updated] Word Count: 5910

A day after “The Thief”

Maroon knocked on Velvet’s door for the third time, anxiety taking over them. 

“Velvet, I know you’re upset at Zaeor, but can you just let me know you’re okay?” they pleaded, “No one’s seen you since dinner last night.” The older teen had been locked in their room since they had gotten back from the UPS headquarters, only emerging after Zaeor had left to grab food. The god had returned about half an hour ago and seemed completely unbothered by her lack of presence. 

“They’re too frustrated to be useful right now,” he had told Maroon, “It’s one of their flaws.” Maroon had ascended the stairs anyway, and now stood in front of the closed, silent door. 

“Velvet, I really don’t want to do this. But I need to make sure you’re okay.” Maroon took a deep breath and grew a mushroom on the other side of the door. It fidgeted with the lock before a loud clicking sound echoed in the hallway. The teen opened the door, the mushroom melting back into the floorboards. 

The window across the room was open, letting in a cold breeze that sent goosebumps down their arm. The red and black comforter of her bed was still tucked in as if it hadn’t been touched in a few hours. Several empty energy drink cans sat on the bedside table. Maroon walked over to them, spotting a handwritten note set precariously on the edge. They picked it up.

Velvet’s handwriting, they thought, I can’t tell what it says. Maroon returned back to the doorway.

“Thorn, can you come up here?” they called out. Footsteps thudded against the stairs before the other teen appeared down the hallway. Their purple flannel matched Maroon’s sweater, which still made them smile slightly. Maroon took a deep breath. 

“Velvie giving you trouble?” He asked, smirking. 

“No, they’re not in here.” Thorn’s eyes widened.

“They’re not?” Maroon stepped out of the doorway, letting Thorn pass. Thorn looked around the room for a few moments. 

“Huh. Where’d she go then?” 

“That’s what I need your help with,” they replied, holding out the note, “I found this on the bedside table. Can you read it for me?” Their friend nodded, taking the small piece of paper. Ae looked at it for several seconds before shaking aer head.

“It’s in some other language. Latin, if I had to take a guess. I can’t read this.” 

“Try and read it out loud, then. I’ll translate.” Thorn let out a groan.

“Gods, I hate reading Latin.” Maroon chuckled and sat down on the perfectly made bed. Thorn sat down next to them.

“Here goes nothing,” Thorn mumbled, “‘Zaeor, apud Unorem consilium quaero.’” Maroon’s eyes widened. “She’s going to Unor’s base?” they breathed. “Noli sequi. Necesse est ut sōla id faciam. Te vocābō posteā’. And then they just signed their name.” Maroon’s heartbeat raced as they took the note from Thorn. The older teen looked up at them.

“So what are we doing?” it asked. Maroon was quiet for a moment.

“We’re going after them,” they said, standing, “They probably took the Umbrella, but we can take Rhyme’s ship.” Thorn nodded, standing as well. 

“I’ll go get the others. We can leave ASAP-” 

“No,” Maroon interrupted, “‘Non sequi’. She doesn’t want anyone to follow her.”

“I feel like what she wants doesn’t matter in this case,” Thorn muttered. Maroon brushed the comment off and turned to the door.

“The two of us will go. What if they’re in danger? We have to help.” 

“I mean, I’m with you on that part. Even if it’s Velvet,” Thorn began, “But I don’t know how comfortable I am with just taking Rhyme’s ship.” 

“I don’t see another option.” Thorn closed their eyes for several moments.

“Yeah, okay. If you’re sure. Let’s go.” 

Velvet looked up and down the hallway before sprinting into the next door. They shut the door quietly and took a deep breath.

Just a few more offices until his, she thought, Hopefully I can find something before then. They were picking up a folder off of the desk in front of them when a loud alarm began to blare. Velvet immediately set the folder down, but the sound continued. 

Trapped folder? What’s in here- She picked the folder up again when the door slammed open. Velvet quickly threw Kil-layye Mo’ore towards it before turning around. A familiar squeak hit her ears. 

“Maroon?” They breathed. Maroon waved slightly, standing up. The door shut, revealing Thorn behind it. 

“Oh it's our lucky day, huh?” the prince began, “She was behind the first door we checked.” Velvet balled their fists and glared at Thorn. 

“What the hell are you two doing here?” 

“We found your note,” Maroon answered. Velvet’s eyes widened. 

“What? It was in Latin, how’d you-” Velvet looked Maroon in the eyes, who tugged slightly on the sleeves of their red sweater. 

“How long have you been able to understand Latin?” the assassin demanded.

“About 500 years,” Maroon mumbled quietly. Velvet groaned loudly, summoning her sword back to her hand. 

“Of fucking course. Listen, I don’t know what you’re doing-”

“We wanted to make sure you’re okay,” Maroon began, “You were upset last night and then suddenly you’re breaking into B.A.D. and- I just wanted to help.” 

“And I’m here too,” Thorn added.

“Ugh, okay. But I don’t need your help. I’m fine on my own.” Maroon placed a hand on Velvet’s shoulder and smiled.

“I know. But this way, we can make sure.” Velvet looked them up and down before sighing. 

“Fine, whatever. Did you two set off the alarm?” Thorn sheepishly raised aer hand.

“That one’s my bad. I didn’t realise the cameras were on.” Velvet blinked a few times. 

“How…what? Why would they be off?” 

“I don’t know!” Velvet groaned again and sheathed Kil-layye Mo’ore. 

“You’re an idiot, frūx.”

“Hey, we’re here to sav-” Maroon cut them off.

“Is there any way to shut it off?” 

There’s an off switch in Unor’s office, but that’s way too far away to reach without getting caught right now. Where’s the other one… Velvet’s eyes widened and they quickly turned to the door. 

“Follow me. We’ve got to go visit my mom.”

Solana sat awkwardly at the breakfast table in between Mad and Rhyme, taking a bite of her eggs. Their companions refused to meet each other's eyes. Rhyme pushed his eggs back and forth on his plate while Mad looked towards the ceiling.

“So,” the elf tried, “Those kids, huh?” 

“Mhm,” Rhyme mumbled. Mad stayed silent. Solana waited a few moments before setting her fork down. 

“Rhyme, how far do you think they could’ve gotten?” Rhyme looked up at them. 

“If they figured out the boosters, they could be two galaxies away already.” Solana sighed. 

“Let’s hope Zaeor can find them soon, then.” Silence took over the room again. Mad eventually stood and took Solana’s empty plate. 

“I’m going to my room,” Mad stated. Solana quickly stood up and jumped over the counter, blocking its exit.

“Oh no you don’t,” he said, crossing his arms. Mad looked them up and down. 

“Do you need something, Solana?” 

“More like you two need to talk,” the elf replied, “Now sit your robot ass back down.” Mad sighed.

“Solana, it’s really none of your business-”

“It’s either I do this, or Velvet does it when the teens get back. And I think you’d prefer me.” The droid was silent for a moment before returning to their seat. Solana smiled and hopped back on the counter, taking a seat in the middle.

“So, are you two gonna be able to mediate yourselves like adults, or do I have to sit here?” Rhyme looked up at Mad, who looked away. Solana rolled his eyes.

“Sitting here it is then,” they crossed their right leg over their left, “What happened at Eliza’s?” 

“Solana, really? Everything is fine-”

“Clearly not, if Rhyme here got as upset as she did on the UPS mission.” Rhyme’s cheeks became a light pink and she sunk deeper into her seat. Mad looked at her.

“Rhyme? What are they talking about?” The thief took a deep breath.

“Mad, I’m really really sorry,” he blurted out, “I fucked up really bad and I hurt you and I’d take it back if I could but I can’t and I just…” His voice faded out.

“You just…?” 

“I…don’t want to lose you. I can’t lose you. You’re…well…” The teen looked up at Solana, who motioned for her to continue. 

“You’re the only person who has cared about me in, god, 5 years?” He chuckled nervously, “You’re my only friend. I fucked up, I know that, and I’m sorry. And I’ll do anything to make it up to you. Because I don’t think I could handle losing you.” Mad was silent as it stared at him. The two made eye contact, or as much eye contact as they could considering one was a robot. A minute passed before Mad spoke. 

“Rhyme…” they began, “What you did…in front of me…it really fucked me up.” Solana’s eyes widened. 

I don’t think I’ve ever heard Mad curse before, they thought, glancing at Rhyme. The teen seemed to be having a similar thought. 

“I know, and I’m sorry-”

“I’m not done,” Mad interrupted, “I can’t look at you without seeing her bleeding out on the floor over and over again. My programming keeps analysing it, looking for some way for me to change it. But I can’t. And you can’t change what you’ve done.” Rhyme looked to the floor, but nodded. Solana frowned.

“Mad?” the elf asked. Mad groaned.

“Could you two let me finish my thought?” 

“Shit- sorry.” Mad sighed and stood up. It took Rhyme’s hand and pulled her up to her feet. Rhyme’s eyes widened as he looked at them. 

“As upset and…frustrated as I am about it, I think I’m more upset at the situation than you,” it mumbled, holding both of her hands, “I mean, I’m still upset, but I care about you too. And…I can’t lose you too.” Solana smirked. 

“S-so, do you forgive me?” Rhyme asked, the light pink returning to his face. Mad chuckled slightly.

“Yeah, I guess I do.” Rhyme smiled brightly and pulled them into a hug. 

And that’s how you do it, Solana thought, Damn, if only that worked on Velvet. My life would be so much easier. 

“Don’t do it again,” Mad added before glancing up at Solana, “But that’s the most genuine apology I’ve heard in my entire time being with the mafia.” The elf rolled their eyes. 

“Hey, don’t look at me. What do I have to apologise for?” 

“My screwdriver.” Rhyme suppressed a laugh while Solana glared at the robot. 

“I didn’t fucking take your screwdriver.”

“I don’t believe Velvet snuck past all four of us without help.” 

“She’s the best assassin in the universe, of course she can!” Rhyme finally couldn’t keep it in anymore and broke out in loud laughter. 

“Have you seen her?” Rhyme pushed their face into Mad’s shirt to muffle her laughter. Mad stared down at him, wide eyes taking over the previously blank screen. Solana raised an eyebrow and jumped to the other side of the counter. 

“I think that’s my cue to go,” she said, gesturing to the door, “I’ll go check on Wyatt.”

“Solana-” The elf sprinted to the stairs, leaving the two of them in the kitchen alone.

 

Nala took a deep breath as she ran a brush through her hair. She pulled a section in front of her shoulder and stared into the mirror on her vanity. She was halfway through braiding it when there was a knock at the door. Nala frowned and checked her watch.

Unor’s not supposed to be here until 11:30, she thought, It’s only 10. 

“Who is it?” She called out. 

“Tua fīlia, mater,” A familiar voice answered. Nala’s eyes went wide. 

“Velvet?” She breathed. She quickly stood and opened the door, revealing her 15-year-old daughter in front of her. Two of her teammates, Maroon and Thorn if she remembered correctly, stood behind her. Nala pulled Velvet into a big hug. 

“Oh, Velvet,” she breathed, hugging her tightly. 

“Hi Mom. Can we come in?” Nala let go and smiled. 

“Of course.” The teens entered the room, Velvet shutting the door behind her.

“Hey Velvet’s mom,” The redhead, Thorn, said. Nala waved at him. 

“Hello, Thorn was it?” The teen nodded, so Nala turned to the other one, “And you’re Maroon?” 

“Mhm,” Maroon answered. She smiled.

“It’s lovely to see you two again. How have you been?”

“Good-” Velvet walked to the other side of the room, where a large computer set up sat. Nala looked at her daughter.

“What are you doing, Velvet?”

“Shutting down the alarm, give me a sec.” Nala frowned. 

“You set off an alarm?” Velvet groaned.

“No, those asinī did.” 

Asinī? I don’t think I know that one.

“Well I’m sorry I don’t know the entire B.A.D. mansion by heart,” Thorn apologised sarcastically, “I didn’t grow up here.”

“I didn’t fucking ask you to come-”

“Language,” Nala corrected. Velvet groaned.

“Sorry, mom. I didn’t ask you two to follow me. In fact, I think I explicitly said don’t.” 

“In our defence, you told Zaeor not to follow you,” Maroon chimed in. Velvet turned and glared at them. 

“‘Cause I was under the impression no one else spoke Latin. I guess I’m learning a lot today.” Nala chuckled and stood next to Velvet in the chair. The teen typed quickly and eventually got into the main security system. She paused on the screen for a few seconds.

“Left side, dear,” Nala stated. Velvet pressed the button and the bright ‘System Normal’ status blinked green. 

“Thanks, mater.” She clicked out of the security but pulled up the files application.

“What are you three doing here anyway?” Nala asked, turning to look at Thorn and Maroon as well, “And why didn’t you want your teammates to come with you?”

“Because she’s an angsty bitch,” Thorn mumbled. 

“Language.”

“Sorry, Mrs. Bolton.” Nala chuckled.

“Please, just Nala.”

“I’m looking into some information about something we found at a UPS headquarters. Do you know anything about Unor going to the station on Kenip?” Nala thought for a moment.

“I know he went there, but I’m not sure what for. I think it was just a routine drop-off he wanted to go on.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Velvet mumbled, “What about December 9th? Have you heard anything about something then?” At the same time, they typed the date into the search bar.

“That’s the day of our winter fundraiser.”

“Fundraiser?” Thorn asked, “Aren’t you guys like, rich?” Maroon put a hand on Thorn’s shoulder.

“Thorn-” Nala laughed and waved a hand.

“It’s alright, Maroon. It’s a fundraiser for a missing kid organisation, part of my plan to improve B.A.D.’s public image. It was also originally planned to help look for Velvet, but…” she gestured to Velvet, who rolled her eyes. 

“That’s sweet, how you never gave up looking for her,” Maroon said, smiling, “From the way Velvet used to talk about her parents, I thought you two didn’t get along.” Nala frowned and looked down at her daughter. Velvet, however, turned to glare at Maroon.

“I never said that.”

“I know. I just thought since you hated Unor so much-” Velvet looked back at the screen. 

“She’s just as much of a victim as we are.” 

“...we?” Maroon looked towards the floor, and Thorn took their hand. 

“That’s actually another thing I should look for,” Velvet mumbled under her breath. They typed Maroon’s name into the search bar.

“Velvet, that’s not what we came for,” Thorn said, “We don’t need to-”

“Shut it, Thorn.” The screen loaded for a moment before a grey ‘No Results’ tab popped up. Velvet sighed. 

“That’s about what I expected. Maroon, what was the name on the folder again?” 

“Project Rapio.” Nala paused.

“Now that name I’ve heard before,” she stated. Velvet looked up at her.

“What do you know?” 

“It’s been Unor’s new project for the past few weeks,” Nala sat down on her bed, “He didn’t tell me much, just that he would be redirecting resources to it for the next few weeks.”

“So the folder was right,” Velvet breathed. 

“What folder?” Velvet stood and turned to her teammates. 

“I have to search Unor’s office. Are you two coming with me?” Nala grabbed her wrist.

“Now wait just a second, young lady,” she said. Velvet looked at her.

“What, mater?” 

“First, drop the attitude. That’s no way to talk to your mother.” Thorn stifled a laugh as Velvet broke her wrist out of Nala’s grip.

“Sorry.”

“Secondly, Unor’s in a meeting there right now. You’d get caught immediately.” Velvet groaned.

“Do you know when he’ll be done?”

“11. Then he’s meeting me here at 11:30 so we can go make plans for the fundraiser.” Velvet mumbled something that Nala couldn’t make out. Maroon took her hand, drawing her attention. 

“We could stay in here until she leaves with him?” they asked, turning to Nala, “If you’re okay with that, Nala.” She smiled.

“Of course I’m okay with that. I’d never pass up a chance to hang out with my lovely daughter.” She pulled Velvet into another hug, one that she tried to wrestle out of this time. Nala won out, of course. She always did. 

“So, uh,” Mad began, looking down at Rhyme, “What was Solana talking about with the mission yesterday?” Rhyme lifted his head to look at the ground.

“Oh- uh- that was nothing.” 

“I can’t help but think that’s a lie.” 

“It’s not!” Rhyme said quickly, looking up at them, “I was just overwhelmed and thought you hated me.” 

“You know I can just text Maroon and ask, right?” Rhyme let out a strained laugh.

“Maroon won’t respond, they’re avoiding us.” Mad’s screen displayed a smirk.

“Maybe they’re ignoring you.” Rhyme narrowed her eyes. 

“Do you know something I don’t?”

“Maybe,” it said, “Maybe they talked to me before they left and I told them how to fly your ship.”

“Mad!” The droid laughed. 

“Why would you do that?” Rhyme demanded, “Where are they going, anyhow?” 

“That part they didn’t tell me. They just said Velvet ran off and they wanted to go after her. So I told them.” 

“I don’t know why you wouldn’t just tell them to take all of us,” Rhyme replied. 

“They said Velvet had said she didn’t want to be followed. I figured they could handle it.”

“But my baby-” Mad laughed again as Rhyme fake-pouted. 

“Your baby will be fine,” Mad replied.

“Well yeah, you’re right here,” Rhyme mumbled. Mad looked down at her.

“What was that?” Rhyme’s heartbeat raced and he blushed.

“Nothing, don’t worry about it.” Rhyme looked down at her hands, still in Mad’s. He quickly pulled them back and stuffed them into his pockets. Mad pulled out their phone and quickly typed a message. After a few seconds, it beeped. 

“Oh, they found Velvet. They’re with them and their mom now.” 

“Nala’s in on it?” Rhyme asked, “I shouldn’t be surprised, actually. She was the nicer of the two.” Mad nodded.

“I think she’s one of the only people I’ve heard Velvet talk about positively.” Another ding and a smirk appeared on Mad’s screen.

“Maroon said whatever you said yesterday was important.” Rhyme’s heart skipped a beat.

Dammit, Maroon. Fucking traitor. 

“I don’t think so,” Rhyme replied, crossing her arms. 

“Hold on, they just texted what you said.” Rhyme jumped forward, knocking the phone out of the droid's hand. Rhyme tripped over Mad’s foot, falling onto Mad. The two landed on the ground, Mad laughing loudly. Rhyme glared at the phone. 

“I was joking, Rhyme, I didn’t even ask them. I was just getting an update,” Mad said, looking up at her. Rhyme switched his glare to them.

“Scared the shit outta me, strange robot.” 

“Although, I might text them about it now considering that’s how you’re reacting.” Rhyme held Mad’s shoulders down and shook his head. 

“Can’t do that if I keep you here away from your phone.” 

“Are you sure about that?” Mad chuckled, “Rhyme, I’m a robot.” 

“Shit.” Mad laughed again, a bright smile appearing on their screen. 

“I’m just kidding. Maroon probably wouldn’t tell me, anyway.” Rhyme sighed, taking her hands off Mad’s shoulders.

“Good.”

“I am curious, though,” Mad added, “You don’t have to tell me, but I do wanna know.” 

“Maybe I’ll tell you. Eventually.” Mad displayed the eyes emoji, which promptly spun around. Rhyme stared at it before breaking out into laughter.

“What?” The droid asked. 

“What are you doing?” 

“Rolling my eyes.” That response only made the thief laugh harder. She set her forehead on their chest while she laughed. 

“Who…who told you to do that?” he asked through laughs. 

“Thorn. Why, does it look stupid?” Rhyme shook his head.

“No. Never stop doing that.” Mad shrugged as the thief sat up.

“If you say so.” The two looked at each other for a few moments. Mad’s screen changed to a smile, causing Rhyme to frown. It switched to a question mark.

“What’s wrong?”

“What did I just say?” Mad’s screen went blank.

“Huh? Oh- you meant-” Rhyme laughed again, shaking her head.

“No, I’m kidding.” Mad’s screen displayed the rolling eyes again anyways.

“Better?” it asked. 

“Better.” Mad laughed before looking Rhyme in the eyes.

“Can I stand up now?” Rhyme’s face went bright red and he quickly scrambled to get off of the droid. 

“Sorry-” 

“It’s okay. Are you gonna finish your breakfast?” Mad asked, gesturing to the full plate. 

“Right, yeah. Kinda got interrupted during that, huh?”

“That would mean you actually started eating.” Rhyme’s eyes widened. 

“I thought you weren’t looking at me earlier?” Mad shook their TV.

“My camera was looking at you, the TV wasn’t.”

“‘Course, how silly of me.” Mad nodded as the thief sat down at the table. It joined her, this time sitting to her right. Rhyme smiled and took a bite.

“How is it?” 

“Perfect,” Rhyme answered.

Just like you.

Velvet led the way down the hallway, Thorn and Maroon following behind. Nala had cleared out the area a few minutes before, but Velvet had Kil-layye Mo’ore drawn anyway. They passed down a set of brown double doors with several stickers on it. Thorn looked at them: a rainbow, stars, and the letter c sat in the middle. It looked like there were more letters, but they had fallen off. 

“What’s in there?” Thorn asked. Velvet didn’t even turn around to look at the door before responding.

“Nothing.”

“Doesn’t look like nothing.” 

“Drop it, frūx,” Velvet hissed. The prince put their hands up. 

“Right, got it.” The trio walked for another minute before Velvet stopped in front of another set of double doors. These ones were blank, and a deeper brown than the other ones. Velvet took a deep breath. 

“We’re here.” Maroon looked down at her. 

“Are you sure you’re okay with this, Velvet?”

“Of course I’m fucking not. But we don’t have a choice, now do we?” 

“I’m sure we could figure something else out. We could ask Nala-” 

“No,” Velvet stated coldly, “She’s endangered herself enough today. I’m not letting her get hurt again. Let’s just get this over with.” Maroon frowned as Velvet pushed the big doors open, Kil-layye Mo’ore raised. They creaked slightly but revealed an office with a large black desk ordained with various trinkets and papers. A laptop sat on top of it, open. There were three chairs around the desk: one on the side of the laptop and two with their backs towards the door. 

Paintings lined the walls depicting old buildings and other people, presumably older members of the Bolton family considering their similarity to Velvet. The walls were a deep, blood red with black sigils lining the middle. Thorn pointed them out.

“Any idea what those say?” He asked out loud. 

“Don’t look at them for too long. They’re a form of security.” Thorn quickly looked away.

“Unor’s got a lot of magic access for a mortal,” ae mumbled. 

“It’s really not that surprising. He’s not that far off from becoming a fake god.” That sentence caused Maroon and Thorn to stop dead in their tracks. 

“...what?” Maroon breathed. Velvet turned back to look at them. Her red hair fell out of the clip, so she adjusted it while she talked. 

“You didn’t know?”

“I think you conveniently forgot to mention that part,” Thorn replied through gritted teeth. Velvet just shrugged. 

“Well now you know.” 

“What do you mean ‘not that far off’?” Maroon asked. Velvet sat down in the main desk chair and typed something into the laptop.

“Same fucking password, what a fucking idiot,” they mumbled, “I mean he’s not far off. He’s got four and a half of the five souls he needs, so he’s almost there.” 

“Souls?” Thorn demanded, “How exactly does one become a fake god?” Velvet groaned.

“Did I really forget to explain this?” 

“I wouldn’t be asking otherwise.”

“I don’t know, you’re you,” the assassin mumbled, “To become a fake god, someone needs to collect one soul of each type. Unor’s got four and a half.” Maroon took a step forward. 

“Half?” Velvet refocused on the laptop, typing more into the keyboard. Maroon opened their mouth to say something more but stayed quiet. 

“Damn it, this is wiped clean,” they mumbled, “It’s almost like…” Thorn stared at her.

“If you say what I think you’re going to say, Velvie…”

“He knows we’re here,” Maroon said in a small voice. Velvet quickly stood from the chair and joined the duo.

“How could he know we’re here?” Thorn asked, “There’s no way.”

“He must have found out about the UPS break-in and put two and two together,” Velvet answered. They pushed the doors open again, this time a loud alarm blaring again. 

“So that whole planning thing with Nala was bullshit?” 

“Maybe not. I hope it wasn’t. I hope he’s not here and is just hoping his guards will be able to capture us.” 

“The guards that are also him,” Thorn muttered. Velvet nodded and stepped out into the hallway, making a run for it back where they came. The other two quickly followed.

“If we can get back to Nala’s room, could we-” 

“Too dangerous,” Velvet interrupted Maroon, “There’s another security panel in the library, but that’s way further. I don’t know if we’ll make it.”

“And there’s no chance they’re gonna fall for the false alarm from Nala for a second time,” Thorn added. Velvet nodded. Footsteps began thudding behind them, voices shouting in various languages Thorn didn’t know. Velvet glanced backward.

“One of you, make a wall.” Thorn obliged, a wall of vines growing and blocking the hallway behind them. They added a horizontal layer as well, just in case. In front of them, a large metal door slammed shut. Velvet quickly stopped in their tracks, breathing heavily.

“Fuck,” they said. 

“W-what’s that mean?” Maroon asked. 

“Full lockdown’s been activated. We can’t get out that way. Or any way, for that matter.” 

“Then what’s the plan?” Thorn demanded. Velvet glared at him.

“I’m fucking working on it, Thorn.” The voices behind the vine wall grew louder as Velvet scanned the hallway. A few feet ahead stood the sticker-covered doors once again. The assassin’s eyes locked on it right as Thorn’s did.

 

Maroon looked at their two friends as they both looked ahead. They followed their gaze to the door from earlier, the one Velvet had dismissed. 

“Fuck, okay,” she breathed, running forward. Maroon and Thorn followed. Velvet slowed in front of them and carefully tried the doorknob. The door gave way, warm sunlight fading in from the large bay window on the opposite side of the room. Maroon glanced at Velvet, who had her eyes closed tight. She took a deep breath and, once Maroon and Thorn were inside, shut the door. 

The room was well-lit from the window alone, a pair of blue curtains hanging from the rod above them. The right corner had a large canopy bed, decorated with blue and purple bedsheets. There were four pillows on top and an extra blanket folded neatly at the end. Pictures of butterflies and various star systems sat above the bed, forming a star. 

A large rug was in the middle, a blue flower. The opposite side of the room from the bed had a desk with a textbook open on top of it. The chair was pushed in and a layer of dust had begun to form on the pages. A closet was pushed up against the wall the door was on, slightly ajar. 

Velvet slowly turned around, taking in the scene. Maroon watched as they walked towards the window. 

“Who’s room is this?” Thorn asked, crossing his arms. Velvet sat down at the window, looking out. Maroon walked towards the open textbook. 

“This is- was. This was a friend of mine’s bedroom.” Maroon looked down at the book, wiping the dust off. There sat a name.

“Caran?” Maroon read, “Oh…that’s who Caran was.” Velvet nodded, standing again. 

“Try not to touch anything, okay?” Maroon wiped their hand on their trousers. Velvet joined them at the desk and glanced down at the book. 

“‘Course that’s what he was reading,” they mumbled. Maroon looked down at them.

“What is it?” 

“Algebra.” 

“What’s…algebra?” Velvet stared at them for a few seconds.

“I’ll let Mad handle that one.” Maroon nodded but kept their eyes on Velvet. The assassin slowly opened a drawer and their eyes widened. 

“Jackpot,” they breathed. They pulled out a laptop, similar to the one from Unor’s office. They sat down back at the window and opened it up. Maroon sat next to them and Thorn joined on the other side of Maroon. 

“His laptop?” Thorn asked, “How’s that gonna help?” 

“Unor’s not going to limit a dead person’s access to classified documents. That’s his one weakness: he’s cocky. He killed someone, so there’s no point controlling what they can see.” Maroon’s heart skipped a beat.

“He killed Caran?” Maroon asked.

“Of course he fucking did. Are you even surprised?” 

“...no.” Velvet typed in another passcode and smirked. 

“And we’re in. Project Rapio…” They clicked on a file and quickly scanned it. 

“That looks like the one we found at the UPS,” Maroon commented. Velvet nodded. 

“It is.”

“Anything new?” Thorn asked. Velvet closed the document and opened up the next. 

“I’m looking, give me a minute.” Thorn looked around Maroon to read the screen.

“That’s in English?”

“Yeah. It must be the memo he sent to the lower-ranking operatives. They typically can’t read Latin.” Thorn was quiet for a moment before his eyes widened. 

“Unor’s trying to capture us for one of our souls?” it exclaimed. Velvet slammed the laptop closed and stood. 

“We should get out of here,” she mumbled, “We’ll have to break the window.” Maroon glanced at Thorn, who was staring at Velvet.

“Velvet, did I read that right?”

“I have no clue what you’re talking about, Thorn.”

Soul? If he already has 4 and a half, why would he want… their eyes locked on Velvet, Oh. 

“Velvet, that half a soul Unor has,” Maroon said quietly, “It’s yours, isn’t it?” Velvet turned back to glare at them.

“So what if it is? It doesn’t change anything.” 

“Oh my gods,” Maroon breathed, “Velvet, I’m so sorry-”

“Is that why you’re so…you?” Thorn asked. Maroon stared down at them.

“Thorn-”

“What? That was the nicest way I could think of.” 

“Just fucking drop it, will you?” Velvet demanded, “It’s not that big of a deal.” She jumped onto the window seat and drew Kil-layye Mo’ore, using the hilt to break the glass. Maroon and Thorn quickly moved out of the way. 

“It is a big deal, though. You’re missing half of your soul, your personality, your…emotions.” Maroon let the last word hang in the air as Velvet sheathed her sword again. Thorn looked between Maroon and Velvet.

“So all this time, I’ve been calling you a bitch for ignoring your emotions,” the prince began, “But you haven’t been. You just haven’t had emotions?” 

“I’m done talking about this with you two. Just forget you ever figured this out, okay?” 

“Velvet, stop.” Maroon grabbed their wrist, forcing them to look back at them. 

“What do you want, fungus?” 

“How long has your soul been broken?” Velvet groaned.

“Are we really going to do this?” 

“The quicker you answer our questions, the quicker we can leave,” Thorn added. Velvet glanced at each of them before sighing.

“Fine. Since shortly after my 14th birthday.” 

Nearly two years, Maroon thought, Dear Ailuj-

“Does Zaeor know?” Velvet scoffed.

“Of course he fucking knows. He’s what stopped him from taking the whole thing.” Maroon’s eyes widened. 

“So that’s what you meant,” Thorn said. The two of them looked towards him.

“What?”

“You keep saying that he saved your life. I thought that was after you started working for him, but it's why you’re working for him.” Velvet rolled her eyes.

“That’s what you choose to focus on?”

She’s been like this since before the mafia was formed. How did no one notice?

“I don’t control where my brain goes, Velvie.”

Does anyone in the mafia know? We…we could’ve…I could’ve…

“Do not fucking call me that, especially-”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Maroon blurted out. Velvet turned to them.

“What do you mean?”

“Why didn’t you tell anyone? Me, Mad, anyone. We could’ve helped you sooner.” Velvet narrowed their eyes at them.

“Because there’s no way to help me, Maroon.” The youngest teen’s heart skipped a beat again as they looked at her. 

“There has to be something.”

“There’s not, Zaeor’s checked. I’m stuck like this for the rest of my life.”

“Fuck, that’s morbid,” Thorn muttered. Velvet sent a glare aer way. 

“So is my entire life. Get used to it.” 

“What if Unor was dead?” Maroon asked. The two teens refocused on them, Thorn’s eyes wide.

“What are you talking about, Maroon?” Thorn asked. 

“If Unor was dead, wouldn’t all the souls be released? Couldn’t you get it back then?” Velvet frowned.

“In theory, but there’s no guarantee-”

“But it’s possible?”

“Maroon, are you saying we should-” Velvet cut Thorn off.

“Yeah, I guess it’s possible.”

If killing Unor could fix Velvet’s soul…after everything he’s done, what’s stopping us?

“Then let’s attack Unor first,” Maroon stated, “We’ve been on the defensive this whole time. The day he’s actually planning on attacking us, we attack first. Stage a full assault on this base. Take it over and end this.” Velvet stared at Maroon for several moments. Thorn took their hand but Maroon didn’t take their eyes off of the assassin in front of them. 

“You’re right,” Velvet finally replied, “That’s what we’ll do.” Maroon took a deep breath and nodded. 

“Mushroom, are you sure you want to-”

“Yes. I’m sure.” Velvet held a hand out to Maroon and the three teens stood on the windowsill. Thorn had a concerned look on his face as he stared at Maroon. 

“One of you want to make something to get us down?” Velvet asked. A giant mushroom sprouted from the ground, stopping right in front of them. Maroon led the way onto the pileus.

It’s time to end this.

[the-red-mafia]

The Game

A morning video game session goes sour when the video game Maroon got turns out to be cursed. Now, the team is separated inside of it with no way home. Will they be able to find each other, or will they be stuck there forever? Also available on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/TheRedMafia Next Update: [Updated] Word Count: 3423

2 weeks after “The Prince”

Maroon pushed Thorn down onto the couch in between Mad and Solana. Ae looked up at aer friend with a confused look, adjusting the light pink sweater ae were borrowing from Maroon.

“Maroon, what’s going on?” Solana chuckled.

“They didn’t fill you in?” Thorn shook his head.

“Maroon recently got a new video game from Zaeor,” Mad began, crossing one of their legs over the other, “They didn’t tell us what it is, but they want all of us to play it together.” The older teen smirked. 

“Alright, a video game challenge, then. You’re on, Mar-Mar.” Maroon smiled at their friend.

“We’re just waiting on Velvet.” Mad’s screen displayed a question mark, drawing the younger teen’s attention towards it.

“Maroon, do you remember what happened last time you tried to get Velvet to play video games?” Maroon nodded but crossed their arms.

“Yes, but this time it’ll be different. It’s not rainbow road levels of difficulty, so-”

“I hope I didn’t just hear what I think I just heard.” Maroon quickly turned to the doorway of the living room, where Velvet now stood. Her red zip-up covered most of the skull-patterned tank top she was wearing underneath it. The younger teen shook their head.

“We’re not playing Mario Kart, I promise.”

“Good, ‘cause I was going to walk away.”

“Please don’t, it’ll be fun!” Velvet glanced at their teammates lined up on the couch. Solana was still in their pyjama pants and tank top, their hair tied up in a messy bun. He looked like he had just been dragged out of bed by a certain excited teenager. Mad was in their blue jean jacket paired with a grey shirt and white skirt, much more put together than the elf next to it. 

“And…what exactly are we playing again?” they asked, crossing their arms. Maroon smiled and quickly disappeared into the kitchen. Velvet raised an eyebrow. Solana let out a quiet chuckle and scooted closer to Thorn.

“Come on, take a seat Velvie.” She rolled her eyes but obliged. When Maroon emerged from the kitchen, they were gripping a video game box in their hands and blocking the label.

“Where were you hiding that?” Mad questioned, “I didn’t see it when I was making breakfast.” Maroon shrugged and took the disc out of the box. Velvet leaned forward as they placed the box upside down.

“What’s with all the secrecy, Mar-Mar?” Thorn called out.

“It’s a surprise.”

“Well, yeah, but we’re gonna see it in a few seconds anyways.” Maroon scooped the five controllers in their arms, returning to the couch and handing them out one by one. 

“It’s more fun this way.” Thorn laughed.

“Alright, whatever you say.” 

“This better not be something stupid,” Velvet muttered, “I have things I could be doing.” 

“Like what, drama queen?” Solana joked, holding down his controller’s power button. Velvet glared at them. 

“Research. Training. Literally anything else.”

“Oh come on, you’re a nerd.”

“I am not.” Maroon plopped down on the couch in between Thorn and Mad, remote in hand. They navigated through the various menus until they clicked on a rainbow-coloured icon. After a few seconds of blackness, a loud whirring sound came from the TV. 

“Is that…a part of the game?” Solana asked, turning to Maroon. The teen stared at the screen before shaking their head. Mad began to stand, but a loud laugh stopped them in their tracks. Before anyone could move, a bright light enveloped the room. 

Thorn instinctively closed its eyes until it felt the couch disappear from underneath it. Their back slammed onto some kind of floor, knocking the wind out of them. Ae gasped for air for a few moments until ae slowly sat up and forced aer eyes open.

Gone was the familiar red of the Mahogany Mansion’s living room, now replaced with ugly yellow wallpaper covered in grey flowers. The air was stale, smelling of mold and dirt. A hallway stretched in front of them, a few more coming off of it as well. He quickly jumped to his feet.

“Guys? Anyone there?” it called out. A loud thud came from down the hallway, followed by a loud groan.

“Fucking hell,” Thorn heard Velvet yell. The older teen took off down the hallway, turning down one of the offshoots to find her slowly sitting up on the ground. They jumped a little when Thorn arrived.

“Shit- Where are we?” they asked, standing. 

“No idea, I figured you’d know.” 

“Well, I don’t. Have you seen the others?” He shook his head, causing Velvet to groan again. 

“Perfect, just perfect,” they muttered, “Exactly how I wanted to spend my Friday morning. Thanks, Maroon!”

“W-who said that?” A voice called out. Thorn glanced at Velvet.

“Maroon?”

“Maroon.” The duo ran back into the hallway. Velvet pulled a small throwing knife out of a small pouch attached to her belt. Thorn stared at them. 

“Since when did you have that?” Velvet rolled her eyes.

“Since I woke up, frūx. You just don’t pay attention.” Ahead of them, Maroon’s head popped out from behind a wall. 

“Velvet, Thorn!” They slowed in front of them, Thorn pulling them into a hug.

“You okay, mushroom?” 

“Y-yeah.”

“What the hell have you gotten us into, Maroon?” Velvet demanded, crossing her arms. Maroon looked towards the ground.

“I-I didn’t know this would happen, I thought we were all just going to have fun playing the new Johnny Darlington game and-” The assassin cut them off with a loud groan.

“Really? Johnny Darlington game?”

“Y-yeah I thought it’d be f-fun.” 

“So, does that mean we’re in the game?” Thorn asked, gesturing around them, “Because this doesn’t look very Johnny Darlington-core to me.” Velvet narrowed their eyes at him.

“It doesn’t look very what?”

“Johnny Darlington-core.”

“What does that even mean?”

“It means it’s not very Johnny Darlington-core.” She groaned again before turning back to Maroon. 

“What’s supposed to happen in the game?” Maroon looked at them.

“It’s supposed to be a team game where you work together to help Johnny Darlington escape a maze. Although, I don’t think it’s supposed to look like this.”

“Because it’s not Johnny Darlington-core.”

“Thorn, I am going to throw you into a reactor core if you don’t shut the fuck up.” Maroon laughed nervously, carefully stepping in between their friends. 

“Anyways-” they began, looking between the two of them, “Shouldn’t we find Mad and Solana?” Velvet’s eyes widened. 

“Fuck, right. Solana! Mad!” The group went silent for several seconds but no other noise came from inside the hallways. Maroon turned to Velvet.

“W-where are they?” 

Mad looked around the small room Solana and them were standing in. They glanced at the elf.

“Did you hear something?” it asked. Solana shook her head.

“No, did you?” 

“I thought I did, but I’m probably just hearing things.” The elf raised an eyebrow. 

“Can you even hear things that aren’t real? That feels counterintuitive.” Mad shrugged.

“I don’t think it was in my original programming, so it must be a soul thing.”

“Huh, interesting…” A smile appeared on their screen.

“Anyways, enough about me,” it began, “We should find Maroon, Thorn, and Velvet.” Solana nodded before stifling a laugh. Mad’s screen flipped to a question mark.

“What?”

“Pfft- just, we’re off to hunt down the angsty teens.” Mad chuckled. 

“True, although I’m not sure I’d call Maroon and Thorn ‘angsty’.”

“Really? They’re still pretty angsty, just in a different way than Velvet is.”

“I guess…wait. If they’re the ‘angsty teens’, what’re we?” Solana paused for a minute.

“Well, I’m obviously the cool, criminal uncle,” she started, earning a chuckle from the droid, “And you…are the very tired dad of the group.” Mad’s question mark flickered slightly. Solana let out a laugh.

“Or mom. Whichever you prefer.”

“W-why me?” The elf leaned up against one of the yellow-print walls. 

“I mean, you are the one who makes sure we all don’t kill each other.” They laughed again as Mad’s screen went blank before they stood up fully again. 

“Any luck with calling any of them?” Mad stared at him for a second before shaking their TV. 

“I imagine some kind of magic is involved. I think we got teleported into the game,” it said, a frown appearing on the screen, “But…why would Zaeor…” Solana raised an eyebrow. 

“Why would he what?” 

“Nothing, nevermind. Where do you think the teens could be?” Solana looked up and down the hallway. 

“No idea, but we should start walking around. We’re not gonna find them standing here.”

“True.” A crash echoed through the halls, causing the duo to stop in their tracks. It was followed by a loud, shrill scream. Solana turned to look at Mad’s blank screen. 

“Was that a kid?” The assistance droid stared towards the source of the noise. 

“I think so.” Solana cracked his knuckles.

“Well, what’re we waiting for?”

It took a few minutes for Thorn to calm their friend down, all of which Velvet spent leaning against the yellow wall, thinking. Thoughts ran through their head like wildfire, despite the blank expression their teammates saw. 

This is definitely some kind of magic, she thought, taking a deep breath, Although, I’m not sure what spell could cause something like this. A curse, maybe? But why would someone waste time cursing some stupid video game? No…something’s wrong. But what? 

“V-Velvet?” Maroon’s quiet voice brought the assassin back to reality. They looked up and locked eyes with them.

“What?”

“Are you okay?” Velvet narrowed her eyes at them but sighed.

“Yeah, fine. Just thinking.�� 

“So do you know what’s going on now?” Thorn chimed in, crossing his arms. Velvet shrugged.

“Partially. My best guess is the game was somehow cursed, no idea how. If it’s a curse, then we’ll have to find the catalyst.”

“Catalyst? What does that mean?” 

“It’s basically just the object the spellcaster puts the magic to maintain the spell in,” the teen replied, standing, “It’s probably the game disc itself, but I don’t know how we’re gonna access that here.” 

“Maybe there’s a physical apparition inside the game?” Maroon asked. 

“I mean, it’s possible.”

“So we just find this catalyst and break it, then we can go home?” Velvet looked at Thorn.

“We’ll have to find Mad and Solana first, but yeah.” 

“What are we doing standing around, then? Let’s find this thing.” Thorn took a step forward, but Velvet quickly pulled it back.

“Hold on a second. I doubt our being here is the only effect the curse has on the game, that’d be a waste of a curse. We have absolutely no idea what we’re up against right now.”

“When do we ever, Velvet? What’s the worst that can happen?” Velvet let out a strained laugh and crossed her arms.

“I have a guess. Try using your powers, either of you.” The two teens looked at each other before both raising a hand. After a few moments, nothing happened. Thorn’s eyes widened as he looked down at his hand.

“W-what?” Maroon mumbled. Velvet sighed.

“Just as I thought. Whoever put this curse on the game completely cancelled any other magic.”

“And that means?” Thorn demanded. 

“It means our powers won’t work,” Maroon said quietly, lowering their hand, “And they won’t work until we leave.” Velvet nodded. She reached into her small pouch and pulled out another throwing knife. They handed one to Thorn and Maroon before pulling out another for themself. Thorn stared down at the pitch-black blade. 

“It’s not much, but it’s something,” Velvet began, spinning their knife on one of their fingers, “Hopefully you don’t have to use them. Stay behind me and keep up.” Maroon nodded, but Thorn didn’t move. Velvet narrowed her eyes at him.

“Thorn?” they called out. Their teammate snapped back to reality, quickly looking up. 

“What?” 

“Were you even listening?” Thorn glanced at Maroon before chuckling.

“Nah, your voice nearly put me to sleep.”

“I swear to gods-” the assassin paused, “Whatever. Let’s move.”

“Got it, drama queen.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Not a chance.”

There were a few things Mad expected when it and Solana turned the next corner. One of them was more winding halls, complete with ugly yellow wallpaper and seemingly water-damaged carpet. Maybe even a child in the corner, scared out of their mind. What they definitely didn’t expect was Johnny Darlington, gripping a kitchen knife in his right hand. Mad pulled Solana to a stop as a twisted smile overtook the boy’s face.

“What the fuck…” Solana breathed. 

“Why hello there~” the character called out, raising his weapon, “Welcome to my…game.” The blade flew through the air, flying right over Solana’s head as he ducked. 

“Shit,” they mumbled. Mad quickly turned around and grabbed their friend’s arm. It took off back down the hallway, Darlington’s footsteps and laugh echoing behind them. 

“What the fuck?” Solana shouted. Mad glanced at her before groaning.

“Of course, how could I not see that?” Solana glared at them.

“See what, Mad?” 

“Whatever magic brought us here must’ve messed with the game’s code. All the puzzles and NPCs-”

“Mad, 3 words or less.” The elf pulled them around a corner as another knife soared past their TV.

“Um, okay. Uh…everything is wrong.”

“Great,” she said sarcastically, “Exactly what I was worried you’d say.” A knife sliced through one of Solana’s pyjama pants, causing the elf to let out a string of curses.

“Are you okay?” Mad asked.

“Yeah, fine,” he replied, “These are just my favourite.”

“They are good pants.”

“Why thank you, Mad-” Another blade flew in between the duo, cutting her off. Solana let out a strained laugh. 

“Right, that.” They quickly turned another corner, but Solana began to slow. Mad stared at her.

“What are you doing?” 

“It’s…a dead end,” they muttered in between breaths. Mad stopped as well, their screen going blank as more shrill laughter echoed behind them. The droid glanced down towards the yellow wall blocking their way. Solana turned the other way, quickly raising their hands. 

“Solana, wait.” The elf looked back at them.

“What?” 

“There’s a bat by the wall.” His eyes lit up as he quickly spun and sprinted down the hallway. Mad followed suit, Darlington’s laughs getting louder and louder behind them. The elf snatched the metal bat off of the ground, a wild grin overtaking her face.

“Perfect,” she breathed, swinging it in the air, “Hey, Darlington! Let’s dance!”

Maroon let the knife sit gently in their left hand as the other two teens led the way down the hallway. Velvet and Thorn were silent ahead of them. Velvet stared at the various tears and markings on the walls, seemingly trying to decipher the language. Thorn, on the other hand, was strolling with his hands in his pockets. Marook looked between them, nearly running into Velvet when she stopped walking. She quickly balanced them as Thorn turned around to look at them.

“Can you guys hear that?” the assassin muttered. Thorn raised an eyebrow.

“Hear what?”

“It’s a buzzing, almost like that buzz Mad makes sometimes.” Maroon straightened out their glasses. 

“Do you think Mad’s around?” they asked. Velvet shook their head. 

“No. That’d be too easy.” Thorn rolled his eyes.

“Sure, mhm. Of course.” Velvet ignored it and took a left down a hallway. Maroon hurried after her, Thorn following behind. As they walked, a quiet buzzing soon filled Maroon’s ears. 

“I hear it now. What do you think it is?” Maroon asked. 

“Nothing good.”

“Helpful,” Thorn muttered. The group turned another corner as the noise hummed loudly around them. A bright, neon green light quickly enveloped the trio. Maroon shut their eyes tightly and grabbed onto one of Thorn’s hands. A loud thud echoed loudly, causing the teens to jump. A cold breeze flew through the area. 

The light slowly faded away, allowing Maroon to open their eyes once again. The ugly wallpaper had been replaced with dark grey concrete blocks stacked on top of one another. The entrance was gone, with a solid wall now in its place. Another cold wind blew through the chamber, hissing as it went by. Thorn shivered next to them.

“What is this place?” Ae asked. Velvet turned to look at them.

“My guess is it’s another level in the game.”

“But don’t you have to, you know, do something to advance?” 

“Maybe the curse did it,” Maroon chimed in, “If we got too close to the catalyst…” Velvet’s eyes widened slightly before she let out a groan.

“Of course. The curse wouldn’t want us to break it.”

“Um…not exactly.” Velvet quickly turned and threw their knife towards the new voice. A squeak echoed as Maroon and Thorn raised theirs. In tje blink of an eye, Velvet drew two more blades from their bag.

“Wait, please! I brought you here!” Velvet kept the knives raised but glanced at Maroon.

“This is Darlington, right?” Maroon’s eyes widened.

“What?” The assassin stepped to the side, revealing the body of a middle-school-aged boy slumped against the wall. Velvet’s red and black blade pinned the fabric of his blue polo shirt to the…concrete?

Maroon took a step towards Johnny Darlington. The boy flinched but Maroon placed their hand on the wall. Instead of cold concrete, it was soft and pushed inwards. 

“Is this…foam?” they asked, looking down at Johnny. He nodded profusely. Maroon kneeled down and gently pulled the knife out. They tossed it back to Velvet, who promptly caught it and placed it back in the bag. Maroon held a hand out to Johnny. The boy glanced at Velvet and Thorn before taking it.

“Are you okay?” Maroon asked. Johnny stared at them for several seconds and quickly shook his head. 

“I’m fine, but you guys won’t be. You need to get out of here.” Velvet raised an eyebrow.

“Why?” Thorn asked, “What’s going on?” 

“The game is cursed-”

“No fucking shit, I had no idea,” Velvet mumbled.

“-There’s another me running around, but he’s trying to kill everyone. You have to leave.”

“We can’t,” Velvet interrupted, “We can’t leave until we break the curse.” Johnny’s eyes widened.

“That’s not possible.”

“Johnny, have you ever heard this…alternate you talk about a curse catalyst?” Maroon questioned. The boy was quiet for a moment.

“Yes, but-”

“Take us to it.” Johnny turned to Velvet as she crossed her arms.

“What?” 

“You hear me. Take us to it so we can destroy it.”

“He’ll kill you. I won’t be able to stop him.”

“Does it look like I care?”

“My magic- I won’t be able to-”

“What happened to your magic?” Maroon chimed in, stepping in between Velvet and Johnny. Velvet glared at them. 

“It’s not working, I’m not sure why. But the point is, I have no way to protect you. I can’t, in good conscience, let you face him. I’ve seen what he’s capable of.”

“Listen, Darlington-” Velvet began, but the boy cut her off.

“Please, Velvet, just call me Johnny.” Velvet raised a knife again, narrowing their eyes at him.

“How do you know my name?” He smiled at them.

“I know the names of everyone who’s ever watched my show.” Maroon’s eyes widened. 

“So you know-”

“Yes, Maroon. I know your name.” The youngest teen’s eyes lit up and a smile appeared on their face. 

“Do I want to know how that works?” Velvet mumbled, lowering the weapon. 

“I have a guess,” Thorn began, “Magic.”

“I hate you.”

“Feeling’s mutual.”

“Guys…” Maroon said quietly. Thorn glanced at their friend before letting out a sigh.

“Right, sorry.” 

“Sorry. Johnny, can you take us to the catalyst now?” Velvet asked. The boy looked up at her again.

“I told you-”

“We can handle ourselves, Johnny,” Maroon added, “We’re not going to die.”

“You have no idea-” Thorn walked up and placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“Johnny, everyone here is in danger. If you can just take us to the catalyst, we can save everyone here.” The boy looked between each of the members of the Red Mafia before sighing.

“I…okay. Fine. But you have to promise me you won’t die. Please.”

“Oh my gods, we’re not gonna die,” Velvet groaned, “Just take us there already.” Johnny reached out and grabbed Maroon’s hand. He pushed Thorn’s off of his shoulder and grabbed it as well. Velvet raised an eyebrow.

“What are you doing?” she asked. Johnny smiled at them. 

“Teleporting. Grab on.” Velvet let out another groan and stepped towards Maroon, taking their other hand. In a blink of an eye, the four of them were gone.

[the-red-mafia]

The Prince

Solana and Velvet leave on a mission to steal some paperwork on the next planet in Prince Nolan's peace tour. While Solana and Nolan catch up, Velvet...well. She's Velvet. Also available on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/TheRedMafia Next Update: [Updated] Word Count: 4239

2 weeks after “The Maze”

Velvet quickly grabbed the man’s arm and pulled him into the alleyway, away from the guards. They didn’t notice, and kept walking and chatting like nothing had happened. 

“Prince Nolan.” The man turned around and almost let out a scream, but Velvet quickly covered his mouth.

“Watch it, idiot. You’re gonna get me in trouble.” Nolan stared at them for several seconds. 

“Are you going to be quiet?” He nodded, causing Velvet to sigh and remove her hand. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” He whispered.

“I need to talk to you. In private.”

“Why would I go anywhere with you? You literally shot my mother.” Velvet rolled their eyes.

“Are you really upset about that? She was about to kill Solana.”

“Yes but- whatever. Is Mo- Solana with you?” 

“That’s actually what I need to talk to you about.” Nolan’s face dropped immediately and a look of worry took over.

“Did something happen? Is he ok?” Velvet raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, he’s fine. Why’s that the first thing you assume?”

“Can you really blame me?”

“Not really,” they mumbled, “Will you come with me now?” Nolan looked up and down the alley before sighing. 

“Alright, I’ve got time until my speech. Lead the way, Velvet Bolton.”

When Velvet woke up at about 10 a.m., they were surprised to see Solana wasn’t awake yet. After running downstairs to grab an energy drink, much to Mad’s dismay, the teen found themself in front of his door.

“Solana!” she called out, sliding the hood of her navy hoodie off of her head, “The hell you doing in there?” “Sleeping, leave me alone!” Velvet narrowed their eyes at the closed door.

“If you’re sleeping, how are you talking to me?” The elf didn’t answer, causing Velvet to sigh.

“What are you actually doing in there?” 

“Trying to sleep.”

“Dear gods,” the teen mumbled, reaching out to the doorknob. Surprisingly, it was unlocked. They stepped in, shutting the door behind them. Solana’s fairy lights were set to a soft blue which almost managed to distract them from the chaos sprawling across the room. Clothes sat in various piles while the desk under the loft bed was covered in open notebooks and loose papers. Predictably, Solana was sitting on the suspended bed, glaring at Velvet. He was still in his pyjamas, donning a pair of black gym shorts and a white t-shirt. Their red hair was down, resting just below their shoulders.

“Really?” they asked, crossing their arms. The assassin shrugged.

“You did it to me, might as well return the favour.” 

“Cool, you can leave now.” 

“Mad will just come up after me.”

“I think I prefer Mad.” Velvet rolled her eyes, pushing a few clothes to the ground so she could set her drink down on the dresser next to the door.

“Why are you sulking in here?” Solana sighed, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed and jumping down. 

“I’m not sulking,” she began, grabbing a hair tie off of the desk, “I just don’t want to talk to people today.” Velvet raised an eyebrow before grabbing their drink off of the dresser again. 

“Well, that’s too bad. Guess I’ll just go on this mission to Hinak by myself.” Solana pulled their hair back, staring at the teen.

“What are you getting at?” 

“Oh, nothing. Just that Hinak is the next location in Prince Nolan’s peace tour and I thought you would’ve wanted to go. But it’s fine, I’ll go on my own.”

“...I’ll be ready in 10.”

“You’ve got 5 until Zaeor gets here.”

“Fuck you.” 

“So what were you saying about Mo- Solana?” Nolan asked as they walked down the alleyway. 

“You can just call her Mona, I’ll know who you’re talking about.”

“Oh- right. What’s going on with Mona?” Velvet adjusted their black beanie and sunglasses before turning back to him.

“Does today mean anything to you, Your Highness?” she asked. Nolan paused for a moment.

“Uh, please just call me Nolan. And…I’ll be fully honest, I’m not sure what day it is.” Velvet raised an eyebrow.

“October 14th, 2364.” Nolan’s eyes grew wide as he stopped in his tracks. Velvet stopped as well, turning around to look at him.

“It’s…Mona’s birthday.” 

“Ah. I figured it was something like that.”

“Why? What’s going on?” Velvet sighed, crossing their arms.

“Let’s just say Solana hasn’t been the most…cooperative person today. They seemed out of it, so I thought since I’d be here anyways we’d pay you a visit.” 

“Oh- wait, ‘we’?” Velvet smirked before raising her hand up to activate her comms microphone. 

“Hey Solana, get over here.” Nolan smiled brightly before quickly adjusting his crown.

“How the fuck did you disappear so fast?” Solana responded. The assassin rolled their eyes. 

“Just get over here.”

“Where are you?” Velvet rubbed their temples, catching Nolan’s attention.

“Is…everything okay?” the prince asked. Velvet nodded.

“Solana, our comms have fucking trackers in them.”

“Wait, they-”

“Dear gods, the alleyway by the jewellery store. Hurry up.” They turned off their mic before groaning again. An awkward silence took over the alleyway as Velvet glanced at Nolan. He was dressed in a simple grey button-up partially tucked into black dress pants. His gold earrings hand various flower charms hanging from them, matching the small lilac pendant hanging around his neck. His crown had flower patterns as well, but only on the gems. 

“Velvet? You down here?” Solana’s voice called out from the entrance to the alleyway. Nolan’s smile grew wider as Velvet shouted back.

“Yeah, get over here.”

“Did you find the papers…” Their teammate’s voice trailed off as she stopped in front of Nolan. The two elves stared at each other for several seconds before Solana rushed forward and pulled him into a hug. 

“Holy shit, what are you doing here?” they muttered. Nolan let out a slight chuckle.

“Your friend here may or may not have kidnapped me.”

“Shut up, you came willingly,” Velvet stated, crossing their arms. Nolan laughed again.

“Yeah, that’s true.” Solana took a step back, smirking at the teen.

“Wow, Velvet, I didn’t think you had it in you to do something nice.” 

“Fuck you, Solana.” Nolan looked between the two of them before chuckling. 

“But seriously, thanks Velvie,” the elf said, ruffling Nolan’s hair. The teen rolled their eyes.

“Whatever, your moping was pissing me off.”

“I wasn’t moping-”

“Yes you were.”

“No I wasn’t.”

“Yes-”

“Anyways!” Nolan chimed in, taking Solana’s hand, “What are you guys doing here?”

“That’s confidential. But speaking of that, I should go.” Solana grabbed her wrist as she took a step backwards. 

“Wait, don’t you need help with the mission?” Velvet raised an eyebrow.

“Did you really think I needed your help? No, this is an easy mission. I just brought you along so you could see your boyfriend.” The elves’ faces grew scarlet as Velvet laughed and turned around.

“You two have fun. Solana, leave your comms on and tell me when you’re done.” Before Solana could get another word out, the teen disappeared around the corner. He looked up at Nolan, who smiled at him. 

“You know, this isn’t what I thought I’d be doing today,” he joked. Solana chuckled. 

“Yeah, that’s the story of my life.” They were quiet for a moment. The birds chirped above them, flying in mesmerising patterns that caught both of their attention. Nolan looked over at her before his eyes grew wide and he quickly dropped her hand. Solana turned towards him while he turned away. 

“So…how are you?” the prince asked. 

“Uh- Fine. You?”

“I’m good.” Solana looked up at the birds. 

“Peace tour, huh? I know you’ve been wanting to do that for a while.” Nolan smiled. 

“Yeah, Mom finally agreed to it after the recent revolt.”

“Revolt?” Solana asked, looking up at him again, “What happened?” Nolan sighed. 

“I’m still trying to figure that out myself. It happened last week in the Lehol district.”

“Probably was a wage revolt, then.”

“That’s what Mom said, but I already declared better wages last month.” Solana put their hands in their pockets before sighing. 

“I know you mean well, Nolan, but it’s gonna take a while for anything you say to take effect. And that’s gonna leave people starving.” Nolan groaned and slowly took his crown off of his head.

“How do I fix it, then?”

“That’s the question…” she mumbled, “Send the ambassadors down with supplies to keep them afloat until the wages can take effect.” Nolan looked over at him. They were looking back up at the birds. 

“Maybe even go there yourself. Put pressure on employers to actually do it. Your dad ordered things but didn’t enforce them, so that’s what they’re expecting. You need to show them that’s not how it’s going to work under you.” Nolan smiled as she turned back to look at him. He looked into their white eyes for several seconds.

“...what?” 

“I forgot how good of an advisor you were.” Solana chuckled and took their sunglasses off their face. He slid them onto the collar of his purple t-shirt and put his hands in his pockets. 

“What can I say, I'm a genius.”

“Pfft, yeah. Uh- thanks for the advice.” 

“Anytime, dude. Well, anytime you see me, I guess.”

“Solana, your mic is still on.” The elf jumped slightly, causing Nolan to jump as well. The prince nearly fell to the ground but Solana quickly caught him.

“Have you been listening this whole time?”

“Yep. Decent plan, by the way.”

“Velvet, I swear to Gazra-”

“Oh would you look at that, I’ve gotta go.”

“Velvet-” The beep from Velvet’s microphone muting caused Solana to groan.

“That little…”

“What’s going on?” Nolan asked. Solana looked down at the elf in his arms.

“Nothing, I’m just going to have…a few words with a certain red-haired bitch later.”

Velvet chuckled to herself as she walked down the sidewalk. With the mission papers safely tucked in their bag, all there was left to do was wait. The teen swung into a small coffee shop at the corner and quickly reemerged with a cup in hand. That’s when she nearly ran headfirst into one of Nolan’s personal guards.

“Fuck-” they muttered, quickly steadying their coffee, “What the hell?”

“I’m so sorry, ma’am,” a voice said as a hand grabbed onto their arm. They locked eyes with a man, maybe in his mid-20s or so, dressed head to toe in Gazran body armour. 

“It’s okay,” they said, shrugging his arm off. Another guard appeared behind the other, a concerned look on her face.

“You alright, kiddo?” Velvet tugged down on her beanie before resting a hand inside her side bag.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” The first guard smiled at them as the second raised her wrist to glance at her watch. Her eyes quickly grew wide.

“Shit,” she exclaimed, “We’re late, Connor.” The first guard turned towards her, pushing his purple bangs out of his face.

“What?”

“It’s noon.” 

“What?” Connor quickly looked around the trio. 

“W-Where’s the prince?” Velvet suppressed a smirk. The second stared at him.

“Shit.”

“Where was he last?” 

“I know he got off the ship.”

“No fucking shit, dude. Anywhere else?” 

“I…don’t remember,” the second guard mumbled, “Should we alert the captain?” Connor quickly grabbed her arm, causing her to jump slightly.

“Are you crazy, Alex? We’ll lose our jobs!”

“That’s going to happen anyways!”

“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Connor muttered, crossing his arms, “We’ll search the whole area. He probably just got distracted and wandered off, no big deal. So he’s a little late, so what?” Alex narrowed her eyes at him.

“Oh, and I’m the crazy one. Queen Orbita will have our heads. Not to mention how upset Nolan will be! He’s been planning this tour for years.”

“Um, if I may,” Velvet called out, raising a hand. The two guards turned back to her, Connor letting out a quiet chuckle.

“Sorry, kid, forgot you were there. What’s up?” Velvet looked between the two guards before clearing her throat.

“Are you talking about Prince Nolan Byes-Sobt by chance?” Alex’s eyes lit up.

“Yes! Have you seen him?” 

“I saw him go into that clothing store across the street when I went to get my coffee. No idea if he’s still there, though, it was about twenty minutes ago.” Connor set a hand on Velvet’s shoulder as a large smile overtook his face.

“Thank you so much…uh…I never caught your name.” A chill went down Velvet’s spine.

“Oh, right. Um…Vivian. I’m Vivian.” Alex grabbed Connor’s arm and waved at them.

“Thank you, Vivian!” The assassin watched the two guards sprint in front of a car. It honked at them, but they ignored it as they ran into the store. Velvet took a sip of her coffee before chuckling.

“This should be fun…”

Alex let out a groan as she stepped out of the store, her twin on her tail. She rested her hand on her pistol as she scanned the street. 

“I think we just missed him in there,” Connor said quietly, “Maybe we can go see if Vivian saw him leave after we went in?” Alex gestured to the coffee shop.

“They’re long gone, Connor. We have to alert Captain.” 

“No!” he exclaimed, crossing his arms, “Alex, we’ve worked so hard to get to this point. We’re not going to lose it all because the prince decided to wander off. No way.”

“He’s nearly half an hour late to his speech, they’re going to be sending search parties out for all of us soon.” Connor frowned.

“Where could he have gone…” Alex glanced over at her brother before her eyes widened.

“Connor, where’s your gun?” His hand quickly fell to his empty holster. Alex locked eyes with him.

“I-I don’t know- I had it a moment ago!” 

“Shit shit, this isn’t good.” A laugh came from behind them, seemingly coming from the store’s entrance. The twins spun around, greeted by an empty doorway with a certain handgun in front of it. A chill went down Alex’s spine. 

“Oh thank Gazra, I must’ve just dropped it,” Connor breathed, kneeling down. 

“Yeah…weird…”

“Boo.” Two hands quickly collided with her back and shoved her towards Connor. They both fell onto the concrete, drawing the eyes of passing pedestrians. Alex was soon back on her feet, Connor close behind. The sidewalk and street were empty. 

“What the fuck,” Alex breathed. Connor took a deep breath.

“Alex, are we being haunted?” She turned back to look at her twin.

“Are you crazy, Connor? Who would be haunting us?”

“M-maybe the prince is dead and his soul is haunting us because we failed to keep him alive and-” Alex grabbed her brother’s shoulders and looked him in the eyes. 

“Connor, shut up. There’s no such thing as ghosts. Not in that way.”

“But-”

“I’m offended, you’d deny my existence?” a cold voice whispered in Alex’s ear. The soldier jumped and turned around, but all she saw was a certain red-haired teenager walking down the sidewalk. 

“What…” she breathed. Connor smiled behind her.

“Vivian!” he called out, “Hi!” The teen turned around and waved slightly. She stood on the sidewalk as the two guards caught up.

“Did you ever see Prince Nolan come out of the store?” Alex asked, crossing her arms. Vivian shook their head. 

“No, sorry. Are you two okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Connor let out a strained laugh.

“That’s pretty close, actually.” Vivian raised an eyebrow.

“Really?” Alex elbowed Connor before turning back to the teen.

“Connor’s just paranoid. Can you do me a favour, Vivian?” She nodded.

“Do you have a phone?”

“Uh, yeah?”

“Can I see it?” Vivian narrowed their eyes at her but slowly unlocked and handed over the device. Alex typed in her number and handed it back.

“If you see the prince around, give me a call. Okay?” Vivian looked down at the phone before nodding.

“Thanks, Vivian,” Connor added. The teen smiled at him.

“It’s nothing. I’m just glad I can help.”

“You’re helping us a lot, Vivian,” Alex said, “We’re going to go search the east side of the city now. Thanks again.” Vivian nodded before turning on her heels and continuing down the sidewalk. Connor turned to Alex.

“What a nice kid.”

“Yeah. Something about her seems…familiar.” 

“Oh, and I’m the crazy one.”

“Shut up.”

“And that’s when you met your wife?” Solana questioned, “Gods, you were so upset that day but you wouldn’t tell me what happened.” Nolan laughed sheepishly. 

“Yeah…she. Can be annoying. But I don’t have much of a choice…”

“For now.” Nolan looked at them.

“Huh?” 

“You only have, what, two more years until you’re of age? Then your mom can’t control you anymore.” 

“It’s- well. There’s not much I can do about it even when I’m king.” Solana raised an eyebrow. 

“Why?” Nolan looked to the ground.

“Gazra is in disarray. Riots are breaking out left and right, corruption, etc. Our military is about as skilled as a group of children with sharpened sticks. Politically, we are the weakest government in most of the known galaxy. Imagine if their leader was unmarried? It’s bad enough I don’t have an heir yet.” Solana stared at him for a few moments before sighing. 

“You’re right,” she mumbled, “So Kandace was right, then?” Nolan froze. 

“W-what about Kandace?” 

“When I was captured in Gazra, Kandace came to talk to me. Said what’s-her-face was pregnant.” The prince’s eyes went wide.

“N-no!” he paused as Solana chuckled, “I…even though it would help a lot…I don’t think I could bring myself to do that.” 

“Even for the sake of the country?”

“I don’t know. If it was absolutely necessary, maybe? Isabella hasn’t tried to make me do anything, so…”

“Ah.” Nolan glanced at them.

“Did…did you hear what happened to Kandace, then?” It was Solana’s turn to look away.

“Nolan…that was me.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” The alley was quiet as Nolan looked her up and down. 

“Can I ask why?” Solana sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. 

“She tried to kill me and Velvet. I had to do my job.”

“What is your job?” Nolan questioned, causing his friend to shrug. 

“Keep Velvet alive so she can do her job.”

“And that is?” 

“Killing Unor Bolton.”

“Oh.” Solana sighed and turned back to him.

“Don’t worry about that, Nolan. You’ve got other things to deal with.” 

“Mona, we’re on the brink of a civil war and you’re talking about assassinating one of the leaders of our main ammunition and supply dealers. You’ve got to understand how terrifying that thought is.”

“Right, I know,” they began, resting their head in their hand, “But…the alternative is so much worse.” Nolan sighed. 

“And I’m guessing you can’t tell me what that is?” 

“...no.” The prince groaned. Solana looked up at him. Nolan held his crown in his left hand while running his right through his hair. Solana gently took the headwear from him and straightened out his hair. 

“Nolan, listen,” she said quietly, setting the crown back on his head, “If Unor’s allowed to run free…a lot of people are going to die. And if we don’t stop him now, there won’t be any way to do so. He’s already too powerful.”

“So what do you suggest?” Nolan asked, “If we go into a war…” 

“You’re not going to go into a war, Nolan.” 

“I find that hard to believe.” Solana held both of his hands and met his eyes.

“Unor isn’t fully in charge of B.A.D., right? Nala is. I’ll talk to Velvet and see what they can do about helping you stockpile.” Nolan looked away from her. 

“Well…” Solana lifted his chin and smiled at him. 

“It will be okay, okay?” 

“...okay.”

Nolan jumped slightly when Velvet jumped down in front of Solana and him. Solana sighed and crossed his arms, stepping away from him.

“What, did you realise you need my help with the mission?” they asked. Velvet rolled her eyes. 

“No, I completed the mission like an hour ago,” the teen replied, turning to look at Nolan, “I just came to tell Nolan I’m currently leading his personal guards on a wild goose chase and they totally think he’s haunting them.” Nolan’s eyes widened.

“What?” Solana broke out into a fit of laughter as the prince stared at Velvet. 

“I even got one of their phone numbers, so I can call them almost anywhere in the city claiming I saw you. Your guards are fucking stupid.” Nolan sighed.

“Why am I not surprised?” Solana took a deep breath, suppressing another laugh.

“Who are your guards nowadays?” they asked.

“A new pair of twins, Alex and Connor. I don’t think they had enrolled when you left.”

“Ah. What happened to Helo?” Nolan looked away as Velvet raised an eyebrow. 

“He…he uh…” After a few more moments of him stuttering, Velvet stopped him.

“Do you want me to tell her?” Nolan looked up at them.

“...yeah.” Solana narrowed his eyes at the teen.

“How do you know and I don’t?” 

“I watch the news and you don’t.” 

“I watch the news with you!” Velvet rolled her eyes.

“No, you sit next to me on the couch while I watch the news. There’s a difference.”

“Anyways, it was an assassination attempt. The guard, Helo I presume,” they glanced at Nolan, who nodded, “Jumped in the way of a bullet headed towards Nolan.” Solana’s eyes widened and she turned to look at the prince, but he looked at the ground.

“Nolan…” they began. Nolan shook his head before looking at them.

“It’s okay, he…he saved me. He’s a hero now.” Solana stepped towards him and pulled the prince into a hug. He rested his head on her shoulder, closing his eyes. Velvet looked between the two before sighing.

“Anyways, I’m off to bully them some more-”

“Actually, shouldn’t you get back to your tour, Nolan?” Solana asked, taking his hand. The prince quickly lifted his wrist.

“Crap- I’m so late!” 

“How long did you think you had when I grabbed you?” Velvet asked, crossing her arms. 

“About three hours?” The assassin laughed.

“No, you had maybe half an hour.”

“I-” Solana let out a chuckle. 

“Yeah, you should go. I’ll talk to you later, okay?” Nolan nodded before letting go of Solana’s hand. Velvet took a few steps back before turning around. 

“Solana, meet me back at the Umbrella?” Solana raised an eyebrow.

“What are you doing?” 

“Just gonna escort the prince back to his guards, would hate for something to happen to him.” 

“I-” they paused, “You know, I don’t think I want to know.” A wicked smile appeared on the teen’s face.

“Smart.”

“Please don’t kill anyone.” Velvet let out a gasp. 

“Me? Commit murder? I would never!”

“I’m serious, Velvet. I’m not breaking you out of prison today.” 

“Fine, gods. Let’s go, Nolan.” The prince looked up at his friend one more time. 

“Bye, Mona.” Solana smiled at him. 

“See you later, Nolan.”

Alex’s eyes lit up when she saw a certain teenager walking over, Prince Nolan in tow. 

“Vivian!” Connor called out next to her, “You found him!” The teen smiled at them.

“That I did.” Nolan glanced at them.

“Vivian?” They looked up at him.

“That’s my name.” A confused look covered the prince’s face for a few moments before his eyes widened.

“Oh! Right, Vivian.” Connor jumped forward and pulled him into the hug.

“Don’t disappear on us like that, man!” Nolan chuckled.

“Sorry, Connor.” Alex placed a hand on Vivian’s shoulder. The teen jumped a bit but looked up at her.

“Thank you so much for your help today, Vivian. If you ever need anything, the resources of Gazra are at your service.” Vivian raised an eyebrow.

“Really?”

“Really. You’ve done the entirety of our kingdom a huge favour.” Nolan stifled a laugh, causing Vivian to send a glare at him.

“Thank you so much, Alex. I really appreciate it.” The guard smiled at them. 

“Of course. Do you need a ride anywhere?” 

“No thanks. My…sibling is waiting for me,” they replied, getting another chuckle from the prince, “Although, I do have a piece of advice for you.” Alex raised an eyebrow.

“Alright, what is it?” Vivian went up to her tiptoes and leaned close to her ear.

“Pray to whatever god you believe in.” Alex froze.

“W-what? Why?” She heard a small chuckle come from the teen.

“If you can see me, it’s already too late.” Alex quickly turned to look at Vivian, but they were gone. She whipped her head around to look at Connor. 

“Where’d they go?” Connor shrugged.

“Where’d who go?” Nolan asked, crossing his arms. 

“The teen who brought you here, Vivian.” The prince raised an eyebrow.

“Huh? I found you guys on my own. You feeling okay, Alex?” The two guards looked at each other.

“You definitely saw them, right Connor?”

“Yeah, I did. I swear we got their number and everything.” 

“Right! Here, hold on-” She quickly unlocked her phone and scrolled through her contacts, but the one labelled Vivian was gone.

“...What?” Nolan put a hand on her shoulder and let out a strained laugh.

“Let’s get back to the tour. You guys should get some sleep if you’re hallucinating.”

“We’re not hallucinating!”

“I’ll believe that when I meet this…’Vivian’.”

“You already did!”

[the-red-mafia]

The Episode

With the giant monster Khatar on their tail and Velvet seriously injuried, Maroon attempts to save their friend by trapping him in the twisting paths underneath the Mahogany Mansion. Also available on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/TheRedMafia Next Update: [Updated] Word Count: 2653

Immediately after “The Labyrinth”

Maroon stared the creature in the eyes, their hands raised. Mad held onto a nearly unconscious Velvet as the creature roared again. They attempted to keep a grip on Kil-layye Mo’ore as Mad picked them up. Thorn’s back pressed against Maroon’s and he raised the assassin’s staff. Solana’s spear remained steadily pointed at it while the elf attempted to catch his breath. A large mushroom grew in between the group and the monster, but its giant jaws chopped it in half. 

“Fuck,” Solana breathed, “What is this thing?”

“Not thing,” Maroon corrected, “His name is Khatar.” Thorn stared at them.

“Wait, like Khatar from divination? I thought he died a while ago in that accident.” Maroon looked at the ground, their head pounding.

“...no.”

“So what do we do?” Solana asked. 

“Fucking…kill it,” Velvet mumbled weakly from Mad’s arms, their sword falling to the ground. The droid quickly caught it.

    “Whatever you do, do it quickly. Velvet’s already losing more blood than she should be.”

“This is pretty average for them, actually.” Solana glanced at Velvet for a retort, but the assassin was out cold. 

“I’ve got an idea,” Maroon began, catching everyone’s attention, “We can’t kill him, but if we trap him…maybe we can find a way to turn him back.” 

“Turn him back?” Mad questioned, steadying Velvet’s head.

“What happened to him?” Thorn asked. Maroon took a deep breath as mushrooms began sprouting around Khatar.

“I can’t tell you right now. I need you to just…trust me on this.” Solana glanced at them before nodding.

“You got it, Maroon, you take the lead.”

“We’ll follow behind,” Thorn added.

“Well- I won’t. But I know you’ve got it, Maroon,” Mad stated. The youngest teen smiled before facing the creature.

“Don’t worry Khatar, I’ll save you. I promise.”

Mushrooms sprouted in front of Khatar, pushing him back. He roared loudly and his tail whipped towards Maroon. Solana jumped forward and sliced at his tail with her spear. He screeched and slithered backwards. 

“Thorn, can you knock the wall down? I don’t want him running away,” Maroon called out. Thorn nodded, raising his hands and summoning three massive vines beneath the dirt. The wall crumbled to the ground and created a pile of dirt about as tall as Khatar. Maroon quickly grew a mushroom cage around him as a falling piece of rock landed right on his head. Khatar yelped and jumped up and straight over the dirt pile. 

“Shit,” Solana breathed, “Are we following?” Maroon glanced back at Mad. They had backed up to the opening, Velvet still in their arms. They looked back at the rubble before calling out to it. 

“Mad, are you-”

“Taking her up to the Madbay? Yes.” Maroon nodded and turned back to Solana and Thorn. 

“Okay, let’s follow. We’ll find a place to corner him.”

“How? We already know your cages aren’t gonna hold him,” Solana asked. A pain spiked Maroon’s head, causing the younger teen to lean over. Thorn materialised next to them.

“Mushroom, are you okay?” Maroon nodded slowly.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

“Maroon, if you’re hurt-” 

“I’m okay, Solana,” they interrupted, “I…I have to help him.” Solana stared at them for several seconds before sighing.

“Alright, let’s go.” Vines grew amongst the rubble and pushed the rocks out of the way, revealing the entrance. Maroon took off down the path, shortly followed by the other two. 

“I think we’ll have to knock him unconscious,” they began. 

“And after that?” Solana questioned. 

“Find a way to break his curse.” 

“Curse?” Thorn exclaimed, “What happened?” Maroon led the trio down a path leading to the right. A line of blood traced the walls, presumably from the hit Solana landed on his tail. 

“So you remember how he went missing?” 

“Yeah?”

“And not even Ailuj could find him?” 

“Mhm.”

“Apparently, he looked into his own future.” 

“Ohhhhhhhh,” Thorn said, “And then she punished him?”

“Yep.”

“That’s…bad, somehow?” Solana asked. Maroon nodded vigorously.

“If you see your future, you can change it,” Thorn started.

“Or ensure it,” Maroon added. 

“So why do you want to undo his curse then?” Solana questioned, “Seems like he kinda deserved it.” Maroon looked away. 

“He…I don’t know. He wanted to save a family member. I guess I feel bad that he just wanted to do something good and got punished.” Thorn looked away and took a deep breath. 

“I see. Well, we’ll do our best.” 

“Where was he hiding?” Thorn asked.

“The forest.”

“When did you go to the forest?”

“When you blew up half the academy.”

“...Oh.”

“I’m just. Not gonna ask,” Solana muttered. A roar echoed, stopping the trio in their tracks. The wall to their left burst, causing Maroon to create a mushroom to protect them from falling rubble. A squeak came from their right, followed by Khatar’s roar. Maroon’s eyes widened. 

“Wyrmis?” The giant worm slithered up to them and hissed at the creature.

“Wyrmis, get away!” They shouted. Maroon watched in slow motion as Khatar’s claw swung towards Wyrmis. Their face grew hot and their head pounded once again. The claw cut through the worm's skin and the world grew blurry. They saw Solana jump towards the claw, slicing through it. Instead of Khatar’s roar, though, Maroon’s ears were filled with wordless static. Thorn placed a hand on Maroon’s shoulder and attempted to turn them to face him. Maroon shrugged aer off and turned towards Khatar. Their fingers tingled as they raised their hands before their vision went black. 

Mad kicked open the door to the Madbay, placing Velvet on the closest bed. The teen stirred slightly as the robot ran around grabbing various items. They stood over her for several seconds.

“Fuck,” it breathed. Velvet let out a strained laugh before coughing. 

“That bad, huh?” 

“Let’s just say I have no idea how you’re conscious. You’ve passed out from less.”

“Crazy what armour does.”

“Don’t get me wrong, you’re still bleeding to death.” Velvet rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, yeah. Hand me my phone.” 

“Why?” Velvet didn’t respond and instead closed her eyes. Mad quickly jumped forward and grabbed her right wrist. 

“Velvet? Are you-”

“Yeah just…” they paused, “Resting…my eyes. My phone?” 

“No need.” Mad jumped at Zaeor’s voice and quickly spun around. The god was once again dressed in his sparkly black robe and a stern look on his face. He walked up to Velvet, who glared at him. 

“What the fuck is in the basement?” they demanded. Zaeor held a hand over her. Shadows enveloped both his hand and all of Velvet’s injuries.

“Why were you in the basement?”

“The worm was missing so we…we…” The teen’s eyes slowly closed, prompting Zaeor to turn to Mad. 

“Wyrmis went missing,” it began, “We were looking for him when Thorn and Velvet found a door they didn’t recognise. We found Wyrmis, but got attacked by a creature.” Zaeor frowned and glanced back at the unconscious Velvet. He mumbled something that Mad couldn’t make out before turning back.

“Are the others still down there?” he finally asked. Mad nodded. Zaeor sighed and waved away the shadows on Velvet. The only remaining sign of their injuries was the tears in their mission uniform and the various bloodstains. 

“I’ll go get the rest.”

“Wait-” Mad interrupted, “Why do you have a creature from Gaelicia down there? What else is down there?” Zaeor frowned again. 

“How did you-”

“It’s someone Maroon used to know. Is it guarding something?” The god stayed silent and walked to the Madbay door. 

“Watch over Velvet. I’ll be back.”

Mushrooms littered the dirt path and walls. Solana slowly sat up as the dust cleared, coughing. Fungus-covered rubble slammed into the ground, throwing more dirt in the air. The elf stood, wiping a few spores from their arms.

“Thorn? Maroon?” She called out, “Are you guys okay?” They heard a groan to their left, followed by an “I’m fine” from Thorn. Solana waved his hand to clear the dust and eventually found Thorn sitting on the ground. Ae had a hand on aer head as Solana held a hand out to aer. Thorn took it, eyes wide.

“Maroon? Where’s Maroon?”

“I don’t know.” Thorn ran around the rubble, slowly lifting various pieces. Solana followed suit. The elf climbed over a large pile of fallen wall and gasped. 

“Oh my Gazra,” they breathed. In front of her laid Khatar’s body, rotting from the inside out. His eyeballs were replaced by bright red mushrooms and his mouth was stuffed with them. Spiky spores stuck out of its blue and green scales, pinning the immobile body to the ground.

Maroon was curled up a few metres in front of it, unconscious. Mushrooms still grew near their feet and hands. The elf slid down the hill towards them. The scar on their left eyebrow had reopened and bled onto the dirt. Other than that, the youngest teen seemed unharmed. 

“Thorn, over here!” A sound came from behind Solana, causing them to turn around. He watched as Wyrmis slowly slithered towards Maroon, curling up around them. He was bigger than Velvet had described him, about 6 or 7 metres long now. Thorn came running over the dirt hill and slid down, calling out Maroon’s name as it ran towards them. Wyrmis moved his tail slightly so Thorn could plop down right my Maroon’s head. The worm’s blood slowly dripped onto Maroon and the dirt all around it. Thorn cradled their friend’s head in their arms as Solana kneeled down next to him.

“Maroon, are you okay?” the prince shouted, clearly attempting to hold back tears. Solana set a hand on their shoulder.

“They’re going to be fine, Thorn. Let’s focus on getting them-”

“Out of the way.” Solana and Thorn jumped and turned to find Zaeor standing behind them. The sight of the god in the dark robe sent a shiver down Solana’s spine. They quickly moved out of the way and took Thorn with them. Zaeor gently picked up Maroon like a baby. Wyrmis hissed at him but a simple raised hand shut the creature up. Thorn glared at Zaeor, but the god didn’t seem to notice. Instead, he offered his hands to the two mafia members.

“Grab on,” he mumbled, “We’re going upstairs.” 

“What about Wyrmis?” Thorn demanded, “Are you just going to leave him to die?” Zaeor sighed and waved a hand, circling the worm in shadows. When they faded, the creature was gone. 

“There, I healed it- him and teleported him upstairs. Can we go now?” Solana grabbed his right with a nod. It took Thorn a few seconds but eventually, the prince cautiously took the god’s hand. In a second, they were gone.

Maroon didn’t want to open their eyes. Their head pounded, their body ached, and chills swept through their limbs. Exhaustion seemed to take over their entire being, preventing them from opening their eyes to see the world. A warm presence was curled up next to them and eased the ache in their ribs. Maroon could hear muttering in the background that they couldn’t make out. One voice was Velvet’s, while the other appeared to belong to a certain god of shadows. That’s what finally made the teen force their eyes open. 

The fluorescent lights of the Madbay shone down on them, forcing them to squint. The presence turned out to be Thorn, who seemed to be napping next to them. To their left was Velvet, now sitting up and mumbling to Zaeor in a language Maroon didn’t recognize. Mad hung up a new IV drip on her rack before glancing back at Maroon.

“Maroon!” they called out, rushing over, “Are you okay?” The younger teen slowly sat up, transferring Thorn’s head to their lap. Mad helped them up and quickly supported them with several pillows. It felt as if every set of eyes was on them as they replied.

“Yeah…I’m okay. What happened?”

“I was hoping you could answer that,” Velvet stated coldly, removing the blanket from on top of her. Tears were still visible in her uniform, blood soaking the fabric. 

“Velvet, do not get out of that bed,” Mad ordered. Zaeor nodded in agreement.

“They’re right, kiddo. Your body’s still exhausted from healing.” Velvet rolled her eyes but opted to hang her legs off of the bed instead. 

“What’s wrong with you, Maroon?” Velvet demanded. The teen stared at them blankly.

“...what?”

“Velvet,” Mad muttered, “What they meant was, your powers. Something’s happening to them, causing them to go haywire more often. Did something happen?” Maroon locked eyes with Zaeor before shaking their head.

“N-not that I know of.” Velvet groaned.

“Of fucking course.” 

“Velvet, calm down,” Zaeor scolded, “Maroon, are you sure? Nothing happened with Unor?” The name sent a chill down their spine and they took a shaky breath.

“N-no.” 

“Maybe it was L’arj Mahnnnh. I knew we couldn’t trust him,” Velvet chimed in. Maroon shook their head.

“Nothing happened with anyone. I…I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Zaeor flashed a sympathetic look at them and moved to stand in between the two teens. 

“It’s okay, Maroon. I have a few tests I can run to see what’s happening so we can fix it. Is that okay?” He asked the question to Maroon, but also Mad, who nodded. Maroon took another shaky breath before nodding as well. 

“W-what happened to Wyrmis?” Maroon asked. Zaeor gestured to the bottom of the bed. Maroon leaned over to see the giant worm curled up around the bed, fast asleep.

“I have no idea how that thing grew so fucking fast,” Velvet mumbled. Zaeor chuckled. 

“It’s been a while since we got him, no wonder he’s not a baby anymore.” “A-and Khatar?” The Madbay grew silent. Maroon looked at everyone, waiting for an answer. Mad’s screen went blank while Zaeor glanced away. Velvet groaned.

“Are you guys really not gonna tell them?” She asked, sighing, “Fine, I’ll do it then. It’s dead.” Maroon’s stomach dropped.

“...what?” 

“When I arrived, he had already passed due to…well…”

“You, presumably,” Velvet finished the god’s sentence. Zaeor sighed.

“I was trying to say it gently, Velvet.”

“Whatever.” Maroon stared at the floor.

“I…I killed him. I promised him- I said I would help him- I-” Mad stepped forward and pulled the young teen into a hug.

“Maroon, listen to me. It’s okay, it was an accident. You didn’t mean to.” Thorn stirred on their lap, slowly opening his eyes and sitting up. The prince was met with their teary-eyed companion who stared at them. Thorn looked around the room before sighing.

“You told them already, huh?”

“So it’s true…I- I’m a mons-” 

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence, Maroon Pembrooke,” Thorn interrupted, pulling them away from Mad, “You aren’t a monster. You made a mistake, an accident.”

“He’s dead, Thorn!” 

“If it’s any consolation,” Zaeor began, “He was already passing before you all showed up. Seemingly of old age.” Maroon stared at him, a tear streaming down their face. Thorn hugged them tightly as Velvet sighed from her bed.

“See, you did save him. Problem solved. Now where’s Solana?” 

“Grabbing food,” Mad replied, “Maroon, do you want us to give you some space? I can bring you dinner in a few.” The teen nodded, causing a smile to appear on the droid’s face. It then turned around and grabbed Velvet from their bed. Velvet squirmed in their arms.

“Mad, I can walk.”

“Nope. Zaeor, grab the pillows and the IV drip. We’ll set her up on the couch.” The god obliged, waving his hand. The objects suddenly disappeared, along with all three of them. Thorn looked down at them and squeezed.

“It’s okay, Maroon. It’s…like Zaeor said. He was going anyway.” 

“But I did it,” they mumbled, “I did it and I didn’t even know it. Something…something is seriously wrong.” Thorn sighed as the younger teen rested their head on their shoulder.

“We’ll figure it out. Together.”

[the-red-mafia]

The Strike

The Red Mafia launches their offensive attack on the B.A.D. mansion with the mission of killing Unor. The plan runs smoothly until they find out something shocking: Unor knew they were coming.

Also available on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/TheRedMafia

Next Update: [Updated] Word Count: 4150

A/N: It's time for The Red Mafia finale. Are you ready for it? New story next Saturday, the 30th. The end of an era. Be there.

8 days after “The Lost”

December 7th, 2364.

That was the day two thousand soldiers were scheduled to storm the Mahogony Mansion to retrieve the Red Mafia. Two days before the planted documents said they were supposed to. 

7:30am.

That was the time the 5 mafia members left the mansion, geared up from head to toe. Mad said goodbye to Rhyme, who they left behind to watch the mansion and Wyatt. They all loaded up onto the Umbrella, a tense feeling in the air. The ride was nearly silent as Velvet sat in the captain’s seat, running through the plan in her head for the twentieth time. 

Entering through the East entrance, the group splits up. Maroon and I move towards my mom and evacuate her to her ship. Mad, Solana, and Thorn enter security to disable the alarm system and redirect the ships en route to the mansion. We meet them there once Mom is evacuated safely, hacking into the defence mechanism and rigging it to attack any B.A.D. ship landing nearby. 

They looked back at their teammates. Solana was sharpening their spear for the third time and checking the gun and dagged stashed on their utility belt. Mad was on its phone, presumably texting Rhyme. Their laser gun was already attached to their back and a small knife sat in their jacket pocket. Maroon was leaning on Thorn, who was staring down at the gun in aer hands. The prince had been against carrying the weapon at first but eventually gave in. Maroon also had one, though it was in its holster currently. Velvet also had a gun on her hip, along with Kil-layye Mo’ore, her staff, and her dagger.

All of the B.A.D. ships should be heading to the new location, a random planet two galaxies over. Unor wouldn’t bring his actual body on the mission, so it should still be at the house. We’ll use the access to the security cameras to locate where he is and move in on his location. Maroon and Thorn will restrain him while I- 

Velvet looked at Maroon, who smiled back at her.

While I end this. 

Mad will stay in the security office and monitor the positions of the other B.A.D. ships. Solana, and Thorn if needed, will stay behind at various points in the mission to take care of any guards remaining at the house. Once Unor is dead, we’ll evacuate to the Umbrella and return to the mansion. 

“About a minute till we get there,” Mad reported. Velvet took a deep breath and stood. 

“Alright. Everyone, any last-minute questions?” The group was quiet, and Thorn shook his head. The Umbrella entered the atmosphere and quickly zoomed around the house, landing outside. Mad began opening the door and Velvet quickly stood, drawing Kil-layye Mo’ore. Voices shouted outside but Velvet quickly threw the sword, silencing them. Mad looked back at the team. 

“Solana, Thorn, you ready?” The two unbuckled themselves and joined Mad at the front. Maroon let go of Thorn’s hand and ran to catch up with Velvet, who was now out of the ship. The guards were already incapacitated on the ground when they approached the door. Velvet typed in a passcode and a light blinked green. The others joined them in front of it. 

“Mad, you guys are going to the right. Maroon, we’re going to the left. Once I get this door open, we’re sprinting. Clear?” 

“Clear,” the droid replied. Velvet twisted the doorknob and shoved it open. She led the way to the left, Maroon right behind her. Their teammates ran in the opposite direction. They were silent as they ran but shouts echoed behind them. Maroon looked back.

“I think they’re fighting-”

“They’ll be fine,” Velvet stated, “Stick to the plan.” Maroon took a deep breath and reached up to their comms.

“Guys, you okay?” Half a minute passed, Velvet’s heart racing. 

“Yeah, fine. Just ran into a lot of guards outside the security room,” Thorn replied, slightly out of breath. Velvet frowned. 

“But there’s never that many guards there.” 

“Maybe he changed it since you left,” Solana said, “We’re entering the room now. You guys?” Velvet began to slow as Nala’s room came into view.

“We’re about to enter too. Talk to you in a bit.” Velvet pushed the door open, surprised to find it unlocked. Nala sat at the computer in the corner, still in her pyjamas and sleeping cap on. 

“Mater!” Velvet called out. She turned around and a bright smile appeared on her face.

“Velvet!” She quickly stood and pulled them into a hug. 

“Back already? It’s only been a week since-” Velvet pulled away and looked her in the eyes.

“Mom, we’re here to get you out of here.” Nala frowned and glanced at Maroon, who nodded. 

“Get me out- what are you talking about?” Velvet grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the door. 

“I’ll explain later, but we’ve got to get you out of here.” Nala pulled her wrist out of their grip and stared at her child.

“Velvet, you’ll explain before you try to pull me anywhere.” Velvet glared at her.

Why is she being so difficult all of a sudden? 

“Ms. Nala, we’re here to break you out of the house and get you somewhere safe,” Maroon started, stepping forward, “It’s not safe here right now. I promise you, we just want to keep you safe. We don’t want you to get wrapped up in what’s going on right now.” The CEO frowned and crossed her arms.

“And what is that?” 

“We’re killing Unor,” Velvet said coldly, grabbing her wrist again. Nala’s eyes widened but she didn’t resist as Velvet pulled her out of the room and down the hall. Voices shouted down the hall and the assassin raised their sword. Several soldiers turned the corner.

“Close your eyes, mater,” Velvet ordered. The woman looked between her daughter and the guards before obeying. The leader, with the large B.A.D. logo on his chest, stared at Nala.

“They’re taking Mrs. Bolton!” he shouted, aiming his gun, “Don’t let them get away!”

“Maroon?” Velvet asked. The younger teen nodded. The guards’ bullets were blocked by a wall of large mushrooms. One grew right in front of her. She let go of Nala’s wrist and jumped, sailing over the wall as she threw Kil-layye Mo’ore. It sliced through the leader’s neck and embedded itself in the guard’s shoulder. He let out a loud scream that was cut off by a mushroom growing underneath him and launching him into a wall. His unconscious body crumpled to the ground. 

Velvet summoned her sword back to their hand. The remaining two guards backed up but hit the wall of the hallway.

“No…” one of them breathed. Velvet smirked and threw the sword, slitting their throats. Maroon gently led Nala through the mushroom wall and handed her off to Velvet.

“We’re almost out, Mom,” the teen muttered, retrieving Kil-layye Mo’ore. 

“What changed?” Nala asked, “Why now?”

“Unor was planning to attack our home. We’re attacking first before he can.” Nala opened her eyes and looked down at Velvet.

“He wouldn’t hurt you-”

“He already did,” Velvet snapped. Nala’s eyes widened.

“What-”

“Can we talk about this later, Mom? So I can work on getting us out of here safely.” Nala looked away.

“O-okay. We’ll talk about it later.” Velvet took a deep breath and reached up to their comms.

“Mad, alarm system update?” 

“Deactivating it now,” the droid responded, “You should be good to exit now.” 

“Okay. We’re taking Nala out now.” Nala frowned at Velvet but didn’t say anything. The assassin led her out the door at the end of the hall and towards the parking garage in the back of the area.

“Where’s your ship, Ms. Nala?” Maroon asked. The woman gestured upwards. 

“On the top floor.” Velvet groaned.

“Of course.” 

“It’s fine, Velvet. I’ll get us up there,” Maroon said. They grew a mushroom in front of the group and hopped on. Nala’s eyes widened as Velvet led her onto it.

“What…” she breathed. Maroon smiled nervously as they grew it to the top floor.  

“Maroon’s powers,” Velvet clarified. Nala turned to them.

“It’s….beautiful.” 

“T-thank you, Ms. Nala.” They stepped off of the mushroom and Nala led the way to her pink ship. 

“Where am I supposed to go?” she asked. Velvet pulled out a small piece of paper and handed it to her. 

“These coordinates. Do you remember Rhyme Reuter?” The CEO closed her eyes for a moment.

“That was one of Mrs. Gracy’s foster children, correct? The brown-haired one whose mom died in the mining accident?” 

“That’s the one. She’s waiting there with a kid, Wyatt. He’ll help keep you safe there while we deal with things here.”

“But where am I going?” Velvet took another deep breath.

“The Mahogany Mansion,” Maroon answered, “Our home.”

Wyatt was fast asleep on the couch, so Rhyme turned off the Johnny Darlington episode the mafia had put on before they left. He sighed and walked into the kitchen.

I hate that I’m not with them, she thought, opening the fridge and grabbing out one of Velvet’s energy drinks, I should be there in case anything happens to Mad. He popped open the tab and took a sip. The liquid was clear but tasted like raspberry and peach. The carbonation tickled her throat as it went down. 

Hopefully Velvet won’t mind me drinking their shit. Rhyme walked back into the living room.

She won’t mind if they all die because I’m not there. The thief paused and shook her head. 

No, don’t think like that. They’ll be fine. Just focus on your job. As if on cue, Rhyme’s phone dinged. He pulled it out.

Message from Velvet. Looks like Nala’s on her way. A loud engine sound enveloped the mansion, sending a chill down Rhyme’s spine.

“That can’t be her,” he mumbled. She quickly set the drink down and scooped Wyatt up in her arms. He stirred slightly but stayed asleep. Rhyme sprinted up to the second floor and opened Mad’s door. After setting Wyatt down on the bed, Rhyme locked the door using the key Velvet had given him. He glanced out of the window.

A grey B.A.D. ship had landed outside, and several armed men streamed out. Rhyme cursed under her breath. 

“Looks like I’m up,” he muttered. He ran back downstairs and grabbed his backpack from the couch. She unzipped it slightly right as the door fell the the ground.

“Spread out and find them!” Someone shouted. Rhyme pulled out their gun and turned the corner. He fired at the guards, hitting a few in the chest. They recoiled slightly but the bullet didn’t pierce the armor.

Shit, Rhyme thought. She grabbed the bag and dodged out the door, the men shouting behind her. A bullet whizzed right by his ear. Rhyme’s heartbeat raced as he pulled a bomb out of his bag. She glanced back.

Here goes nothing. She chucked the bomb behind her and it exploded on impact with the ground. Screams from the guards enveloped her ears. Behind her, the guards laid on the ground with various limbs missing and blood colouring the grass. He threw another at their ship, for good measure. 

She walked back around the bleeding men, some shouting for help. Rhyme silenced a few of them before reaching one still standing near the doorway to the mansion.

“W-who are you?” He demanded, raising his rifle. Rhyme raised an eyebrow.

“You don’t recognize me?” She taunted, “Why, I’m offended.” He fired a shot but Rhyme stepped out of the way. He raised his pistol and shot him in the chest, sending him flying through the mansion’s doorway. He slid to the ground and hit his head on the stairs. 

“Shit-” he muttered, “Shit shit shit-” He reached for the radio attached to his belt but Rhyme shot his hand. 

“I don’t think so.” Pain exploded in Rhyme’s left side and she quickly doubled over. 

“What the fuck-” she muttered, looking down. His black and white shirt was torn and blood was now dripping out. 

“Now, boss! Call for backup!” Someone shouted behind her. Rhyme quickly shot the downed man in front of her in the head before turning around and shooting the one holding a gun. 

“Nice try, asshole,” she muttered. The air was still as Rhyme looked at the various corpses on the front lawn. His side throbbed and he quickly pressed a hand against it. 

“Madbay, right,” he breathed. Just then, another ship began descending onto the soil. Rhyme groaned.

“I don’t know if I can take another fucking squad-” She turned around to see a light pink ship hit the dirt. The door slowly opened revealing, not another squadron as Rhyme had anticipated, but Mrs. Bolton. 

“Oh thank god,” he said. Nala rushed towards her.

“Rhyme! It’s lovely to see you dear. After you went missing-” The CEO stopped in front of her and glanced around. Her eyes widened at the men lying on the ground. Rhyme reached a hand out.

“Mrs. Bolton, I promise you this is not what it looks like-” She looked up at Rhyme and quickly locked onto his bleeding abdomen.

“Oh my-” she breathed, “Did you get shot?” Rhyme glanced down at the wound. 

“Oh, that? That’s nothing I haven’t dealt with before-” Nala took her hand and walked towards the door.

“Is there a medical area in the house? You’ll need stitches, not to mention getting the bullet out.” Rhyme broke her hand free, causing Nala to turn around to look at her. 

“Yeah, there is. Go inside and to the left. It’s labelled ‘Madbay’.”

“Well, come on then.” Rhyme waved her on.

“I’ll be there in a minute. I’ve got to do something out here first.” Nala frowned and crossed her arms. “Rhyme, I have no doubt whatever you need to do can wait until after you receive medical attention.” Rhyme smiled at her.

“I’ll be fine, Mrs. Bolton. It’s not too deep. Go on ahead and you can find all the supplies. I’ll just be a minute.” Nala took a deep breath and sighed. 

“Alright, but hurry.”

“I will.” The CEO walked into the Mahogany Mansion and took a left toward the Madbay. Rhyme waited a few seconds before walking inside and dragging the corpse of the squad leader outside. He collected all the bodies into a large pile and threw a bomb into the centre. She backed up and detonated it, causing various limbs to fly onto the surrounding land. Rhyme placed a few more bombs around the perimeter before entering the mansion once again.

Just in case, he thought, I won’t let Mad down. 

Thorn watched Mad rapidly type commands into the computer. Their fast-moving fingers almost made his head spin. Solana was holding the door closed on the other side of the security office. No one was on the other side, but the elf wasn’t planning on taking any chances. 

“Okay, they’re all redirected,” Mad mumbled, “Hopefully they all listen to the new orders.” “We have Rhyme at the mansion for a reason,” Solana added. Mad nodded slightly.

“Although I hope he doesn’t have to do anything.” 

“Nala’s on her way to the mansion now,” Maroon’s voice came through the comms, forcing Thorn to smile slightly. 

“Perfect timing. I just got the new orders sent out to all the squadrons,” Mad replied. Thorn laughed slightly at the echo from the comms. Mad turned to look at them.

“You okay, Thorn?”

“Yeah, fine. It’s just kinda funny hearing your voice through the comms and right next to me.” Mad chuckled.

“You’re right.”

“Always positive, Thorn,” Solana added. The prince shrugged.

“Well someone’s gotta be the team clown. Otherwise Velvet’s going to make everything way too serious.” 

“True, true.” 

“We’re approaching the security office now,” Velvet said, “Mad, any luck locating Unor?” 

“On it right now.” 

“Radio when you guys are close and I’ll open the door,” Solana said.

“Got it. Be there soon.” Mad typed a few more commands into the keyboard. “Now where is Unor…” it muttered. Thorn watched as the droid flipped through several camera feeds. 

“What about his office?” Ae asked. Mad flipped to it, but no one was inside.

“Damn, I thought we were gonna have it easy,” Solana mumbled. 

“Guys, come in,” Velvet whispered through comms. Thorn straightened up. 

“We’re listening, Velvet. Go for it,” Solana answered. 

“Maroon and I are hiding behind some chairs outside the office. You’ve got a full squad about to be right outside the door. Stay quiet and we’ll take care of them.” 

“Copy that.” Mad hit the mute button on the keyboard, shutting down all the sound from the monitors. Solana pushed harder against the door, and Thorn raised his hands. It was silent for a minute until screams echoed against the walls. A body must have hit the door because it shook violently and caused Solana to move back slightly. After a few seconds, the screams stopped. 

“They’re taken care of, Solana. Let us in.” Velvet was slightly out of breath, and Thorn could barely make out Maroon’s heavy breathing as well. Solana opened the door and the two teens came in. Thorn caught a glimpse of the bloodied corpses outside before the elf shut the door again. Thorn shook their head and refocused on Maroon.

“You okay, Mar-Mar?” it asked. Their friend looked relatively unharmed, just exhausted. 

“I’m okay. You?”

“Fine.” Velvet joined Mad at the control panel while Solana remained at the door. 

“Any luck?” Mad shook their TV.

“I’ve searched all the cameras several times. He must be somewhere without direct camera access.” Velvet frowned. “But that’s impossible. Every inch of this place is attached to these cameras. Unless…” Velvet’s eyes widened and they lightly pushed Mad out of the way.

“Unless what?” Mad asked. Velvet didn’t answer, instead opening up a new terminal and typing in another command. A green ‘Access Granted’ screen appeared before it cut to a new camera feed. Unor was sitting on a chair directly across from the camera. His eyes were closed, but he was tapping his foot. A vent sat right above him, blowing air that moved his hair slightly. There was nothing else in the room, just a concrete floor surrounded by deep red wallpaper. 

He was dressed in the same suit he had been wearing when Thorn had first seen him. His black hair was slicked back, presumably with some kind of gel. He held a pistol in his right hand but held some kind of folder in his left. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes. Unor winked at the camera and then the feed went to static. 

The Red Mafia was silent. Velvet put her face in her hands before looking back at the cut-off feed. 

“He knows we’re here,” they mumbled.

“But how?” Solana questioned, “We didn’t tell anyone that’s not here right now. Unless-” The elf glanced at Mad. 

Rhyme.

“We’re not pointing fingers,” Velvet snapped. The entire mafia turned to look at her as she continued. 

“Now is not the time to question anyone. He knows, so what? We’ve gotten this far. We’re not turning back now.” They turned back to the keyboard and pulled up the normal camera feed. They flipped to a camera that seemed to show a dead end in a hallway, except for a large vent near the floor. A few guards leaned against walls and Thorn saw the familiar stickered door from a week ago. 

“The room he’s in doesn’t have any door or entrances that’s not through that vent,” she began, “The vent system is connected to this one, which is upstairs and to the right. The plan isn’t changing: we’re still killing Unor.” Maroon reached out and grabbed Thorn’s hand. The prince gave a reassuring squeeze before turning back to Velvet. 

“Mad, do your best to restore that camera feed. I doubt he did anything to the actual camera, just turned off its connection. I think you’ll be able to reconnect to it.” Mad nodded and stepped up to the keyboard. Velvet moved out of its way. 

“The rest of us are heading upstairs. Solana, you’ll keep the guards busy while Maroon, Thorn, and I get into the vent. From there, the plan continues as normal. Is everyone clear?” The Red Mafia’s leader looked at each one of them and received a nod. Thorn gave Maroon one final squeeze before letting go of their hand. 

“Let’s do this, Mar-Mar,” he muttered. Maroon smiled weakly. 

“Yeah.” Solana opened the door slightly and peeked out.

“We’re clear.” Velvet moved next to her. 

“Alright. Follow me. Thorn and Maroon, you already know where we’re going, so you’ll cover our 6. Solana, you’re in the front with me.” 

“You got it, drama queen.” Velvet chuckled slightly before throwing the door open. 

“Now!” she whispered. They booked it to the right, where stairs quickly came into view. The group sprinted up them and Thorn grew several vines to block anyone following behind. Velvet continued to the right as shouts came from the left. Maroon blocked the hallway with a wall of mushrooms just as bullets began flying at them. The two magical teens switched off making new walls as they ran down the hallway. 

Thorn spotted the camera above them and the guards on the walls. They pushed themselves up and raised their guns. 

“He was right! Capture them!” One of them shouted. Velvet threw Kil-layye Mo’ore, but the guard side-stepped out of the way. Solana took to a guard in front of him, dodging a shot and stabbing them in the stomach. The elf knocked the gun out of his hand before ripping his spear out. 

Velvet rolled under several bullets before summoning her sword. They chopped off one of their heads right as a bullet grazed her left arm. Velvet didn’t flinch and turned to the guard that had shot it. A mushroom sprouted from the guard’s mouth as he gasped for air. They fell to the ground, unconscious. Thorn looked back at Maroon, whose hands were raised at the guard. 

“Thorn, behind you!” Solana shouted at him. The teen quickly spun around to see several guards break through the vine wall. He raised his hands and vines attached themselves to their ankles. Several of them tripped while others continued on. Solana pushed the teen out of the way and sliced through the guard’s body armour. Thorn pinned them to the ground and reinstated the wall. 

Metal clattered to the ground, causing them to turn around. Velvet had ripped the vent to the ground, Maroon standing over them. Thorn turned back to Solana, who had several guards surrounding her. The prince used a vine to push them back before drawing their gun. 

I hope this works, he thought. Ae fired a shot at one of them that collided with one of their arms. That guard fell to the ground, giving Solana the chance to fight off the other two. Behind them, Velvet muttered something to Maroon. Thorn couldn’t hear their response, instead focusing on fixing the wall once again. After a few seconds, Velvet shouted over the sound of the fight.

“Thorn, stay here with Solana! The guards are going to keep coming, so he’ll need you here!” Thorn paused and turned back to look at them.

“But-” Maroon smiled at them.

“We’ll be fine! Solana needs you here.” Thorn’s heartbeat raced. A thousand possibilities ran through aer head, most ending horribly. Their eyes were locked with Maroon’s. 

“Are you sure?” He shouted back. Maroon nodded. Thorn glanced back at Solana, who was once again getting slightly overwhelmed by the guards. The prince took a deep breath.

“Okay! Stay safe!”

“We will!” 

“And Velvet?” the prince added. The assassin turned to look at him.

“What?”

“Make sure Maroon comes back alive.” Velvet paused for a moment before nodding. 

“Promise me.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Promise me, Velvet.” She glanced at Maroon before looking Thorn dead in the eyes.

“I promise.” 

“Thank you.” Velvet disappeared into the darkness and Maroon kneeled down on the ground. They glanced back at Thorn before joining Velvet in the vent. Thorn stared at the empty air for several seconds.

“Thorn, I could use some help here!” Solana shouted. Thorn quickly turned around and fired a few shots in the guards’ general direction. Several of them turned their focus to them. 

“Who’s ready to dance?” Thorn asked, raising his hands. The guards responded by raising their guns. The prince smirked and glanced at Solana. The elf sliced through three or four guards before taking a breath. Thorn turned back to the approaching guards. 

In a few seconds, they were hanging from vines attached to the ceiling while Thorn ran forward to help Solana.

[the-red-mafia]

Hi everyone! We're going to be updating older chapters to make them better/add information. We'll be putting the update log on this post so people can keep track. We'd suggest going back and reading the updated ones because they're much better than they were originally! Update Log:

The Outage - 3/15/2023 (3-17-2023 for Tumblr) The Failed Heist - 3/15/2023 (3-17-2023 for Tumblr) The Tunnel - 3/15/2023 (3-17-2023 for Tumblr)

[the-red-mafia]

The Thief

After returning to the mansion, the mafia decides to bring Rhyme on their mission with them. With Mad not talking to them Rhyme is paired up with Maroon. The duo discover something sinister within the walls of the UPS facility, and something complicated within Rhyme and Mad's relationship. Also available on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/TheRedMafia Next Update: [Updated] Word Count: 4464

An hour after “The Assassination” 

“We are not bringing Diamonds on a mission with us,” Velvet spat, crossing her arms. Mad’s screen was blank as they turned towards Solana.

“I agree with Velvet on this one. There’s too much that can go wrong.” 

“I don’t see what your guys' problem is,” Solana replied, “We could use an extra fighter tonight. Velvet, you said yourself there’s supposed to be twice as many guards as last time.” 

“We’re better as a cohesive team, Solana. Diamonds would throw a wrench into the plans.”

“What’s the alternative, leave him here alone?” 

“Her and Wyatt, probably.”

“No, he can go to his own house. Tell him to take the child with him for all I care. There’s no need for her to come with us.” 

“If y’all could stop talking about me like I’m not here, that’d be great,” Rhyme called out. The trio turned to look at the teen, who was sitting on a Madbay bed with an IV coming out of her arm. Bandages wrapped around his abdomen and the heart monitor beeped. The child was on another bed, fast asleep. He didn’t seem injured, but Mad had bandaged him up anyway. 

“Sorry,” the robot mumbled. 

“Also, I don’t think Diamonds is in any shape to go on a mission,” Velvet added. 

“I’m fine, Bolton. And like I said earlier, I want to help,” the thief replied. 

“And like I said earlier, I don’t care.” Solana sighed.

“Why don’t we take a vote out of the whole team? I think Maroon and Thorn are finally awake.” Velvet looked at the elf and sighed.

“Fine, whatever. My vote is no.”

“Mine as well,” Mad stated. Rhyme frowned and looked up at Mad, who refused to meet his eyes. Velvet crossed her arms.

The hell is wrong with them? 

“Well, my vote is for yes. I’ll go talk to the others, see what they think.” Solana turned on his heel and walked out of the Madbay, Mad following behind. Velvet watched them leave before looking back to Rhyme.

“The fuck you do to them?” she demanded.

“Huh?” 

“Mad would never want you to go home. Clearly you did something while you were out to piss them off.” Rhyme let out a strained laugh. 

“Oh, and you know Mad so much better than I do.”

“I live with them, fūr. And I know they love your company. So something happened and I want to know what.” 

“Velvet, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” The assassin crossed her arms and sat down on the kid’s bed. He moved slightly, but Velvet ignored it. 

“There must’ve been some kind of complication. Maybe you didn’t tell it about your injury. Or Wyatt got hurt and you brushed it off. Hell, maybe you even lied about the mission in the first place.” Rhyme looked towards the floor. Velvet smirked.

Bingo.

“You called them at like, 5 am this morning saying you wanted to rescue Eliza’s new kid. But that wasn’t it, was it?” 

“It’s none of your fucking business, Bolton,” Rhyme shouted. The kid moved again, catching his attention. 

“Careful, Reuter, you’ll wake your brother.” The kid stopped moving around and Rhyme’s eyes once again locked on Velvet’s, glaring.

“I don’t appreciate the interrogation, Bolton.”

“And I don’t appreciate you fucking up one of my team members before a crucial mission.” Rhyme let out a strained laugh and crossed his arms.

“How crucial could breaking into the UPS be? I do it all the time. It’s never anything of use.” Velvet frowned. 

“You’ve broken into the UPS before?” 

“That’s what I just said.” She looked away from the thief and out the window. Clouds were forming around the mansion, a rare sight on the planet. 

Maybe Solana had a point, they thought, Rhyme might be a good asset to have tonight. It’ll give me more time to figure out what the hell happened, and placing any blame on him would help with the media…I just don’t want-

“Velvet!” Solana’s voice shouted, startling the assassin out of their thoughts. The Madbay door slammed open and the elf came through, their hands in the pockets of their jeans.

“The votes are in, Diamonds’s coming with us.” Velvet locked eyes with Rhyme, who smirked, before sighing.

“Fine, whatever.” Two arms suddenly wrapped around her stomach and a face pressed against her side. Velvet quickly looked down to see the kid, now pressed against them. 

“Fucking-”

“I’m scared!” The kid shouted, hanging onto the assassin tighter. Velvet looked around at the two other people in the room. Rhyme and Solana looked at each other before breaking out in laughter. Velvet attempted to push the kid off but he wouldn’t budge. 

“Diamonds, get this fucking thing off of me,” the assassin growled. Rhyme continued laughing. 

“It’s just a child, Velvet,” Solana said as she caught her breath, “What’s your name, bud?” The kid looked up at him.

“Wyatt.”

“Hey Wyatt, why don’t you go with Solana?” Rhyme prompted, “They’re the elf.” The child shook his head and pressed it closer to Velvet. The teen groaned and stood. To their surprise, the kid held on. The sudden weight nearly caused her to fall to the ground but she quickly steadied herself. 

“What do you want, kid?” she muttered.

“Don’t leave me alone. Please.” 

“Mihi deōs,” Velvet groaned, “If I take you to Mad, will you leave me alone?” He looked up at her for a few moments before eventually nodding. Velvet sighed and adjusted the kid to be on their back. Solana laughed and held the door open for them. She paused at the door, turning back toward Rhyme. 

“Oh and, Reuter,” they began, “I’m going to talk to Mad about this. If I found out you hurt a mafia member…” They let the threat sit in the air as they turned and walked out, leaving a very confused Solana standing in the doorway. 

12:15. 

Mad stirred the red soup, the grilled cheese sitting on the pan. Maroon and Thorn were setting the table. The sound of plates hitting wood and metal being set on table mats came from its left. 

12:16. 

They were done setting the table now and sat in the wooden chairs. Mad flipped one of the six sandwiches and turned to them. 

“Thorn, you said you only wanted one side crispy?” The teen nodded, smirking.

“It makes it taste better.”

“I disagree,” Maroon mumbled, but Mad just nodded. They slid the sandwich onto their hand and set it down on Thorn’s plate. 

“Mad!” Velvet’s voice carried down the entryway, their footsteps echoing off the walls. Mad glanced up at the clock. 

12:17. 

“There, kid. There’s Mad. Will you get off me now?” Velvet said, stopping in the kitchen doorway. Maroon and Thorn’s eyes quickly fell on Wyatt, who jumped down from Velvet’s back. He grabbed onto the robot’s leg and smiled up at them.

“Mad!” 

“Hi, Wyatt. Are you okay?” 

“He woke up and attached himself to me,” the assassin began, “Refused to get off until he saw you.” Mad sighed and kneeled down to his level. The bandages were starting to fall off of his arm, no doubt from Velvet carrying him. The bruise seemed to be healing nicely, though.

“Are you feeling better?” they asked. He nodded.

“Could someone explain who that is?” Thorn asked, pointing at Wyatt. Mad kept their eyes on Wyatt. 

“Do you want some grilled cheese and tomato soup?” He nodded vigorously. Mad gestured to the table, and he sprinted over to take a seat. 

“That’s Wyatt,” it began, “He was recently adopted by Diamonds’s foster mom, Eliza Gracy, but we saved him this morning. He’ll be here for a bit until we can find him a good home.” Thorn’s mouth made a big ‘O’ while Maroon turned to look at him. 

“Hi Wyatt, my name is Maroon.” Mad carried a grilled cheese and bowl of soup over to the child, setting it down in front of him. It then turned to Velvet. 

“Are you hungry? Do you want some lunch?” 

“Not really, no. What the hell happened on that mission?” The teen demanded. Mad paused for a moment before turning back to the stove.

“Language, Velvet!” Thorn shouted, covering Wyatt’s ears, “There are little ears around now.” Wyatt squirmed out of Thorn’s hands.

“Fuck you, frūx.” Mad placed a sandwich on a plate and handed it to Velvet.

“Eat.”

“I told you, Mad-” 

“I can almost guarantee you’ve barely eaten today, Velvet. Would you prefer the soup instead?” The assassin narrowed her eyes but took the plate.

“No. Soup is fucking weird. But you’re telling me what happened.” 

“Of course,” the droid said quietly, “Let me get Maroon food then we’ll go outside.” Velvet frowned but nodded. Mad plated another sandwich and bowl of soup and set it in front of the youngest mafia member. 

“If Solana comes out here, tell him the last two sandwiches are for him and Diamonds. Just wait another twenty minutes or so before letting Diamonds eat.” Maroon nodded. Velvet followed it outside through the sliding glass doors in the kitchen, taking a bite of the sandwich. 

Mad sat down on one of the outdoor chairs, the teen following suit. 

“So what the fuck is wrong with you?” Velvet began, “What did Rhyme do?” 

“He killed Eliza.” Velvet groaned. 

“That’s what you’re upset about?”

“She wanted me to do it, at first. I didn’t. But…I don’t know. I feel like it was her plan the whole time?” Velvet took another bite of the sandwich. 

“Probably was.”

“But then why bring me? Did he just…” Mad’s voice broke slightly, “Did he just want to hurt me?” Velvet’s eyes widened as she looked at the droid. Mad looked away.

“Sorry. I know emotions aren’t really your thing. Um, what was I saying?”

“I really just wanted to know what you were pissed at Rhyme about. But you seem more…hurt than angry?” Velvet took another bite, “I don’t know. Did you run into any complications other than Eliza?” 

“Just her guards.”

“Got it.” The teen finished their sandwich and stood back up.

“Well, I’ve got mission planning to d-”

“Can I ask you an emotions question?” Mad blurted out. Velvet frowned.

“I mean, I guess. I feel like I’m the worst person to give you an answer, though.”

“I just wanna know, have you ever been so upset at someone but you can’t just…I don’t know, hate them?” Mad paused, “Like, you feel like you really should hate them but you just can’t?” Velvet was quiet for a minute or so. She seemed to be lost in thought as Mad’s soul seemed to race. Its thoughts raced as the teen sighed. 

“I guess.” Before Mad could ask more, the teen disappeared through the door. 

Mad seemed to refuse to meet Rhyme’s eyes, causing a pit to form in her stomach. The Red Mafia had changed into their mission uniforms: Mad in their red shirt and black jacket, Velvet in their jumpsuit with the red x, Maroon in a long-sleeved red shirt with a pair of black pants, Solana in a pair of red cargo shorts and a black tank top, and Thorn in a simple black short sleeve with red pants. Rhyme felt very out of place in the all-black outfit Velvet had given him. It was a little big, but the two teens were close enough in size for it to work. The assassin had also handed her a black beanie and sunglasses, similar to what Solana had on his face. 

“Did you get any of that, Diamonds?” Velvet asked, crossing her arms. Rhyme turned towards them from his current seat in the Umbrella’s cockpit. 

“Do you want an honest answer?”

“Mihi deōs.” Rhyme chuckled before standing.

“Before I make Velvet say that all over again, I should probably tell you all my name.” Mad finally looked at her.

“Diamonds, are you sure?” it asked, “You don’t have to say anything you don’t want to-”

“Mad, shut up,” Thorn demanded, leaning forward in his seat. Rhyme laughed again, putting her hands in her pockets. 

Keep joking. Ignore it.

“Trust me, strange robot, I’m sure. But, has anyone got any guesses before I reveal all?” She added a wink for good measure. Solana laughed and raised his hand.

“It’s going to be something stupid, like Bert or something,” the elf said. Rhyme shook her head and pointed at Maroon.

“Any guesses, fellow rhymer?” Maroon smiled and thought for a moment. 

“Hmm, Harper?” 

“Nope, although that’s kinda cool.” Before Rhyme could even glance at Thorn, the teen shook their head.

“I’ve got nothing, I’ve met you once.” Rhyme laughed again.

“Fair enough. Well-”

“Wait, Mad, what’s your guess?” Solana asked, “I think you know Diamonds better than any of us.” Mad let out a little chuckle that caused the pit to subside slightly. 

“I know Diamonds enough to already know his actual name.” 

“Boooooooo,” Thorn groaned, “Velvet, your turn.” The Red Mafia leader had been quietly standing behind Rhyme for the duration of the guessing game. She rolled her eyes.

“I’d guess, but that’s kind of unfair considering I also know it.” 

“Of course you do,” Solana muttered, “Diamonds, I apologise for whatever spying Velvet did to figure that out.” 

“All good, Solana. Anyways, drumroll please.” He gestured around the room, but everyone just stared at him. She stood up straight again.

“Rhyme, my name is Rhyme.” Maroon, Thorn, and Solana stared at her. 

“You’re joking,” Thorn stated. Rhyme shook his head.

“Nope. Ask Mad or Bolton.” Thorn glanced at Mad, who nodded. 

“So were you always good at rhyming, or did you learn it as a joke from your name?” Solana asked. 

“Bit of both. Hard to deny my amazing natural talent,” she flipped her hair as well. Maroon laughed and smiled at him.

“Your name really suits you, Rhyme.” Rhyme winked before turning around to look at Velvet. 

“Alright, what were you saying about the mission, Bolton?” Velvet sighed. 

“As I was saying,” they began, gesturing to the large map displayed in the hologram in the centre of the room, “We’re going to be entering from the East door. According to Zaeor, it should be less guarded. We’ll split up in groups of two: Mad and Thorn, Solana and me, and Maroon and Rhyme.” Rhyme attempted to hide the throb in her soul.

There goes that plan, he thought, God, it’s never gonna talk to me again.

“Unor recently visited this location to do ‘business’, so there’s a chance he left some information behind. Me and Solana, aka group 1, will take the top two floors of the complex and search it. Mad and Thorn, group 2, will take the second floor, and group 3, Maroon and Rhyme, will take the ground level.”

“So we’re just looking for any sign of Unor?” Rhyme asked before he shook his head, “Right, your whole thing is killing him. Forgot.” Velvet rolled her eyes. 

“Just get in and get out. Search your floors as quickly as possible and stay together. Maroon, we don’t have an extra set of comms to give Rhyme, so you’ll have to communicate for both of you. If any of you see anything, radio in. Am I clear?” The group nodded, with Rhyme adding a “crystal” to the silence. Velvet sat back down in the captain's chair while Rhyme moved to sit next to Mad.

“Hey, strange robot,” she said, smiling. Mad looked away from him and scooted to the left. Rhyme frowned, the pit in her stomach growing once again.

“So….are you sure we can trust that Zaeor dude to take care of Wyatt? He’s not gonna brainwash him or anything?” Mad sighed.

“No. But we don’t have any other choice.” 

“Right, ‘course.” Mad stood up and moved to talk to Velvet, leaving the thief alone in her seat. 

The pit grew larger.

Maroon led the way down the hall, Rhyme following close behind. Mushrooms slightly damped their footsteps before retracting back into the floor. 

“There’s an admin office to the left,” Rhyme mumbled. Maroon nodded. They took a left and Rhyme kicked down the door. The room was slightly messy, with chairs out of place and papers strewn around the desk. Maroon smiled. 

“Jackpot,” Rhyme muttered. The thief jumped to the desk while Maroon took to the bookshelves. They were quiet for a while, the sound of paper rustling and books opening and closing surrounding them. Rhyme muttered something under her breath.

“What was that?” Maroon asked, turning towards him. 

“Nothing, just thinking out loud.”

“Okay.”

“Actually, can I ask you a question?” he blurted out, “About Mad?” Maroon paused for a moment before nodding. 

“Let’s say I were to, possibly, bring Mad with me on a mission to murder my foster mom.” Maroon’s eyes widened.

“Oh.” The thief let out a nervous laugh.

“Yeah. How would I go about…apologising?” Maroon set the book they were holding back on the shelf. 

“Did you…mean to bring it along?” 

“Yeah.” A frown formed on the younger teen’s face. 

“Why? Don’t you kn-”

“Of course I know,” Rhyme interrupted, “I was the one they talked to every time they saw Velvet kill a new person. I was the one who understood.” 

“Then why’d you bring them?” Rhyme looked at the floor, one of her hands forming a fist. A chill went down Maroon’s spine.

“I don’t fucking know! My brain thought it would be easier if they were there. In case Eliza, you know…” Her other hand formed a fist and she quickly grabbed a file from the desk.

“But now I’ve ruined my relationship with the one goddamn person I’ve loved in 5 fucking years!” He threw the folder on the ground. Maroon watched the papers fly all over the room. The folder landed with a small thud, some kind of words on the front.

“Shit, sorry rhymer. I got carried away,” Rhyme mumbled. 

“It’s…okay. What’s the folder say?” The thief glanced down at it and her eyes widened. 

“Holy shit,” she muttered, picking up the scattered forms.

“What is it?”

“It says ‘B.A.D.: Project Rapio’. Help me pick up the papers.

Rapio. I seize.

Maroon quickly grabbed the papers around them and handed them to Rhyme. She scanned the pages while Maroon adjusted their earpiece.

“What is this language?” Rhyme asked. Maroon held their hand out so Rhyme handed the folder to them. They scanned the folder, their heartbeat racing. 

“He’s gonna attack the mansion.” They reached up to their earpiece. 

“Velvet, we found something.” Her response was almost immediate.

“What is it?” 

“Unor’s planning an attack on the mansion. On the 9th of December.” Maroon counted in their head.

…nine, ten, eleven. Eleven days until the 9th.

“Shit. Head back to the Umbrella, everyone.” Maroon took a deep breath. 

“Okay, we’ll be there,” they mumbled, turning to Rhyme, We’re meeting back at the Umbrella.” Maroon took a deep breath as Rhyme nodded. 

“Let’s get going, then.”

“Oh, and Rhyme.” The teen raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah?” 

“Talk to Mad. Tell them what you told me.” Rhyme frowned and looked away.

“It won’t even talk to me, though.” Maroon set a hand on her shoulder.

“I’ll talk to them. Get them to talk to you. Okay?” The thief looked up at them and a small smile appeared on his face.

“Thanks, fellow rhymer.”

“Rhymers stick together,” Maroon said, smiling, “Let’s go to the others.”

“Velvet, would you quit it?” Solana asked, crossing his arms. Velvet paused her pacing for a moment to glare at them.

“No.” 

“You’re stressing everyone out.” 

“That sucks, deal with it. I’m thinking.” 

“‘Course.” Velvet flipped through the folder and resumed their pacing. She muttered Latin under her breath as she read.

“Why are his plans mostly in Latin anyway?” Mad asked from the captain’s chair. 

“He’s really into ancient Rome and its culture,” Rhyme answered, “Eliza tried to learn it to talk to him but failed miserably.” At the mention of Eliza’s name, Mad looked towards the floor. Rhyme stared at them for several seconds before sighing. 

“This is bad,” Velvet mumbled, “This is very bad.”

“What’s it say?” Solana asked. Velvet looked up at him. 

“He’s found a way to break through the magic barriers and bought help from the UPS soldiers to stage a full-on assault.”

“Are we sure he didn’t just plant that document?” Thorn asked, aer arms around Maroon, “I mean, why would he give the UPS a document in Latin? He must’ve planted it knowing we would be showing up.”

“But what does he gain from that?” Maroon mumbled. Thorn looked down at them.

“Freaking us out? Getting us off our game?” 

“Us being off our game is the least of his concerns if he has two thousand soldiers,” Velvet interrupted. Solana’s eyes widened. 

“Two thousand?” she breathed. Velvet nodded. 

“Fuck.”

“Thorn is right about one thing, though. We have no way of knowing if the date or numbers in the plan are accurate,” Mad stated, “Unor could’ve planted that and lied.”

“So you’re saying we could be attacked anytime from now to the 9th?” Maroon asked. 

“That and after as well. He might have given us a date earlier than the actual attack to lower our guard.” Velvet closed the folder and groaned loudly. 

“Okay, we’ll have to reinforce all the magic defences. Find different spells, evolve our current ones. We’ll get Zaeor to recast the location remixer and-” 

“How about we save the plans for Zaeor?” Solana asked, patting the seat next to him, “We’re almost at the mansion anyways.”

“I’m not sitting down, Solana-” The elf sighed and stood. 

“Alright, hard way then.” She quickly held Velvet’s arms down and picked her up. They tried to squirm out of their grip to no avail. Laughter came from the other teens around the cockpit. Solana set them down in the seat and buckled them in. Velvet glared up at him.

“Let me out, mīles,” she spat. 

“Nope.” Solana looked around the cockpit. Despite the laughter, the air was still tense. Mad wasn’t even looking at them, instead completely focused on the GPS system. Maroon pressed up against Thorn, who hugged them tighter. Rhyme couldn’t take his eyes off Mad, no matter how much the robot ignored him. 

“Everyone buckle up,” Mad called out, “We’re about to land.” Thorn gently let go of Maroon and the two of them returned to their proper seats. Rhyme plopped down next to Solana, giving them a slight smile. 

“You good, Dia- Rhyme?” Solana asked. The thief nodded. The Mahogany Mansion slowly came into view, the pizza box Solana left outside still sitting on the picnic table. He chuckled to himself. Next to them, Rhyme shivered. 

“God, I hate that,” she mumbled. 

“Hate what, landing?” Thorn asked. Rhyme shook his head.

“No, the scanner thing. It just sends a thousand chills up and down my body and it freaks me out.” 

“Scanner thing?” Maroon questioned. Mad also turned to look at the teen, causing her to straighten up. 

“Oh, you mean the magic profiler,” Velvet interrupted. All eyes looked towards her.

“The what?” Mad asked. 

“The magic profiler. It just makes sure no one can enter that isn’t with one of us.” Thorn rolled his eyes.

“You need a better name for that.”

“There is one, but it’s in Astarca.”

“I’m not even going to ask what Astarca is,” Rhyme muttered. The Umbrella landed softly on the red soil and Mad guided it towards the garage. Rhyme’s ship still sat outside, parked and powered off. The mafia and Rhyme flowed out of the ship and into the mansion. Zaeor and Wyatt were sitting in the living, the kid playing Mario Kart on the TV. Zaeor looked at them and raised an eyebrow. 

“Back already?” He asked, smiling. Wyatt paused the game and stood up, embracing Mad. The droid picked him up and patted his head. Velvet threw the folder at him before crossing her arms. The god raised an eyebrow as he caught it.

“What’s this?”

“Read it. We found it at the UPS headquarters.” Zaeor scanned the pages for a minute or so before looking up at Velvet. He muttered something in a strange language that Solana couldn’t understand. Velvet replied in the same language, anger underneath the words. Mad leaned towards Maroon.

“Are you getting anything from this?” they asked. Maroon shook their head. 

“It’s not Latin or any fae language I’m aware of. Thorn?” 

“It sounds somewhat familiar but I have no clue.” Velvet’s hand formed a fist as Zaeor stood. He walked towards her, his voice low. Wyatt pushed closer to Mad.

“He sounds scary,” he mumbled. 

“Do you know what he’s saying, Wyatt?” Mad asked, looking down at the boy. He shook his head. 

“Fucking hell,” Velvet growled before returning back to the mysterious language. Solana raised a hand.

“Hey, uh, Velvet? Maybe switch languages so we can understand what you're saying?” The assassin looked back at her but Zaeor quickly said something that caused them to turn back around. The argument went on for a minute or so more before Velvet threw their hands in the air. She turned on her heel and stormed out of the living room. Zaeor called out after her.

“I’m fucking leaving!” they shouted back in English, “If you’re going to be completely unreasonable, I’m done talking to you!” Solana watched her run up the stairs before turning back to Zaeor.

“What was that about?” Mad asked the god. Zaeor sighed and sat back down on the couch. 

“She’s being…difficult. And paranoid.” Solana frowned.

“About the attack?” The god nodded. 

“I mean, it’s worth taking a look into,” Rhyme stated, crossing her arms, “Yeah, it could be fake, but there’s no harm in researching it more.” Zaeor sighed and looked over at the group. 

“Let me make one thing abundantly clear,” he began coldly, “The Mahogany Mansion is perfectly safe. No one can get in or out without permission so we have nothing to worry about. Regardless of if Unor is actually planning an assault, he will be unable to pull it off. There is nothing to worry about.” The room was silent for several moments after he finished as the group stared at him. Maroon grabbed onto Thorn’s hand and took a deep breath while Mad held Wyatt close to it.

“Couldn’t we just reinforce the defenses? Magical or otherwise?” Solana asked. Zaeor shook his head.

“There’s no need. You all are completely safe.” Zaeor gestured towards the TV, plastering a smile on his face.

“Now, surely you all need time to unwind from your mission. Sit, let’s play.”

Something in Solana’s brain told him that it wasn’t a suggestion, so he sat.

[the-red-mafia]

The Catalyst

Johnny leads the teens through the area, safely reaching the stairwell to the catalyst before being ambushed by Darlington. Will Mad and Solana be able to reach them in time, or will they be lost to their minds? Also available on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/TheRedMafia A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry this one is two weeks late, we needed extra time to prepare it. Double post today so after you're done reading this one, go check out the next post: The Assassination. Next Update: 11/11/2023 Word Count: 3026

Immediately after "The Game"

Solana’s bat collided with Darlington’s stomach again, sending the boy flying down the hallway. He let out a laugh before glancing back at Mad, whose screen was blank. 

“You okay, Mad?” the elf asked, lowering the weapon.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” it replied, “Mostly, at least.” 

“Is something going on?”

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this place,” Mad said, causing Solana to chuckle.

“Cursed places will do that.”

“Well, yeah. But…I don’t know. We’re sure Zaeor gave Maroon this game, right?” Solana frowned.

“As sure as we can be, I guess.” Mad crossed their arms and looked up at the grey ceiling.

“Why would Zaeor give Maroon a cursed video game? Surely he knew about the curse, right?”

“Maybe he didn’t,” Solana replied, “I don’t think he would intentionally give it to Maroon.”

“Maybe…” The elf leaned against a wall.

“Or maybe he needs to get rid of this curse and wants us to do it.” 

“But why not tell us so we’re prepared?” Solana shrugged.

“I don’t know, I’m not a god. I’ve got no idea what he’s thinking.”

“Right…” Mad mumbled, “Wait, where’s Darlington? Shouldn’t he be back by now?” Solana frowned and pushed herself off the wall.

“Yeah, you’re right. Where is he?” They looked down the hallway, but no one was coming back. 

“Um- excuse me-” Mad quickly turned around, barely managing to step out of the way before Solana swung their bat at the boy behind them. He quickly stepped back but was hit by the elf’s second swing. 

“Nice try, Darlington,” they muttered, raising the weapon again, “Ready to get pummelled again?”

“W-wait! I’m not who you think I am!” Mad put an arm out in front of Solana.

“Who are you then?” 

“I’m Johnny Darlington, but n-not the one you were fighting! That’s an evil version of me, I swear!” A smile appeared on Mad’s screen.

“I believe you. What are you doing here, then?” The boy took a deep breath.

“Your friends. I was h-helping them get to the catalyst and…well. They’re in danger.”

When Velvet, Maroon, Thorn, and Johnny rematerialized, the surroundings had morphed once again. Velvet looked around at the lines of desks and chairs, computers sitting on top of each of them. The yellow wallpaper was back, although it was partially covered by various frames. Instead of holding paintings, however, they were all white paper. 

Next to them, Thorn lurched forward. Velvet groaned and quickly grabbed a trash bin. They handed it to him, and he promptly turned around and threw up into the bag. Maroon stepped away from aer slightly.

“Thorn, are you okay?” They didn’t respond.

“Teleporting makes some…weaker people lose control of their stomachs,” Velvet said, smirking. Thorn flipped them off.  Maroon placed a hand on their shoulder. Thorn looked up at them and smiled weakly before returning to the trash can and vomiting again. 

“Where are we, Darlington?” Velvet asked, crossing her arms. 

“This is as close to the catalyst as I can take you,” he began, “My magic doesn’t work any closer.”

“Of course,” the teen muttered. 

“I don’t remember this level from the trailer. What-”

“It’s not a level. This is what goes on behind the scenes. It’s where all the mini-games and puzzles are monitored.” Thorn set the trashcan on the ground and grabbed a tissue off a desk. 

“So which way?” Velvet began. Darlington led her to an exit door which led to a concrete stairwell. Maroon helped Thorn to follow them as Velvet looked up and down. 

“If my info is right, at the top of the building is where the catalyst is.” Thorn looked up at the dozens of stairwells and groaned. 

“All the way up?”

“All the way up.”

“Fuck,” he breathed. Velvet chuckled before starting up the stairs. The others followed behind, Thorn still grumbling behind her. The sound of printers rumbling came from the closed doors along the stairwell. Voices came through quietly as well, immediately putting the assassin on edge.

“Are there other people here?” They demanded. “J-just NPCs. nothing to worry about.” Velvet narrowed their eyes.

“Mhm…sure.”

“You’re being paranoid, Velvie,” Thorn called out. The assassin flipped him off as the voices suddenly stopped. Velvet froze at the top of the steps. There were only two more flights to the top but Darlington choked back a sob. 

“He’s here,” he breathed, “I’m so sorry.” Velvet raised two of her throwing knives. 

“Stay behind me. I’ll take care of it.” They glanced back at their teammates but they were gone. The corridor was completely empty as a laugh echoed up and down the stairwell. Velvet gripped the throwing knives tighter and sprinted forward. Footsteps reverberated behind them but they quickly kicked the door open before slamming it closed. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. 

A cold breeze hit her back, causing her to turn about. Their throwing knives had disappeared, along with the red zip-up and scars down their arms. A black, short-sleeve dress took its place and fell just below her knees. They stood in front of a large brown door, dozens of stickers scattered on it. In the middle was some kind of word: C-A-R-

“What the fuck,” the teen breathed. Their heart skipped a beat as they spun around. The marble walls, the dark brown doors, the towering glass window behind her-

“Fuck- How-” She turned back to the door. A rainbow was peeling off now, and an odour wafted towards them from underneath. They clenched their fists. 

“No. I’m not doing this. Whatever you’re trying to do, Darlington, it’s not happening!” Another laugh, followed by the sound of a gun loading right behind her head.

“Open the door, dēvotiō,” Unor’s voice whispered, “Your surprise is behind it.” Velvet could still hear the smirk in his wicked voice. They took a deep breath and stepped forward.

It’s not real, it’s not real- they repeated as they turned the knob. The door slowly pushed open and the assassin shut her eyes.

“Open your eyes, Velvet,” Unor’s voice muttered again, “Look at him. You did this, you know.” The stench was overwhelming, to the point where Velvet knew exactly what was in front of them. She slowly opened her eyes before slamming them closed. 

Maroon spun around as a chill went down their spine. Thorn’s warm hand was long gone along with Velvet and Johnny in front of them. The teen took a deep breath and raised their hands. 

“Where are you?” They called out. A laugh came from behind them. 

“Right behind you, Margaret.” The dull grey walls of the stairwell seemed to melt away into brown and white and various seats materialised on either side of them. A large white cross hung on the wall in front of them with several young children sitting in pews. The rest of the seats were empty and a man dressed in a black robe stood at the front of them. All eyes turned towards Maroon as someone shoved them to the ground. 

“Margaret. How lovely of you to finally join us,” the man in the robe said. Maroon froze.

“She was playing around in the forest again, Father,” the person behind them stated coldly, “Sleeping under a tree, no less.” Maroon could feel tears running down their face as they took a deep breath. The robed man walked towards them. Maroon heard their own voice tell him to stop, but he didn’t listen. Every step that he took brought a familiar feeling into them. Their hands grew cold as the robed man slapped them across the face. 

Maroon took another deep breath before mushrooms exploded around the church hall. They grew through the wooden floor and wrapped around the robed man’s legs. His screams pierced Maroon’s ears and were shortly followed by the high-pitched screeches of the children. The adults shouted at them but their words reached deaf ears. The robed man now lay dead on the floor, mushrooms growing out of his ears. His head exploded, his brain now turned into tiny pink fungi. Several other adults followed suit. Maroon closed their eyes as the ground shook, the walls soon crushing the remaining living humans in front of them. 

“Maroon!” Thorn shouted, gripping the knife so hard his knuckles were turning white. When the laugh echoed, he quickly slashed behind him. The area rapidly changed around aer, morphing into grey stone walls. Paintings hung up on either side of it but they were drowned out by various vines in front of them. 

A red slash hung in the air where Thorn’s knife had sliced. A silhouette began to form around it before it solidified. Thorn stared in horror as his red-haired mother’s body slammed into the ground. The knife, blood dripping from it, fell out of its hands. 

“No-” he whispered, “No, it’s not real. It’s not-” His mother let out a loud scream, forcing the prince to cover aer ears. The word ‘no’ kept dripping out of his mouth as the queen continued to scream and writhe on the floor. Footsteps thumped down the hall and the door behind him flew open. 

“Love!” The king shouted. He stopped in the doorway as Thorn slowly turned towards him. His sword was drawn, just as it was.

“Thorn…” he breathed, “Son, what happened?” 

“They…they…” the queen’s voice faded out. The king looked at Thorn and his eyes fell to the bloodied knife at aer feet. 

“Thorn…” He whispered, “What have you done?”

“I didn’t- I didn’t mean-”

“You ‘didn’t mean it’?” the king’s voice grew louder and Thorn quickly closed his eyes. It wrapped itself in its arms and took a deep breath.  

“Thorn, look at me!” The king demanded. Tears began to form in the prince’s eyes as he breathed again. 

It's…not real, they thought, Maybe if I just…do it…everything will go back to normal.

“Thorn!” The king shouted again. They felt his rough, calloused hands through the thin sleep tunic they had on. He slowly opened his eyes and looked up at the king. A few tears ran down his face as he shouted, demanding to know what happened. Thorn shrugged the king’s hands off and picked up the knife.

The image froze right as they dug the knife into his stomach.

Solana felt a little nauseous after the “good” Johnny Darlington teleported them. She looked over at Mad, whose screen was still blank. The robot tried to look around but Johnny quickly grabbed their arm and pulled them across what seemed to be an old office. 

“They’re this way!” he called out, “He used his magic on them-” He opened the stairwell door and sprinted up them. Solana had to sprint to keep up with the surprisingly agile boy. As they climbed, laughter began to echo down. The trio stopped on a landing, Solana pulling Mad behind him and raising his bat. 

“They’re…they’re a few more flights up,” Johnny mumbled. The “bad” Darlington floated down, still laughing. The two of them looked almost identical, except for Darlington’s pitch-black outfit compared to Johnny’s jeans and a t-shirt. 

“At least we can tell them apart well enough,” Solana mumbled.

“That’s what you’re focusing on?” Mad replied. The elf shrugged.

“Just glad we won’t have a switcheroo situation.” They stepped forward and swung the bat at the floating middle-schooler, but he just floated upward. Solana watched him reach his hand out as it glowed a light lilac. The room suddenly grew dark and Darlington disappeared from view. 

Solana was sitting down all of a sudden, the inside of a small ship surrounding them. A small window was in front of her, a younger Nolan on the other side. A chill shot up their spine. 

“No,” they breathed.

“Solana!” Mad’s voice pierced the ship, the walls rippling. Solana turned to where she thought the noise had come from.

“Mad?” The ship snapped back to the grey walls of the stairwell. The elf shot up, panting. Darlington was groaning on the floor down a level while Johnny stood in front, facing him down. Mad was to her left, taking her pulse. 

“What happened?” 

“He tried to trap you in your worst memories,” Johnny said through gritted teeth, “Like he did with the kids. It’s a twisted version of my magic.” Solana jumped to their feet. 

“How’d it stop?”

“That was, uh, me,” Mad mumbled. It sheepishly raised Solana’s bat and handed it to them. Solana smiled and turned back to Darlington, who was once again getting to his feet.

“Let’s do this, then,” she began, “Maybe if we pummel him enough he’ll let them go.”

“Maroon!” Their eyes shot open. The ruins of the orphanage were covered in green plants now, and the dust had settled. Their mushrooms had receded into a small patch at their feet, still growing slowly.

“W-who’s there?” Boots hit the grass behind them and Maroon turned around. Velvet walked towards them in their mission uniform, hair short once again. “Maroon, wake up!” They kept walking towards them, but their mouth didn’t move.

“Velvet?”

The prince looked around at the frozen image. Their dad’s blood floated, the smell of iron in the air. His mom’s screaming had stopped but his heart kept beating hard.

“Mom, Dad?” it called out. No response. Thorn let out a relieved breath. Warm arms wrapped around aer, causing aer to jump slightly. A familiar smell slammed into their nose.

“...Maroon?”

“Thorn!”

Velvet felt tears run down her cheeks as Unor held her eyelids open. His laugh seemed to shake the ground. The red blood seeped towards her, forming a pool at her feet. Bright emerald green eyes stared up at the ceiling, blood splattered on his chin. The bullet was still buried in his heart underneath the pale, ripped skin.

Her heartbeat thumped as she kept staring and Unor kept laughing. Quiet shouts came from behind them, followed by a loud thud. Velvet’s eyes widened and she quickly spun around. Unor didn’t resist, his arms frozen up where he was holding her. His laugh continued but his mouth didn’t move. 

“What the fuck?” the assassin muttered. A high-pitch scream came from what seemed to be below the floorboards.

“Darlington,” she growled. They blinked before they were back in the stairwell, lying on the floor. The shouts were louder, and she made out Solana’s voice calling out to Mad. Velvet shot up and ran to the railing. Below, Solana dodged a knife thrown by Darlington, not the one from earlier, and Mad caught it mid-air. The other Darlington took the knife from the droid and threw it to Solana, who then chucked it back. 

“Mad, Solana!” Velvet shouted. The trio looked up and Solana’s eyes widened. 

“Velvet!” Solana replied, “You okay?” 

“I’m fine! What’s going on?” 

“Evil Darlington had you all trapped in a spell,” Mad said, “We’re distracting him now. See if you can wake Thorn and Maroon up!” Velvet groaned but pushed herself away from the railing and sprinted down the steps. Maroon and Thorn were unconscious two floors down. The teen took a deep breath before kneeling down next to Maroon. 

“Maroon!” they called out, “Maroon, wake up!” A few seconds passed and Velvet lightly shook them. 

“Velvet?” Maroon’s eyes slowly opened and scanned the room. Eventually, they locked on Velvet and they shot up, pulling her into a hug. She attempted to squirm out of their grip at first but stopped when a small tear hit her jacket sleeve. 

“I- I-” Velvet sighed and quickly propped them up, pointing at Thorn.

“Go wake Thorn up. I’m going to destroy the catalyst.” 

“Velvet-” The assassin put her hands on Maroon’s shoulder.

“Come on, Maroon.” They were quiet for a second before nodding. Velvet stood up and leaned over the railing. Darlington slammed into a wall as Solana laughed. Her heartbeat was still racing and her breathing was shallow. 

“They’re fine,” Velvet mumbled, “Get it together, Velvet.” She sprinted up the stairs again. A chill went down their spine as they opened the door, but they let out a relieved breath when the door simply opened to a dark room. In the centre was a pedestal with a floating green disc above it. A light green glow emitted from it, illuminating the symbols etched onto the floor. Velvet kneeled down and ran her hand over them.

“Hm.” Velvet grabbed another throwing knife and rolled up their jacket sleeve. They quickly etched a rough sketch into the top layer of their skin before standing.

I’ll ask Zaeor later, Velvet thought. She quickly grabbed the disc and snapped it in half. The green light disappeared as the assassin let out a sigh of relief. Velvet turned around and stuffed the knife back in her pouch, pulling her sleeve down. Maroon had their arms wrapped around Thorn, Mad now hovering over them. Solana had a wooden bat and stood next to the “good” Darlington, who looked up at her when she approached.

“Thank you, Velvet,” he began, causing the rest of the mafia to turn towards them, “I don’t know how much longer we could’ve held out.”

“That’s it?” Velvet replied. Darlington nodded.

“That’s it.” The teen narrowed her eyes but handed him the snapped disc. He looked down at the pieces before chuckling.

“My own game. How ironic.” 

“Are you good, Velvet?” Solana asked. The teen raised an eyebrow.

“Fine. Why?” 

“Darlington just trapped you in your worst memories and you’re ‘fine’?” 

“Oh, that’s what his powers were. Makes sense.” A question mark appeared on Mad’s face. 

“Did you…not-”

“I did. But I don’t want to fucking talk about it,” Velvet interrupted, “Just take us home, Darlington.” Mad didn’t push it further, but Solana gave her a look. Velvet simply gestured to the beaded red bracelet on her left wrist and the elf nodded. Darlington took Solana’s right and Velvet’s left hands before smiling down at Thorn and Maroon.

“Are you two ready?” Thorn took a deep breath and stood, helping Maroon up. Maroon grabbed Velvet’s other hand and Thorn’s. Mad grabbed the remaining hands, completing the circle. Darlington sighed and his hands glowed a light blue.

“Thank you. Thank you all.”

[the-red-mafia]

The Illusions

Velvet has a plan to get the rest of the mafia back from the grasp of the carnival. A plan that involves a certain teenage thief who is currently being impersonated. Will Diamonds believe them, and will it work? Also available on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/TheRedMafia Next Update: [Updated] Word Count: 3887

Immediately after “The Carnival”

“Where did you say this room was?” Mad asked. Rhyme and it had been walking around the park for nearly twenty minutes with no sign of stopping. Rhyme looked just as confused as Mad felt. 

“I could’ve sworn it was right around here.” 

“Maybe there was something for the fence in the room you found me in?”

“No, I already checked there.” 

“I don’t know then-”

“Mad!” Rhyme let out a loud groan as they turned to see Velvet Bolton walking their way. The assassin glared at Rhyme as they stopped right in front of the two of them.

“Oh great, she’s back,” Rhyme muttered. Velvet ignored him and looked at Mad.

“I need your phone.”

“Why?” 

“I just need it. If you don’t want to be involved in the mission, you don’t get to ask questions.” Mad sighed and slowly pulled the device out of its pocket. Rhyme gave Velvet a suspicious look, but didn’t say anything. Before Mad could speak, the teen snatched it out of their hands. 

“Rude,” Rhyme mumbled. Velvet glared at her one last time before turning on their heel and walking away from them. 

“Uh-” Mad tried to say, but the teen had already turned a corner, “Guess I don’t get my phone then.”

“Aren’t you a robot?” Rhyme asked, “Why do you even need a phone?” Mad shrugged. 

“Velvet gave every one of the mafia members one so it felt rude not to use it.”

“You went out of your way not to be rude to them? What a mistake.” Mad’s screen went blank. Rhyme looked at them but didn’t say anything. Instead, she turned around towards the way they came. 

“Let’s go back to the fence. Maybe there’s a way we can propel ourselves over?”

“...maybe.”

Velvet got lucky that Mad didn’t have a passcode on its phone. It made sense, considering all they ever used it for was texting Rhyme. They quickly found their way to the phone app and pressed the contact labelled “Diamond emoji”. Peeking their head around the corner again, they watched Mad and ‘Rhyme’ as the phone rang. Nothing. ‘Rhyme’ didn’t even flinch, let alone reach for his phone. Velvet smiled. 

“I fucking knew it,” she mumbled, “Now I’ve gotta-”

“Hey Mad, what’s up?” Velvet jumped slightly as Rhyme’s voice came through the phone.

“Holy fucking shit- Uh-” 

“Wait a fucking second, Bolton? How’d you get Mad’s phone?” The teen froze and stared at the screen.

“I’m just borrowing its phone and accidentally hit your contact. Who would’ve thought the diamond emoji was you.” 

“Anyone.”

“...yeah. That was a lie.”

“Where’s Mad?” Velvet looked around the corner again but the droid was gone.

“So this is going to sound fucking crazy-”

“Mad’s being led around by some fake version of me so you grabbed its phone to check if that was me but didn’t expect me to actually answer?” 

“How did you-”

“Was just a guess,” the thief said, laughing, “Surprised I was right. Anyways, send me the coords. I’ll be there soon.” Velvet stared at the phone.

“Listen, Diamonds-”

“Mad’s in danger, right?” 

“Yes.”

“Then I’m coming to help. Also, I want to beat the fuck out of someone who thinks they can impersonate me. I’m one of a kind, you know.” 

“...I think we’re going to get along much better than I thought we would.”

Thorn angled their body under Iris’s so that the girl didn’t hit anything when they fell. As his view cleared, however, he saw the girl had disappeared. Thorn’s back slammed onto something metal, causing them to let out a loud shriek. A laugh echoed around it as the teen quickly sat up. Any essence of the fun, family-friendly carnival were completely gone from aer surroundings, instead replaced by some kind of lab. Various equipment lined the walls, from computers to things Thorn couldn’t recognize.

“What…” As he began to look around, a loud whooshing sound came from above his head. They quickly caught Maroon, who came falling from the sky. Maroon let out a quiet scream before looking up at Thorn.

“Where…are we?” the younger teen asked as Thorn put them on their feet. They reached forward to touch the bars of the cage they were in.

“I’m not sure.”

“Where’s Iris?” 

“Over here, Mar-Mar!” the little girl’s voice shouted. She was outside the cage and on the floor, looking up at them. Thorn’s eyes widened.

“Iris!” The girl waved at him and giggled.

“This is a weird place,” she said, looking around. 

“Iris, is there anything around you that could let us out?” 

“Why is she outside the cage?” Maroon wondered out loud. Thorn shook its head.

“That’s not important right now.”

“Oh, I think this is something!” Iris called out. She pointed towards a panel with a large red button sitting on it. Half the panel was torn up, revealing hundreds of wires and other technology underneath it.

“Imma press it.”

“Please be careful, Iris,” Thorn said. The girl turned back and smiled at him before approaching the panel. As soon as her hand touched the button, she let out a bone-chilling scream. Her body twisted, her hair standing up on top of her head. Maroon quickly closed their eyes and put their hands on their ears in an attempt to block out the shrieks. 

“Iris!” Thorn grabbed onto the bars of the cage, staring at aer sister. A few seconds later, the screaming stopped. The girl’s body fell to the black–tiled ground with a loud thud that echoed around the room. Thorn stared at its sister’s corpse, a few tears beginning to run down its face. The same laugh returned and grew closer as Thorn collapsed to the floor of the cage. Maroon finally opened their eyes again and looked down at their friend.

“Thorn-” They joined him on the ground, quickly wrapping their arms around him. The older teen pressed their face into their chest as quiet sobs forced their way out of their mouth. 

“Oh, this is the hardest I’ve laughed all week,” a voice called out. Maroon looked up to see a teenager floating outside of the cage. They jumped slightly and moved Thorn away from the wall. The boy laughed again. His icy blue eyes seemed to stare into Maroon’s soul as he looked at them and Thorn. 

“Who are you?” Maroon demanded, “And what did you do to Iris?” The teen laughed and ran a hand through his blonde hair. 

“Ah, right. I never introduced myself, how rude of me.” The teen bowed, a smirk on his face.

“I’m Aeger, god of illusions. It’s nice to meet you, Maroon Pembrooke.”

“Wait, Caran! You’re gonna trip!” The 13-year-old turned around to look at Solana before falling flat on his back. The elf stifled a laugh, extending an arm to the teen. 

“Ow.”

“That’s why we look where we’re going. Did you learn nothing?” Caran chuckled and took Solana’s hand.

“Guess I didn’t, ha.” Solana pulled him up to his feet. People streamed by them on the pathway out from the food court. One of them, a middle-aged man, ran into Solana. 

“Oh, I’m sorry-” Solana began, turning to look at him. He glared at her.

“Get out of the way, asshole. Some people are trying to get places.” He stormed off into the food court as Solana let out a chuckle. 

“Some people, am I-” Solana stopped mid-sentence when he looked down at Caran. He wasn’t looking at them anymore, instead staring into the nearby shopping district near the park entrance. The elf followed his gaze and locked eyes on Velvet standing near one of the store entrances.

“That’s where she disappeared to,” Solana breathed, “Come on, Caran. Let’s go talk to them.”

“No.” Solana raised an eyebrow.

“What?”

“Look.” She turned back to Velvet, who was now joined by Diamonds. The thief had changed his outfit to a black leather jacket adorned with sparkly jewels along the hems. Her hair featured purple tips, as opposed to the blue ones she had before.

“Wait, Diamonds?” the elf mumbled, “I thought they hated each other. And what happened to his hair?” Caran quickly gripped Solana’s wrist and pulled her out of the pathway. Once they reached the grass, the teen pushed him to the ground.

“Caran, what the hell?” Solana shouted. Caran kneeled over them, a look of disgust on his face. With one punch, the elf was knocked out cold. 

Velvet met Rhyme at the carnival entrance when he got there. They had walked past the fake ‘Rhyme’ and Mad a few times, but it seemed like ‘Rhyme’ was dragging them on a wild goose chase. Mad’s screen had been blank every time the assassin saw them despite being with their friend. 

Hopefully, that means it’ll be easier to bring them back to reality, Velvet thought, leaning against a wall in the shopping district, Still no sign of the others, though. Where…

“‘Sup, Bolton.” Velvet jumped slightly and looked towards her left, where Rhyme suddenly appeared. He was wearing a different outfit from ‘Rhyme’, but somehow it was even more extravagant. She was dressed in all black with bright, sparkling diamonds lining each of the hems. His makeup matched the gems, his face covered in glitter and his eyeshadow a bright white. 

“Oh gods, you’re like a fucking disco ball,” Velvet muttered, covering her eyes. Rhyme laughed. 

“Thanks, I try.” Velvet stood up from the wall.

“Come on, I’ll catch you up.”

Once Rhyme was fully briefed on the situation, and got a churro, the two of them hunted down Mad and ‘Rhyme’. They found them outside of the blue building again, staring at the now-locked door they had come out of. ‘Rhyme’ kept trying to pull Mad back to the fence but the robot didn’t let him. Velvet smirked.

“That illusion is just fucking it up for herself,” she said, turning back around the corner. 

“Alright then, I’ll go talk to them.” Rhyme took a step out from the corner and began to walk towards the two of them. Velvet quickly followed and stepped in front of him.

“Are you mad?”

“No, I’m going to talk to Mad. Duh.”

“No- ugh,” Velvet ran a hand through their hair, “You can’t just barge in-”

“Velvet, what are you doing?” The teen spun around, seeing Mad right behind them. ‘Rhyme’ was close behind it and glared at her as he approached. 

“Mission stuff.”

“Who are you even talking to?” Velvet felt the actual Rhyme move and jump out from behind them. The thief threw up jazz hands and smirked. 

“Tada!” she said. Mad froze in place and ‘Rhyme’’s eyes widened. Velvet, on the other hand, facepalmed.

“You are such a fucking show off.”

“...Rhyme?” Mad asked, looking back at the illusion, “But-” 

“There’s an illusionist,” Rhyme clarified, stepping forward and slinging an arm around the robot, “Something something kidnapping your friends. I’ll be honest, I didn’t really pay attention when Bolton explained what was going on.”

“Why do I even fucking try at this point,” Velvet mumbled. ‘Rhyme’ took a step back, but Velvet quickly moved to block her exit.

“Going somewhere, illusion?” ‘Rhyme’ stared at her for several seconds before he broke out into laughter. Velvet raised an eyebrow, resting their right hand inside their side bag. 

“I’ll be honest, I didn’t recognize you at first,” the illusions said, slowly morphing into a pile of grey sludge, “That was my bad. I should’ve given you a more…fitting welcome, Metus.” The sludge solidified into a teenager, specifically the teen boy that had bothered her in the ticket line. Velvet took a step back and grabbed onto one of the throwing knives inside their bag but kept their hand inside. The teen laughed again but stopped when Rhyme pressed a small gun to his head.

“How about I welcome you to hell?”

“Don’t shoot, it’s just an illusion. You’ll alert guards as to what’s happening,” Velvet mumbled. Rhyme met their eyes and nodded, but didn’t move the gun. 

“Who are you?” The assassin asked, staring into the teen’s eyes. He placed a hand over his heart and gasped.

“I would never! You don’t even recognize me? Surely you’ve at least heard of me.” 

“What’s your name, then?” 

“Aeger. Our names are both Latin, you know. Guess that gives us a bond, huh Metus? Why don’t you come have a chat with me, one on one? I still haven’t gotten your number, you know. Basement of that blue building there.” Velvet chuckled and drew the knife from their bag.

“The fact that you know that name, sickness,” the assassin muttered, taking a step forward, “Although plague would be a better way to describe you, Aeger.” Rhyme gave Velvet a curious look while Mad stood watching the scene with its screen blank. Rhyme leaned a little towards Mad.

“Do you have…any idea what’s going on?” 

“...Not at all.”

“But you knowing that name tells me two things. Firstly,” Velvet held the knife against his throat, causing the illusion to flinch slightly, “it tells me exactly who, or rather what, you are. And secondly, that you know exactly what I’m capable of.” Velvet quickly slid the knife across the illusions neck. It returned back to the grey sludge before disappearing into thin air. Rhyme lowered her gun as Velvet slid the knife back into the bag. 

“What was that?” Mad asked, crossing their arms. Velvet shrugged. 

“Intimidation.”

“What did he call you, ‘Metus’? What the hell does that mean?” The teen smirked as Rhyme finished his sentence.

“Fear. How do you two feel about helping me kill a god?” 

Aeger was giggly when he walked back into the laboratory. Thorn glared down at him, dried tears stuck to his cheeks. Maroon sat next to it and Solana next to them, still holding a hand to her pounding head. He clasped his hands together and looked up at the cage, which was now floating over a hole in the ground that opened to some kind of green, acid-like liquid. 

“Today is my lucky day,” he said, smiling, “Once I get ahold of Metus…ohhh I’ll have so much power!” 

“Who the fuck is Metus?” Thorn mumbled. Maroon shook their head.

“I have no idea.”

“It’s Velvet,” Solana said, crossing his arms, “It’s a codename they used on missions for Zaeor before the mafia was formed.” Thorn looked toward the elf.

“And you know this how?” 

“It came up during the Yuo mission.” 

“Yuo?” Aeger said suddenly, floating up to the cage, “You knew Yuo?” 

“You knew Yuo?” Solana replied, glaring at the god. Aeger laughed. 

“Of course I do. Do you take me for some kind of immortal shut-in?”

“You’re a fake god, aren’t you?” Maroon chimed in, drawing Aeger’s attention towards them, “Yuo was too, right?” The god’s face went blank and he sent a glare towards the younger teen. In a blink of an eye, Maroon was floating outside of the cage a metre above the acid pool. They let out a shriek and looked up at Aeger, who had a fiery anger hidden behind his blue eyes. 

“Put them down!” Thorn shouted, standing up and grabbing the bars of the cage. Solana also stood and looked out. Aeger looked up at Thorn and then back at Maroon. 

“I should drop you into the acid for that comment, mortal,” Aeger hissed, flying closer to Maroon, “In fact-”

“Aeger!” 

All eyes in the room turned to the entrance. Maroon’s eyes widened when they saw Velvet step into the greenish light let off by the numerous machines. One of their hands sat inside their bag as they stopped just inside the door. Aeger smiled and snapped his fingers, teleporting Maroon back into the cage. Thorn grabbed them and set them on the ground.

“Why hello there,” the god said, landing on the floor and walking towards Velvet, “We meet again.”

“So we do.”

“Why don’t we try this again?” he muttered, stopping in front of her, “Since we both know who we are. I’ll be honest, you’re not what I imagined Metus would look like.” Velvet took a deep breath and looked up at the cage. 

“You enjoy kidnapping innocents?” they asked, gesturing to their teammates. Aeger laughed and jumped into the air, floating over to it.

“Don’t act like you’re any better than I am. All of the gods heard what you did to Yuo’s little sister. If I had any sense, I’d do you the same courtesy.” Velvet chuckled.

“But you don’t have any sense, I assume?” Aeger floated back to the ground and stood a few centimetres away from Velvet.

“Of course not. You’re a useful hostage, after all.” The assassin smiled and looked towards the ground. 

“I’m honoured,” they mumbled. In one swift movement, they drew a knife from their bag and dug it into the god’s lower abdomen. Aeger let out a grunt and jumped backwards, knife still embedded in his skin.

“Ha, clever,” he said, shaking his head, “But you can’t kill a god. I admire the dedication, though.” He ripped the knife out and threw it on the ground as Velvet drew two more knives, one in each hand. The god held a hand over the bleeding hole and closed his eyes, but nothing happened. Aeger winced in pain and opened his eyes again.

“What…” Velvet took a step forward, a smirk on her face.

“You’re a new god, aren’t you?” They asked, “I’d guess you’ve been immortal for…twenty years or so. Barely a blink in most of the others’ lifespans. It’s no wonder you weren’t fully…briefed.” Aeger stared at the assassin, a hint of fear in his eyes.

“W-what are you on about?” She spun one of the knives around her right pointer finger, walking slowly closer. Aeger took several steps back until he hit the wall.

“After all, you are killing innocents. Most of the gods don’t like that. Luckily for me…” Velvet caught the knife, “Zaeor’s not one of them.” They threw the blade towards Aeger’s neck, but the god jumped to the left. The second one cut off a bit of his blonde hair, causing him to let out a loud shriek. Maroon watched as Velvet drew two more knives, quickly throwing them at Aeger again. Each blade continued to barely miss hitting the god in any vulnerable spot, despite Velvet’s scarily accurate aim.

“Psst!” Maroon, Thorn, and Solana quickly spun around to look behind the cage. Hanging onto the bars outside was Diamonds, who smirked at Maroon. “Diamonds?”

“Hello, fellow rhymer.” Maroon smiled at him, but Solana moved in front of them.

“Wait a fucking second, are you the real Diamonds?” The thief laughed and gave a slight bow with one hand.

“The one and only. Well, aside from the illusion.” 

“Don’t worry Solana, this one’s the real thing,” Mad’s voice called from below. Maroon walked to the edge of the cage and looked down to see Mad holding Rhyme up.

“Mad!” 

“So you’re Solana,” Diamonds said, gesturing towards the elf before pointing at Thorn, “Which makes you Thorn. What’s with the tears, newbie?” Thorn sent a glare towards him, causing Diamonds to put a hand up.

“No need to send daggers my way, I get the hint.”

“It’s a bit weird to hear you not speaking in rhymes,” Maroon muttered. Diamonds looked towards them.

“As amusing as that would be, we don’t have time to see.”

“These introductions have been fun, but we better go before we’re done.” Mad let out a chuckle.

“Alright, Rh- Diamonds, can you open the cage?” Diamonds looked down at the robot and smirked.

“You got it, robotic.” The thief quickly held up a small laser gun and sliced a hole in the bars, the extra falling into the cage. 

“That one’s a bit of a stretch,” Maroon said, crossing their arms. Diamonds rolled her eyes.

“Yeah yeah, you’re right.” Mad quickly put Diamonds on the floor and reached up again.

“Come on, I’ll lower you guys down one by one.” Solana went first, shortly followed by Maroon then Thorn. When they were all safely on the ground, Maroon turned their attention to Velvet and Aeger. The god hadn’t even noticed they had escaped, instead focusing intently on not being impaled by another one of Velvet’s knives. 

Velvet picked one of them off of the floor and threw it at him, slicing his left arm. He let out another shriek and thrust his right hand towards her. Grey sludge materialised from his hand and flew at Velvet, landing on her right leg. They stumbled a bit but rolled onto the floor, grabbing a few more knives in the process. The sludge burned through the teen’s jeans and seemingly Velvet’s skin. The teen winced in pain but threw another knife that nearly missed Aeger’s neck. Maroon raised one of their hands but Solana quickly batted it down.

“Don’t,” the elf said, causing Maroon to look at him, “If you touch him at all he’ll be able to heal and Velvet will have to start all over.”

“How…does that even work?” Maroon asked, not taking their eyes off the battle. Solana shrugged.

“I’m not fully sure, has something to do with Velvet being a godkiller.”

“So, Velvet can kill gods?” Thorn muttered, glancing at Maroon. Solana nodded while Maroon frowned.

“That can’t be good, can it?”

“I find it hard to imagine any way it could be,” Thorn replied, crossing their arms. 

“Why?” Solana questioned, “You saw Yuo. You’re saying that he should’ve just been left alone?”

“I didn’t even know Yuo was a god until today.”

“That’s…fair. But you think he should’ve just been left to keep hurting people?”

“I-I don’t know,” Maroon mumbled, “The idea of someone being able to kill a god…I don’t know.”

“Seems to balance power, I guess,” Diamonds chimed in, “Also, going back to gods being real-” Aeger let out a scream of pain, cutting her off. One of Velvet’s knives stuck out of his neck as he fell to the ground, still screaming. 

“Fucking finally,” Velvet groaned, walking towards him, “That took way longer than it should’ve.”

“W-wait-” The assassin pulled the knife across the god’s neck as his screams quickly turned into gargles. Maroon closed their eyes and turned away until the room went silent. They heard Solana chuckle, causing them to open their eyes once again. Velvet stopped in front of the elf and placed the bloody knife back in their bag.

“You’re going to get a disease from that,” the elf said. Velvet rolled their eyes.

“It’s god blood, it can’t have any diseases.”

“Do you really want to take that chance?” Velvet shrugged.

“Why not? It’s my fucking trophy.” 

“Velvet-” Maroon started, taking a step forward. The assassin held a hand up, forcing them to stop.

“Don’t even start. I’m about to pass out, so listen up. Get back to the Umbrella and go back to the mansion. Mad, call Zaeor for me. I’m 98% sure these are third-degree burns now.” Mad’s screen was blank, but the robot nodded. Solana stepped forward and Velvet grabbed onto their arm before pointing at Diamonds.

“And you, fuck off.”

“A thank you would be nice, Bolton.” Diamonds crossed her arms and stared at them. However, the teen lost consciousness before they could reply.

A/N: And that's the end of part 3! Thank you all for the support on this part, it really means a lot! Part 4 will begin on July 22, 2023 and have 12 main stories and a bonus story, similar to part 2. It will be the last part of this book, so stayed tuned! Make sure to check out all of the writer's socials and the Red Mafia Tumblr. See you all in July :)

[the-red-mafia]

The Rebels

With strange people on their tail, the Red Mafia is forced to fight their way off of Gazra. Will they be able to make it out with everyone still in tact? And who is Caran?

Also available on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/TheRedMafia Next Update: [Updated] Word Count: 5256

Immediately after “The Rescue”

The man wasted no time moving his finger to the trigger on the gun. Maroon quickly raised their left hand and a mushroom shot up from the ground, throwing the man into the air. Velvet jumped back to the group, turning around right as the man neared the ground. Their eyes widened when, instead of slamming into the grass, the man slowly descended onto the floor. He fired a shot at Maroon but Thorn quickly pulled them out of the way. Solana cocked the gun and fired. The bullet flew right next to the man’s head before disappearing into the horizon. 

“Get to the ship,” the elf commanded, preparing to fire again. Thorn, still gripping onto Maroon’s arm, sprinted toward the ship once again. Mad followed close behind them but Velvet stayed next to Solana. 

“What the hell are you doing?” 

“Not letting you have all the fun.” The teen threw the first aid kit onto the ground and held up the medical scissors from inside, quickly breaking them into two. Solana smirked and began to back up towards the ship as Velvet threw the first half. It hit right at his elbow and caused him to stagger slightly. Solana fired another shot but the man’s unpredictable path made him miss again. 

Velvet then threw the second half of the scissors, which sliced the man’s rifle hand. He yelled in pain and dropped his gun. Red blood fell onto the faded yellow grass as the man clutched his bleeding hand. The elf raised the gun a third time, but the shot flew over the man’s head. Velvet groaned loudly. 

“Fucking hell, Solana. Give it to me.” She didn’t wait for a response, instead ripping the rifle from their hands. With one shot, the man was lying dead on the ground with a bullet wound through his skull. 

“You’re a horrible shot.” 

“Not the time,” the elf said, grabbing Velvet’s right arm, “We’ve got to move.” The teen held the rifle in their left hand as they ran toward the ship. They couldn’t see the others anymore because they had already run into the machine. Solana jumped onto the door and Velvet followed, sprinting into the cockpit. 

“Mad, start heading towards-” Velvet’s sentence was cut off by a low, loud laugh echoing around the ship. They quickly raised the gun and spun towards the sound. Sitting in the captain’s chair was a middle-aged man. His bright red eyes flared at them, hatred burning in his gaze. He held two pistols: one pointed directly at Maroon who was sitting on the ground, seemingly having been thrown against the ship's wall. Mad stood over them, its screen blank. The other gun was pointed at Thorn, who laid unconscious on the other side of the cockpit. Solana let out a small gasp next to them, but Velvet didn’t move.

“Who the hell are you?” the teen demanded, resting her finger on the trigger. The man shook his head. 

“Velvet Bolton, I expected better.” 

“How do you know my name?” 

“What are you doing here, Marcus?” Solana interrupted. The man turned towards him. Velvet quickly glanced at the elf, keeping the gun raised. 

“Don’t pretend you don’t know the answer to that.” 

“I suggest you let them go,” Velvet stated, their voice monotone, “It’s 4 against 1.” 

“Velvet, let me handle this. You don’t know what you’re dealing with,” Solana mumbled. Velvet glared at her.

“What are we dealing with?” 

“Oh, I can answer that one!” Marcus chimed in, standing up from the chair. The duo turned back to see him smiling wildly. Maroon tensed up where they were sitting as he moved. He moved the gun that was pointed at Thorn to Velvet and Solana. 

“See, Bolton, there’s this thing us normal people call ‘consequences’. And what’s going on here? These are yours.” Before Velvet could retort, something hit them on the back of their head and the world went black. 

Maroon was quiet as Marcus locked their wrists in handcuffs. He looked them up and down before sighing and taking a step back.

“How old are you, kid? 17?” Maroon didn’t say anything, causing Marcus  to narrow his eyes at them. 

“Uh, sir?” a voice asked from next to them, “What do we do about the robot?” Maroon looked towards their teammate, who was pressed against the ship’s wall. Two soldiers grabbed onto its arms, despite its attempts to slip out. Marcus looked at them before looking back at Maroon. 

“Do you know how to turn the robot off?” The young teen looked towards the ground and shook their head. Marcus sighed again. 

“Not much of a talker, are you? Fine, cuff the robot too.” Two other soldiers that had entered the ship picked up Velvet and Solana, who had been knocked unconscious just a minute earlier. 

“What are you doing to them?” Mad demanded as one of the soldiers struggled to lock the handcuffs on their arms. Marcus looked at it but ignored the question. Instead, he walked over to where Thorn was on the floor and pointed at him. 

“This one was protecting you. Are you close?” Maroon looked at him blankly. 

“Just a nod would do fine, kid,” he muttered, crossing his arms. The teen waited a few seconds before nodding. Marcus kneeled down and lifted Thorn off of the ground, putting it on his back. 

“Come on, then,” he said, walking towards the door. He stopped right before exiting the ship to mutter something to the soldier carrying Solana. After he finished, he gestured for Mad and Maroon to follow. Maroon stuck close to Mad’s side as they walked further into the field. Two guards followed behind them but kept their hands on their weapons. 

“Who are you?” Mad asked as they walked. 

“My name is Marcus Flores. I run an organisation known as ‘Ancilla’. Have you heard of the name before, A.I.?”

“Mad,” the droid corrected, “And no, I don’t think I’m familiar.” 

“Good. You see, we’re not exactly known to the public. We’re more…underground.” 

“Ah.”

“We exist to oppose various corrupt businesses, politicians, monopolies, anything of the sort. And, more recently, we exist to take down Bolton Ammunition Distribution, B.A.D. The acronym is ironic, considering.” 

“Is that why you went after Velvet?” Maroon asked. Marcus turned his head to look at them. 

“So you can speak.” Maroon didn’t respond, causing the man to sigh. 

“Yes, that is why we went after Velvet. We’ve had eyes on her for a while but…her ‘death’ complicated things.” 

“Velvet doesn’t even work for their dad anymore,” Mad interrupted, “He tried to kill her two months ago.”

“That’s what we guessed, yes,” the man replied, once again looking ahead, “But there are…other things Velvet has to answer for.” 

“Sir, I think you walked by the ship,” One of the guards chimed in. Marcus stopped. 

“Did I really?” 

“It was over here, I thought.” Mad looked around the area, but only saw the yellow grass that now went up to their knees. 

“I hate to break it to you, Marcus, but there’s nothing here,” it said. Marcus sighed and shook his head. 

“I would’ve thought a robot would’ve been smarter than that. It’s invisible, of course. Jones, turn off the cloaking.” The guard behind Maroon lowered their weapon and began rummaging around in their pockets. 

“Where are you taking us?” Maroon asked as Marcus turned around to look at his soldier. 

“To Ancilla’s main base, of course. On Earth.”

Velvet let out a loud groan as they slowly opened their eyes. They had to squint because of a bright light around them, and eventually just closed their eyes again. Her arms and head throbbed in an uncoordinated symphony of pain as she reached up to cover her eyes. They groaned loudly. 

“Oh good, you’re awake,” the teen heard Solana say, “Took you long enough.”

“Fuck…off.”

“I literally can’t. Open your eyes.” Velvet opened one of their eyes to see a set of bars in front of them. Past them was another set and Solana, who sat on the tiled floor looking at her. They closed their eye again. 

“That sucks for you.”

“Oh my gods,” the elf muttered, “We’ve been captured, Velvet! Get it together.” It took them a few seconds to process what he said, but they quickly shot up and stared at him. 

“Shit-”

“There she is. Have a nice nap, drama queen?” Velvet let out another groan as their arm shot up to grab their wound again. Her eyes widened, however, when her hand hit a brand new bandage covering their right shoulder. The teen looked down at it. It had been meticulously rebandaged as opposed to Mad’s slightly-rushed job. Her lower left arm had also been bandaged. 

“Yeah, they patched up all your wounds,” Solana clarified, pointing towards a number of bandages on her arms and face, “Mine too. What happened to your arm?” 

“Must’ve gotten scratched up when I fought that one elf,” they muttered. Solana looked away. 

“Ah.” Velvet looked at him again. Their outfit had been changed from their white dress to a pair of black leggings and a white t-shirt. Velvet’s outfit had stayed the same, much to their relief. 

“Where exactly are we?” Solana turned back to look at the teen. 

“Promise me you won’t freak out?” 

“Solana, tell me.” 

“Ancilla’s home base.”

“What?” Velvet shouted. Solana quickly shushed them. Velvet ran their fingers through their messy red hair before looking back at them. 

“So that’s why they knew about…”

“Yeah…” Solana’s voice faded out for a moment, “They probably saw both of us on the T.V. broadcast and it only went downhill from there.”

“Great,” Velvet mumbled, “How much do you remember about this place?” Solana raised an eyebrow.

“A lot, why?” Velvet slowly stood, wincing in pain from putting pressure on their right arm.

“Do you know how to get us out of here?” 

“That’ll depend on where the others are.”

“Don’t even bother,” a voice echoed down the hall, causing both of them to turn towards it, “After all, your friends are just getting comfortable here.” 

“Stay away from him!”

Thorn quickly shot up, hurriedly scanning the area around it. Maroon was standing over them, their hands handcuffed behind their back. A few mushrooms littered the floor around three soldiers, dressed in the same black uniforms as the one’s from earlier. Mad stood next to Maroon, also handcuffed. One of the soldier’s eyes widened as they looked at Thorn. 

“What’s happening?” Thorn asked, quickly standing. Mad and Maroon both turned their heads to look back at them. 

“Thorn!” Maroon exclaimed. The older teen smirked. 

“Hey, mushroom.” 

“Not the time, you two,” Mad mumbled. Maroon turned back to soldiers, who quickly tensed up. 

“Look, kid, your friend is fine-” One stuttered out, “There’s no need to-”

“Move,” they demanded. 

“I-I can’t.” Maroon raised their left hand, staring blankly at the soldier. A chill went down Thorn’s spine. 

“Wait, Maroon-” 

“Let them through.” Thorn turned around to see the man from earlier walking towards them, his red eyes glaring. He had a sword attached at his hip, but didn’t reach for it at all. Vines quickly grew up from the ground and grabbed him. He didn’t flinch as Thorn brought him closer to the group. The teen’s head pounded and the vines attempted to shrivel away, but it didn’t let them.

“It’s not like they’ll be able to get far anyways,” he muttered, looking down at them. Thorn raised an eyebrow. 

“What do you mean?” The man laughed.

“Put me down and I’ll show you.” Thorn glanced back at their friends. Mad nodded. The teen slowly put him onto the ground and the vines receded back into the ground. He cracked his neck before stepping around the group to where the soldier stood.

“Come along, then.” The soldiers stepped aside as the three of them followed behind. Marcus held the door open for them as they stepped outside. Thorn immediately closed aer eyes and held aer hand up in front of aer face. 

“Oh gods-” it mumbled, “Why is it so bright?” The man laughed.

“You get used to it after a while.” 

“It’s so…empty,” Mad mumbled, causing Thorn to attempt to open his eyes again. Once their eyes adapted to the light, they looked out over the area. Grey hills spread out from the building, not a plant left in sight. The ground was cracked and broken and the air was so hot it was nearly unbearable. Thorn looked down the horizon, but saw nothing but the building.

“What…happened?” Maroon mumbled, looking towards the man again. He chuckled and crossed his arms. 

“Think back to your history classes…Maroon, was it?” The younger teen nodded, causing the man to smile.

“Well, back when space travel was still being perfected, all humans lived on this one planet. Stories say it was extremely overpopulated and they used all of Earth’s resources and then some. The temperature slowly rose and life began to die out, leaving this wasteland behind.”

“And the humans?” Thorn asked. The man looked at it. 

“I don’t believe you were awake when I introduced myself. I’m Marcus.”

“Thorn.” 

“Thorn. The humans had perfected space travel by then, so they fled. They scattered throughout the universe and mingled with the thousands of other species littered around. The rest is history.” Marcus wiped some sweat from his forehead before turning around. 

“As I said, feel free to run off. See how long you last here. But, if you enjoy living, I’d suggest following me back inside.” 

“That explains what happened with my powers,” Thorn muttered. Maroon gave them a worried look.

“What happened with your powers?” 

“When I grew those vines, they were constantly one wrong move away from dying. It was like they were constantly fighting me on even existing.” Thorn also felt a few beads of sweat drip down his body. 

“We should get back inside,” Mad said, motioning to the door, “Marcus is right, you won’t last twenty minutes out here.” The soldiers shut the door behind them once they walked back into the compound. Marcus turned around to look at them again. 

“How about I show you all around? We may not have much, but it’s quite impressive,” he said, a small smile on his face. Thorn narrowed aer eyes at him.

“What’s up with this guy?” he whispered to Maroon, “Didn’t he kidnap us?” Marcus simply shook his head and sighed. 

“We didn’t kidnap you, no. We kidnapped Velvet and Solana. You guys are guests here.” 

“Where are Velvet and Solana?” Mad asked. 

“You don’t need to worry about that,” Marcus replied, turning around again, “Come along. We’ll start with the cafeteria first. Are any of you hungry?” Thorn’s stomach growled in response, but the teen shook his head. 

“No, we’re fine,” Thorn said, stepping forward. Maroon and Mad followed suit. The 4 of them walked through the golden-lit tiled hallways. Lights hung from the ceiling, but they weren’t turned on. A few paintings lined the walls as well, but they didn’t seem to be anything more than decorations. A few were abstract, simple swirls on white backgrounds. Some were humans doing various activities such as eating or chatting. Others consisted of landscapes, ranging from a night sky to a city skyline. Marcus glanced back to see Thorn looking at the frames and let out a small chuckle.

“These are some paintings done by ancient humans,” he said, gesturing to one on the wall of a lady, “They were famous, but they’ve become obsolete due to A.I. intervention and copying technology. We keep them here as decor, though. Some are quite pretty to look at.” 

“What is it that you want, Marcus?” Mad asked, “Clearly, it’s something big.” Marcus glanced at them and sighed. 

“Alright, we’ll cut to the business then,” he muttered, taking a sharp left. He opened a door that led to a spiral staircase leading downward. He motioned for the mafia members to follow him as he started down the stairs. When they reached the bottom, the scenery was completely different. It was industrial and almost completely metal. They entered a narrow hallway that led to a bright green door. 

“As I told you all, well except Thorn, Ancilla exists to oppose corrupt people in positions of power.”

“Wait, isn’t that Latin?” Thorn questioned. Maroon nodded. 

“It means female slave.” 

“I thought slave was servus?” Maroon chuckled. 

“This is why you never learned Latin, Thorn.”

“Anyways,” Marcus interrupted, “Maroon is correct. It’s a symbolic name, as you could’ve guessed. Ancilla has existed for centuries and it was formed far before we took to the stars. While its methods have varied with the rapid changes in technology, its motive remained the same. Take out corrupt officials by any means necessary.” 

“Any means?” Mad whispered. Marcus nodded. 

“Some may call us cruel, but we do what’s necessary. Without us, the universe would’ve fallen into chaos centuries ago.” 

“So what does this have to do with us?” Thorn stated, crossing its arms. Marcus stopped in front of the green door. 

“No one can deny you and Maroon have…interesting gifts. Gifts that could greatly change the tide in our current fight against B.A.D.. I want to enlist your help in taking down Unor Bolton.”

The voice stepped forward, revealing a tall woman, maybe about 25 or so. She had long, green hair that was in a braid reaching down to her knees. When she walked forward, she glared at Velvet. Her black combat boots hit the ground hard when she stopped in front of their cell. Velvet looked up at her as she crossed her arms across her brown and white lined sweater. 

“I should kill you for what you did, Bolton.” She spat, saying Velvet’s last name as if it was poison to even mention. 

“You’re going to have to be more specific.” Solana sighed behind the lady. The woman glared down at them, resting a hand on the knife attached to her lower leg. 

“You’re not helping your case,” she snarled, “But, I can’t be surprised. It’s hard to imagine someone like you showing remorse.” 

“Remorse? I’m not sure I’m familiar with the word.”

“Velvet, stop,” Solana hissed. Velvet rolled her eyes as the woman turned to look at Solana. 

“You always confused me, Solana. Why, in the name of the gods, would you want to deal with this brat? Especially after what they did.”

“They didn’t do it,” the elf muttered. The woman laughed. 

“I see. They’ve got you wrapped around their finger, huh?” 

“I’m wrapped around no one’s finger, Orsola. They’re telling the truth.”

“I find it hard to believe a Bolton could tell the truth.” 

“Wow, they really foster hate here, huh,” Velvet commented, “You’d think they’d have better things to do then hate on a child.” 

“You’re no child,” Orsola spat, spinning around, “You’re a murderous monster.” She seemed to be waiting for Velvet to yell at her, but the teen just shrugged. 

“I mean, I can’t deny that.” Orsola clenched one of her fists, which caused Velvet to chuckle. 

“Wow, you’re really mad about this?” Orsola charged forward and picked the teen up by the collar of their shirt. She pulled the knife out and held it to her throat. Velvet didn’t flinch, despite the screaming from her shoulder. Solana stood in their cell, staring at the woman. 

“Giving you a trial is a generosity Marcus shouldn’t be granting you,” she growled, “I should just kill you now. I’d be heralded as a fucking hero.” 

“But then you’re as bad as she is,” Solana interjected. Orsola turned back to look at him. She stared at him for a few seconds before groaning and throwing Velvet back to the ground. 

“You’ve changed, Solana.”

“And you haven’t. Still as hot-headed as ever.” Velvet groaned and slowly sat up again, biting the inside of her cheek. 

“As much as I love being thrown to the ground,” they mumbled sarcastically, “Where are our teammates?” 

“Teammates? Or the poor children you manipulated into helping you?” Velvet rolled her eyes. 

“What are you even talking about?” 

“You somehow talked two perfectly good kids into helping you with your evil schemes,” Orsola began, “Hell, you even managed to convince Solana here to join your side. It must be a natural Bolton talent, manipulation.”

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’re complimenting me.” Velvet watched as Orsola’s face started going red from anger. Solana moved their hands in a circle, motioning for Velvet to continue. He started reaching his arm out of his cell toward Orsola. The teen smirked.

“It’s almost like you admire me or something,” she began, “After all, I’ve done more in my 15 years of life than you could ever dream of here. Or maybe it’s the fact that I’m free to do what I want, and you’re not.” 

“Shut up!” Orsola took a step backward and held her knife up again. Solana yanked something off of her belt and quickly hid it behind their back. She didn’t notice, instead focusing on holding the knife right in front of Velvet’s face. 

“Looks like I hit a nerve,” they observed, “You feeling trapped here, Orsola?” 

“I’m going to slit your fucking thr-” She was cut off by Solana wrapping his arms around her neck. Orsola attempted to stab them but Velvet grabbed the knife from her hands. As soon as she lost consciousness, Solana slowly put her on the floor. The door to Solana’s cell stood wide open and the elf spun the keys on one of their fingers. They walked forward and unlocked Velvet’s cell door. 

“You know her?” the teen asked, walking over to the unconscious woman. Solana shook their head. 

“Not really, she always pissed me off.” 

“Perfect.” Velvet quickly pressed the knife into Orsola’s neck and dragged it across. Blood spilled onto the yellow tiles as Velvet stood again. 

“You’re one spiteful bitch,” Solana mumbled. The teen looked at him and smiled, sending a chill down his spine. They wiped the blood off the knife on Orsola’s sweater and ripped the knife’s sheath off of her leg. 

“This is mine now,” they said. Solana rolled their eyes.

“Of course.” 

“Where do you think they’re holding the others?” Solana looked down the hall. 

“If they’re not here, I bet Marcus is trying to recruit them. If that’s true, I know exactly where they are.” Velvet stepped over Orsola’s corpse. 

“Lead the way.” 

Maroon, Mad, and Thorn stared at Marcus as he opened the green door. Inside, there was a circular room. It stretched upwards for at least a dozen metres, the walls covered with framed portraits. There were adults, children, men, women, all sorts of people inside the frames. Marcus walked into the centre, motioning for them to follow. 

“What…is this place?” Thorn asked. Maroon stared at each of the paintings. They were lifelike, almost like modern photos Mad had shown them. But it was clear that they were paintings. There were two more doors to either side of them.

“This is the remembrance,” Marcus began, his voice slightly shaking, “It’s where we remember all the people who have been killed in service to Ancilla or family members of current members. It’s a way to remember why we’re still fighting.” He walked forward and kneeled down on the ground. He looked up at a portrait of a person with deep purple eyes and dirty blond hair. 

“This was my partner, Elliot,” Marcus divulged to the group, gesturing towards the painting, “They were killed by B.A.D. operatives while trying to stop them from taking over our home planet to use for mining.”

“I’m…so sorry,” Mad replied, looking down at the man. Maroon’s heart grew heavy as they watched Marcus stand again. 

“B.A.D. killed them and our three children. I was the only survivor of that attack. Elliot and our kids did nothing to Unor, and his people slaughtered them. It doesn’t matter who someone is, B.A.D. will kill them to get their way. We have to stop them, and you can help. Please.” Maroon looked towards Thorn again, whose face was blank. 

“Marcus,” they said quietly. The man looked up at them as they continued.

“We already are helping, Velvet-” A knife whirled by Maroon’s head and landed in Elliot’s portrait, a few inches from Marcus’s head. Marcus stared at the knife before looking back towards the door. Maroon also turned around to see Velvet and Solana walking down the hallway. 

“You missed, Bolton,” Marcus stated, drawing his sword. Velvet rolled her eyes.

“I’m getting real tired of being called that, you know.” Marcus jumped forward, attempting to stab Velvet through their stomach. She dodged to the side, landing next to Maroon and Thorn. 

“I’m gonna distract him, you guys get out and try to find some kind of transportation,” they declared, ripping the knife out of the canvas, “Me and Solana will meet you outside.” Maroon nodded and grabbed Thorn’s arm, pushing past Marcus. Solana grabbed his arms, holding the sword away from the others as they ran past. 

“I don’t want to hurt you, Solana,” he mumbled, “You were always a great agent. Let go of me and you can join the organisation again.” Solana shook their head.

“As tempting as that is,” he replied, “I’m perfectly content where I am.” Marcus swung his sword backward and it sliced through Solana’s legging and the top layer of her skin. The elf moved backwards and Marcus jumped towards Velvet, sword raised. Velvet moved to the side and blocked the blade with the knife. She then dug the blade into his left thigh. Marcus spun around and sliced through Velvet’s black hoodie. 

The teen felt a twinge of pain near her lower abdomen, but the blade didn’t cut much. They jumped back as they ripped the knife out of Marcus’s leg. He let out a groan and rolled backwards towards the left door. After standing, he opened the door and sprinted into the next room. Solana attempted to grab their arm, but Velvet followed Marcus deeper into the labyrinth of memories. 

Mad kicked open the door labelled “Loading Dock”. Maroon and Thorn stood behind it as the door fell to the ground with a loud thud. Inside the room were hundreds of bikes, motorcycles, and cars. Some were beaten down, others were barely anything but scraps. 

“What are those things?” Thorn asked, stepping inside. Mad followed them in, scanning the area. 

“These still exist? I thought the spread of ships would’ve…” Mad mumbled, walking down the roads of machines. 

“Mad, what are they?”

“They’re old human transportation,” the robot began, resting a hand on one of the motorcycles, “Well, not that old. They were commonly used when I was created.”

“Are they going to be able to get us out of here?” Maroon asked, glancing back at the door. Mad looked around the room again. 

“That one won’t, but if we’re lucky…” The automaton let out an excited beep when they noticed a truck sitting by one of the walls, “That one will!” The robot ran towards it and opened the door. The inside seemed complete, with all the parts for the controls intact. It ran out and opened the hood, finding everything inside as well. 

“Oh thank god,” the robot said, “Go get Velvet and Solana, I’ve got this covered!” 

Marcus ran through another door, causing Velvet to let out another groan. 

“Fucking hell, stop running!” she shouted, wiping a bit of blood that came out of a small cut on her cheek. Marcus didn’t turn around, instead opening the door to the left of the new room. Solana followed close behind Velvet, but the teen jumped towards Marcus again before he could say anything. Velvet sliced at his sword arm but he dodged to the left. Velvet rolled on the ground and stood again, just in time to block a swing from Marcus. The two pressed their blades together, each attempting to push the other to the ground. Velvet glared at Marcus, but the man smirked. 

“Look around, Bolton,” he said, “See anything familiar?” Velvet narrowed their eyes at him.

“What are you trying to do?” 

“Just look up.” Velvet’s eyes unconsciously found themselves looking above Marcus’s head. There sat a painting, one that sent a chill down her spine. It was a boy, maybe about 12-13 years old. He had bright blond hair that slightly covered emerald green eyes. The eyes seemed to be staring into Velvet’s soul the longer they looked. Marcus quickly shoved Velvet to the ground and pointed his sword’s point at their chest. Velvet’s stomach turned in knots as she looked back at Marcus.

“Recognize someone?” the man taunted, “Maybe…an old friend?”

“You fucking bitch-” Velvet shouted, moving to stand. Marcus kicked their right shoulder, forcing the teen back to the ground. Their arm screamed in pain as Velvet barely avoided hitting their head on the wall. 

“You have no right to be upset, Bolton. After all, you killed him.”

“No they didn’t!” Solana entered the room, panting, “They…they didn’t kill him.” Marcus rolled his eyes. 

“You can’t possibly believe that, Solana.”

“It wasn’t her, it was-.” Marcus swung his sword toward him, forcing him to back up. Velvet kicked at the man’s ankles, causing him to fall towards the ground. He rolled backwards and stood again, but Velvet was back on their feet. The teen rushed forward to attack Marcus’s stomach, but he tripped them and pushed them to the ground. Velvet slammed into the ground on their stomach, knocking the wind out of them. 

As she gasped for air, Marcus raised his sword. Solana attempted to grab the hilt, but a mushroom emerged from the floor and pushed Marcus into the wall. He hit his head on the stone bricks and crumpled to the ground. Solana grabbed Velvet’s left arm and pulled her to her feet, keeping her upright as she continued to try to breathe. Maroon appeared next to him, staring at Marcus. 

“Thank gods for your timing,” Solana mumbled. Maroon didn’t take their eyes off Marcus until Thorn appeared behind them and grabbed their hand. 

“Woah, you run fast, mushroom,” he panted, “Since when could you do that?” Velvet slowly let go of Solana’s arm as they took several deep breaths. 

“Fucking hell,” they groaned, rubbing their right shoulder. 

“You ok, Velvet?” Maroon asked, looking at her. She nodded, picking up the knife with their left hand and stepping toward Marcus. 

“Velvet, stop,” Solana commanded. The teen turned around and glared at the elf. 

“Why?”

“He hasn’t done anything, let him live.” 

“‘Hasn’t done anything’, Solana, he almost just killed me.” 

“Whether you want to acknowledge it or not,” they began, stepping forward and taking the knife from Velvet, “Ancilla helps us in more ways than I can even think of right now. Killing him will only make them want to hunt you down more, this time for something you actually did.” Velvet looked between Solana and the unconscious Marcus before letting out a sigh. 

“Fine, alright. Maroon, what’s our escape plan?” Velvet asked, turning to look at the teen. 

“Mad found some kind of…well I really don’t know what it is but they said it’ll get us out of here.” Velvet snatched the knife back from Solana and slid it into the sheath. 

“Perfect, lead the way. I’m done with today.”

[the-red-mafia]

The Haircut

Thorn's on a mission. A mission Maroon really doesn't want to happen. When Velvet and Solana get involved, things escalate to unprecedented levels. Will Mad and Maroon be able to stop them before it's too late?

Also available on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/TheRedMafia

Next Update: [Updated] Word Count: 3648

2 weeks after “The Chase”

Maroon slid down the hallway, grabbing onto the corner to propel themself around it. Footsteps echoed on the hardwood behind them as they sprinted into the living room of the mansion. Mad glanced at them from the couch.

“Maroon? What-”

“Come on, Maroon!” The teen didn’t stop, instead sprinting into the kitchen. The footsteps grew closer behind them but they didn’t dare look. Maroon ran out of the kitchen and back into the hallway. 

“What are you- Don’t run with scissors, Thorn!”

“You’re not my mom, Mad!” 

“What?-” Maroon sprinted past the archway into the living room and towards the main staircase. 

“Maroon, stop running!”

“No!” they shouted back, jumping up to the second floor. A loud groan came from behind them. 

“This doesn’t have to be like this!” Maroon continued up the stairs, taking a left once they reached the top. The footsteps followed close behind as they quickly glanced behind them. Thorn was out of breath, gripping the pair of scissors they had found in the Madbay. He had rolled up the sleeves of the purple long-sleeve shirt that sat underneath his denim overalls, but it didn’t do much to help him catch up to Maroon. 

As Maroon turned around again, they quickly slammed into something and nearly fell to the floor. Something quickly grabbed their arm and pulled them back to their feet. 

“What the fuck, Maroon?” a voice hissed. Maroon opened their eyes to see Velvet glaring at them.

“Velvet-”

“Why are you fucking sprinting around the mansion like a lunatic?” she continued, letting go of their arm. 

“Maroon, come on! We can talk about this!” The younger teen jumped behind Velvet, grabbing their shoulders.

“VelvethelpThorn’stryingtocutmyhairandIdon’twanttoand-” The assassin looked ahead at Thorn, who was slowing in front of them.

“Maroon-” ae began, catching aer breath, “It’s not that big of a deal. It has to be done, even Velvie can agree on that.” Velvet narrowed her eyes at them before glancing back at Maroon.

“When I attack, you run. Got it?” they mumbled quietly. They returned their gaze to Thorn as Maroon nodded.

“Velvet, you can’t tell me you don’t think it needs to happen.” Velvet let out a quiet chuckle.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Thorn smiled at them. 

“See, then just-”

“But you are wrong about one thing,” she interrupted, cracking her knuckles. Thorn’s smile faded.

“And that is?” Velvet laughed again.

“You’re assuming I’m going to pass up any chance to beat the shit out of you.” They quickly swung a kick at their left hand before tackling them to the ground. Maroon took off sprinting past them and back down the stairs, glancing back just in time to see Thorn deflect a punch from Velvet. They jumped down a few steps onto the second floor, turning into the West wing. 

Shouts from Thorn and Velvet’s fight echoed down from above them until they heard Thorn shout out Solana’s name. Before it could even finish its sentence, two arms wrapped around Maroon from behind. The teen attempted to thrash out of their grip to no avail. Solana sighed as he held Maroon still.

“Sorry, Maroon. This has to happen.” Maroon looked back at them, eyes wide. Solana frowned.

“Don’t make me feel bad about this. I’ve got them, Thorn! Do you need help with Velvie?” Maroon took a deep breath, followed by several mushrooms appearing in between the two humanoids. Solana was thrown back a few feet but quickly caught herself with a roll. Luckily, Maroon was already halfway down the stairs before they could even see what was going on. 

“Maroon!”

Mad exited the living room right as Maroon swung open the front door and ran out into the barren red wasteland that made up most of the planet. They peeked their head out of the door but the teen had already managed to get out of sight. Solana came up behind it, lightly shoving it out of the way. After a few seconds, she groaned. 

“Where in Gazra did they go?” the elf mumbled before turning to Mad, “Did you see anything?” Mad shook their T.V. head, which only caused them to groan again. 

“What are you even trying to do?” the droid asked, shutting the door. Solana rested his right hand on his head. 

“Have you noticed Maroon being more…clumsy recently? Like they weren’t aware of things around them?” Mad paused for a moment.

“...I suppose?”

“Yeah, it’s ‘cause they can’t see. Their bangs are in the way. We’re trying to cut them.” A wide-eyed emoji appeared on Mad’s T.V. screen. 

“That…makes a lot of sense.”

“Exactly, but Maroon’s not too keen on the idea.”

“Well-” The shouts from the third floor of the mansion grew louder, catching the duo's attention. A question mark took over the screen.

“Velvet and Thorn,” Solana clarified, “Maroon got Velvet to help them get away.” 

“Ah. I’m more surprised Velvet agreed.” 

“My guess is they were just bored. It’s been a while since the last mission.”

“Probably.”

“Ha! Take that, bitch!” Thorn shouted, “I got them!”

“I swear to fucking gods-” Solana chuckled before jumping up the stairs once more. Mad followed suit, reaching the top floor shortly after her. There, vines were strewn around the hallway, some hanging off of the lamps on the mansion’s walls. Thorn smiled at them when they approached, a few bruises already forming on his face and arms. 

Velvet was on the ground behind him, a bit of blood dripping down from their nose. A vine wrapped around them and held them to the ground. There were a few small cuts in the fabric of their purple sweater, but there were no injuries from the thorns that had caused them. Solana laughed, folding their arms.

“Well, would you look at that.”

“You’re next, Solana.”

“For what? Getting to beat you? Yes please.” 

“I’m gonna say we not do that,” Mad chimed in, stepping in front of Solana, “Are you two ok?” Velvet moved their glare to the assistance droid.

“Fuck off, Mad.”

“No need to be an asshole, drama queen,” Thorn said, raising one of his hands. Various vines around the corridor began retreating back into the plants they had sprouted from. 

“Don’t call me that.” Mad’s screen went blank as they kneeled down in front of Velvet. It lightly lifted her chin to get a good look at her nose.

“Mad, you better fucking get your hands off of me or I swear to gods I will crush every single fucking one of your circuits.” The robot sighed, removing their arm.

“I’m just making sure you’re ok.”

“I’m fine, just let me out of these fucking plants.” Thorn chuckled.

“Nope, you’re staying there until we get the answers we want.” Velvet raised an eyebrow.

“Disregarding the fact that I don’t know anything,” they began, chuckling slightly, “You think you’d be able to get any information out of me? That’s hilarious.” 

“Alright, Velvet, you had your fun. Will you help us now?” Velvet looked up at her before smirking.

“Maybe, haven't decided yet.” The elf groaned as Mad stood once more. 

“Where could they have gone?” he wondered aloud, turning to Thorn, “Is there anywhere outside of the mansion they go to?” 

“Not that I know of, no. Mad, do you have a map?” They looked between Solana and Thorn before sighing.

“Yes, I do. But I think you two need to-”

“Are you on Maroon’s side?” Solana asked, cutting the droid off.

“I’m not on anyone’s ‘side’, I just think you need to listen to what Maroon has to say about it.” Solana groaned.

“Alright, fine. Velvet, you know the la-” Solana stopped, glancing back at where the teen had been moments before, “Where’d she go?” The trio turned back around to the now-empty pile of vines gripping the wooden floor. A laugh came from behind them.

“See you later, asinī!” Velvet called out. The group spun around but she was still nowhere to be seen.

“What the fuck,” Solana breathed. Thorn kneeled down next to his plants, lifting up one of the vines.

“She fucking cut them!” it shouted, turning back to look at Mad and Solana, “She had a knife the whole fucking time and didn’t use it?” The hallway was quiet for a few moments before Solana groaned. 

“That fucking strategic genius,” he mumbled, “They knew they couldn’t win, especially once they found out it was going to be two vs one, so they didn’t reveal their weapon and used it as an escape plan.” The vines in front of Thorn withered away and retreated into the floorboards. 

“What I’m hearing is she’s a fucking coward.” 

“True. Either way, she’s probably going to find Maroon. It’s a long shot, but if we can find and follow her, she’ll lead us straight to them.” 

“I’m going to once again say that you guys probably shouldn’t-” Solana put a hand on Mad’s screen, causing the robot to jump a little. 

“Don’t worry about them, Mad. We’ll just rough Velvet up a bit until we can get to Maroon’s hair.” The elf slid their spear off of their back before jumping onto the stair’s railing. She slid down, quickly reaching the end of the stairs and jumping off. Thorn followed him, using a few vines to propel it to the bottom floor. 

“It’s not-” they paused, watching the duo run out of the front door, “God, this is going to go horribly wrong.”

Velvet smirked as Solana and Thorn stepped down into the small canyon on the planet’s surface. They didn’t notice her at first, instead scanning the area for the youngest mafia member. 

“Are you sure this is where she went?” Thorn asked. Solana nodded. Velvet raised their sword and chucked it at their two teammates. Solana rapidly raised his spear to block it, but Velvet called it back to their hand. Vines sprouted from the soil, a slight red tint visible on the edges. Velvet jumped out of the way before throwing Kil-layye Mo’ore at them. As the blade spun, she quickly detached two throwing knives from her belt and chucked them at Thorn. They embedded themselves in a newly formed plant wall. Solana jumped forward and grabbed Kil-layye Mo’ore out of the air. 

“If you wanted to spar, Velvie, you could've just said so,” Solana stated, lowering the blade, “But come on, it’s just a haircut. 

“Honestly, I couldn’t care less about the haircut part.”

“Then surrender, you’re disarmed anyway,” Thorn taunted, pulling the two knives out from the wall. Velvet quickly held their hand out, magically ripping Kil-layye Mo’ore from her. They jumped forward, clashing once again with Solana’s spear. 

“Surrender? Please, we’re just getting started.”

“Maroon! Come on, where are you?” Maroon tucked their legs close to their chest as they sat on a tree branch. Their heartbeat raced, nearly beating straight out of their chest. Mad called out their name again, stepping on a few fallen leaves on the forest floor. 

“Maroon, I’m not with Solana and Thorn. They’re fighting on the other side of the planet.” Maroon peaked their head out of the leaves of the tree, looking down at Mad’s screen. A smile appeared from the LEDs. 

“There you are.” 

“Did they follow you?” Mad shook their T.V. 

“They’re going after Velvet to try to find you. Do you mind if I come up there?” The young teen scooted towards the edge of the branch. It took Mad a few tries to pull itself up and sit next to them. 

“How are you doing?” it asked, looking over at them. Maroon looked down at their feet that now hung down from the tree. 

“Okay.” Mad sighed, looking away. The mansion stood in the distance, seemingly silent as its occupants spread out across the land. Next to them, Maroon took a deep breath. 

“How did Thorn get this idea into his head?” Mad asked. Maroon let out a quiet chuckle. 

“It’s kinda funny, actually,” they mumbled, “We were walking outside and I tripped and hurt my knee, so we went to the Madbay to grab a bandage but I couldn’t find it because I couldn’t see the labels and it spiralled from there.” Mad leaned over and pushed their bangs to the side. A smile appeared on its screen. 

“You have green eyes?” 

“Uh- yeah.”

“I didn’t know that,” it paused for a moment, “Why do you wear glasses if you can’t see through your hair?” 

“I can see occasionally,” they mumbled, brushing their hair back, “It’s just…I don’t know.” Mad’s screen went blank as they turned away. 

“Look, Maroon…I’m not sure why you’re so against getting a haircut, and you don’t have to tell me, but…don’t you think being able to see better will be, well, better?” It was Maroon’s turn to look away, staring upward at the reddish-brown leaves. 

“But…won’t I be a different person?” Mad turned back, a question mark popping up. 

“Huh?”

“If I let Thorn and Solana cut my hair, am…am I even me anymore?” Mad set a hand on their shoulder, causing the teen to jump slightly and look down at it. 

“Maroon, you’ll be you no matter what you look like. A haircut isn’t going to change who you are.”

“But how can I be me if…if I look like everyone else? I-“

“Take a deep breath,” Mad said quietly, “Take your time.” Maroon did so, the sound of the wind rustling the leaves echoing quietly. A smile was on Mad’s screen as they slowly drew their hand back. It took a few minutes, but eventually Maroon turned back towards them. 

“Better?” the assistance droid asked. Maroon nodded.

“Anyways, about what you said. Let me ask you this: Are Velvet and Thorn the same?”

“...No.”

“And what about Solana? Are they like either of them?”

“N-no.”

“So how could a haircut make you the same as any of them?” Maroon was quiet for a moment, looking away.

“You’re right, it’s just…it doesn’t feel the same. I would feel…different.”

“How about this: we’ll go find a haircut you want, and then I’ll cut it exactly how you want it. You can try it and, if it really doesn’t work for you, we can get Zaeor to change it back.” Maroon opened their mouth to say something, but they were cut off by a loud yelling echoing off the mansion’s wall. Mad and Maroon quickly turned towards the sound. Mad jumped down from the tree.

“Stay there.”

“Wait, Mad-”

“I’ll be back!”

The vine let go of Velvet’s abdomen, dropping the teen to the ground. Solana jumped forward and swung the pole of her staff at their abdomen. Velvet fell backwards, barely managing to roll when they hit the dir. Kil-layye Mo’ore was dug point-down into the ground behind Thorn. Several bruises and scrapes were visible where Velvet’s black jeans had been torn

Solana kneeled in front of her, a smirk on her face. The elf had a few shallow cuts on his legs and arms, but they had already stopped bleeding. 

“Give it up, Velvie,” he said, “You couldn’t beat one of us, let alone both.” Velvet glared at them.

“Are you sure about that?”

“Yep.” Thorn walked up next to them, growing vines to pin Velvet’s arms and legs to the ground. 

“Try getting out now, bitch.” The assassin glanced at the plants before slipping her hand out. She jumped backwards, placing her hands on the ground and rolling up to her feet. 

“My arms aren’t that big, frūx.” Before ae could retort, Kil-layye Mo’ore whirled past aer and sliced through the skin near aer elbow. Thorn let out a string of words in a language neither Solana nor Velvet could understand, gripping the open wound. Solana’s eyes widened as Velvet quickly caught the sword and swung it at their feet. They jumped back, landing in front of Thorn. 

“Don’t tell me you’re giving up, Roison,” Velvet taunted. The elf glanced back at Thorn before readying his spear. 

“Never, Bolton.” They pushed the spear forward, but Velvet quickly blocked it with her sword and used it to jump to Solana's left side. She swung the blade at their arm, cutting right below the sleeve of their purple t-shirt. Solana kicked Velvet in the stomach, pushing her to the ground as they recentered themself. Velvet rolled backwards again before throwing Kil-layye Mo’ore towards his ankles. The elf jumped over it and charged at the teen, piercing through the skin on their right arm before they rolled away. Velvet bit the inside of their cheek as they jumped back to their feet, their arm screaming. Kil-layye Mo’ore quickly flew back to her hand as Solana stood in front of Thorn again. 

“You okay?” Solana mumbled. Thorn let out a strained chuckle.

“Sure.” 

“That’s not very convincing.”

“It’s called sarca- watch out!” Pain erupted as Velvet sliced through Solana’s jeans and pierced the skin beneath. Solana slammed the pole of their spear into their back, but the teen quickly jumped out of the way. Velvet steadied themself before turning back to their teammates. Blood dripped down from her arm, darkening the red sand beneath her feet. Their teammates pressed on their wounds as Velvet smirked.

“Still doubt me?” they called out. Vines wrapped around Velvet’s wrists, knocking the sword to the ground. Their thorns pierced through her hoodie sleeves and scratched the top layer of skin. Solana stepped forward and pointed their spear at Velvet’s throat. The teen swung a kick towards them but the elf caught it, causing her to fall to the ground. She hit her head on the dirt before glaring at them. 

“Yeah, I do,” Solana replied. Thorn kicked Kil-layye Mo’ore further away while Solana chuckled. 

“Now where’s Maroon?” Velvet let out a strained laugh. 

“Did you seriously think I’m that stupid?” 

“Partially, yes.” They rested the spearhead on their shoulder, holding one hand on the pole while the other one moved back to their wound. 

“What are you guys doing?” the robotic voice of Mad shouted, causing all three mafia members to turn towards the mansion. The assistance droid was running towards them. Behind them was Maroon, who was attempting to catch up to it. Thorn’s eyes widened.

“Maroon!” Solana turned towards her approaching teammates before smirking.

“Thorn, grab them!” Velvet frowned and shrugged the spear off their shoulder. They then kicked their leg out of the restraint and straight into Solana’s stomach. The elf let out a loud groan and tumbled to the ground. She quickly summoned her sword and cut the remaining plants around them. Mad began to slow in front of the group right as they reached their feet again, chucking Kil-layye Mo’ore at Thorn. A mushroom quickly sprouted and blocked the blade, sending it tumbling to the ground. Velvet summoned it back as Solana stood up, grabbing their spear. 

“Stop-” Maroon pushed past Mad, jumping in between Velvet and Solana.

“Wait, please,” they said, looking back at Thorn, “I’ll let you guys cut my hair. Just please stop fighting.” Velvet raised an eyebrow, but Solana smiled.

“See, I knew you’d come around, Maroon!” Velvet sheathed their sword before narrowing her eyes at Maroon.

“You sure?” The younger teen looked up at them and nodded. Velvet sighed but stepped away. Thorn ran up and pulled Maroon into a hug.

“It won’t be that bad, I promise. Okay, mushroom?” 

“...okay. Just…can Mad do it instead?” Thorn looked up at them.

“If you want.”

“I do.” Solana smiled and placed a hand on their shoulder.

“Imagine how great you’ll be on missions when you can see all the time, Maroon.”

“If you all are done with this…sappiness,” Velvet called out, “I’ll be in my room.” Mad stepped forward and grabbed her arm.

“Oh no you don’t. Madbay, all of you.”

“Those two, maybe. I’m fine.” Solana laughed.

“Velvet, have you seen yourself? You look like you’re going to pass out.” The teen rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, I am. That’s why I’m going to my room. Keep up, Solana.” Mad quickly picked them up, swinging them onto their back. 

“I don’t think so.”

“Mad, put me down.”

“No.”

“I will break your TV, cōnfectus.” 

“Come on everyone, looks like it's a sleepover in the Madbay kind of day.”

“I hate everyone here,” Velvet mumbled. 

“We know,” the rest of the mafia responded in unison before bursting out into laughter. Velvet glared at them, eventually making eye contact with Maroon. There was still…something behind their eyes, but they seemed happier. Excited, even. Thorn said something and grabbed their hand. They jumped slightly but turned to smile at it. Velvet sighed as her vision slowly faded to black.

“And…done!” Maroon took a deep breath as Mad handed them a handheld mirror. Their bangs had been cut just short enough to see their glasses, some of it swept out of the way as well. The rest of it remained untouched, with the exception of cleaning up the ends. Thorn jumped off of his cot and smiled at them.

“See, you look great, mushroom!” 

“Thorn, sit back down,” Mad scolded, folding their arms, “You’re going to tear open your stitches. 

“You’re overexaggerating, Mad.”

“No, I’m not. Sit.” Thorn rested his injured arm on Maroon’s shoulder before yelping in pain. Maroon turned towards them. 

“Are you okay?” Thorn smiled at them before looking at their arm.

“Fine- oh.” Mad sighed.

“What did I tell you? Go lie back down.”

“Okay mom.” 

“I thought you said I wasn’t your mom earlier.” Solana let out a quiet chuckle from the other cot. Velvet was next to them, passed out. The teen turned their chair to look at the beds as Thorn plopped back down on their cot. 

“You look fine, Maroon,” Solana said, smirking, “Told you. Now you can actually see everyone.” Maroon smiled weakly as they looked at each of their friends. 

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

[the-red-mafia]

The Labyrinth

Wyrmis goes missing inside of the mansion, leading to the entire Red Mafia descending into the basement in search for Maroon's lost pet. Unfortunately, there is something far worse (and familiar to Maroon) underneath the wooden floorboards of the house. Also available on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/TheRedMafia Next Update: [Updated] Word Count: 3045

1 week after “The Plea”

“Wyrmis? Where are you bud?” 

That one sentence was nearly enough to scare the teen assassin as they tiredly poured milk into their cereal. Solana sat across from them at the table, their signature milk bowl in hand. 

“Who the fuck is Wyrmis?” Solana asked, grabbing the cereal box from Velvet. The teen quickly looked towards the archway to the living room, the tiredness melting away from their mind.

“The worm.”

“The worm?” 

“The worm.”

“I’m gonna need more than-” 

“Maroon!” Velvet shouted, standing up. The table shook just enough to spill a bit of Solana’s milk bowl onto the table. The elf let out a groan as Velvet ran through the living room and into the entranceway. Maroon called out Wyrmis’s name again as they anxiously pulled on the sleeves of their light purple sweater. The collar was messed up and dirt covered their front, immediately setting off red flags in the older teen’s mind. Maroon jumped slightly but quickly turned to face them.

“V-velvet-”

“You didn’t lose Wyrmis, did you?” Maroon’s eyes fell to the floor.

“...no.”

“Where is it, then?” 

“Well, I-” 

“You lost Wyrmis, didn’t you?” 

“...yeah.” Velvet let out a loud groan.

“How do you lose a giant worm, Maroon?” 

“A what now?” Solana interjected, stopping next to Velvet, “Maroon has a giant worm?” Maroon looked up at the elf, pleading eyes taking over their face.

“His name is Wyrmis and he’s a happy little boy and I don’t know where he went and I thought he was just on a little adventure but it’s been a week and-”

“It’s been missing for a week?” Velvet exclaimed. Solana ignored her and placed a hand on Maroon’s shoulder. 

“It’ll be okay, Maroon. We’ll find him.” Maroon let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank you, Solana. I just…I hope nothing bad has happened to him.” Velvet crossed her arms. 

“I knew that worm would be trouble,” she mumbled. Solana ignored them. 

“Let’s go get the others. If we are all looking for him we’ll find him faster.”

“Thorn and Mad are already looking but-”

“How long have they been looking?” Maroon glanced up at the clock hanging above the entrance to the living room.

“Two hours?”

“Two hours?” The elf exclaimed, “The mansion isn’t that big.” 

“We’ll split up,” Velvet began, walking towards the stairs, “I’ll sweep the 3rd floor, Solana get the second, and Maroon, you get this one.” Solana raised an eyebrow.

“You just got done complaining about him and now you’re leading the search. Why?”

“You’re fucking crazy if you think I’m going to let the giant worm run around unsupervised.” The elf let out a chuckle before following her. 

“Of course, of course.”

“Velvet!” The teen paused, holding the bathroom door open. The mansion was quiet for a few seconds before Thorn called out their name again.

“Fucking hell,” they mumbled, shutting the door. They only made it a few steps towards the stairs before Thorn shouted again.

“I heard a door shut, come here!”

“I’m fucking working on it, frūx! Gods, give me a second.” 

“Oh, so you can appear anywhere in the mansion at will but gods forbid you walk downstairs quicker than a snail!” 

“What are you even talking about?” Velvet called out, folding her arms as she stepped off the stairs on the second floor. Thorn sent a glare her way. 

“You can use magic to teleport around the mansion but you only ever do it when it’s convenient for you.” The assassin rolled their eyes. 

“Do you seriously think that?”

“100%.” 

“You’re an idiot,” she mumbled, stopping next to him, “What are you doing?”

“I’m not supposed to tell you.” Velvet rolled her eyes.

“If it’s about Wyrmis, I already know.” 

“Oh.”

“I can’t believe you three were gonna…” Velvet’s voice trailed off, “What were you asking?” Thorn gestured to a solid black door behind them. It was barely taller than the two teens and the door handle was extremely rusted.

“What’s with this door?” Velvet walked past it to look at the door. It wasn’t labelled and didn’t ring any bells in the teen’s head. She frowned and stepped towards it. There was no keyhole but it refused to budge when they turned the handle.

“I…don’t know. I haven’t seen this door before.” Thorn crossed their arms. 

“You’ve lived in the mansion for how long-” 

“Shut the fuck up,” they replied. She quickly kicked the door, splintering it and revealing a dark spiral stairwell. Velvet kneeled down and looked through it. There was a line of light pink slime leading downward with various scratches carved into the plain mahogany walls. A singular lightbulb hung from a string and glowed dimly above the stairs.

“What the…” she breathed. Thorn kneeled down next to them. 

“What is it?” Velvet looked at them.

“Go get the others. I think I found it.”

Maroon anxiously rubbed their hands together as the Red Mafia prepared outside the mysterious black door. Velvet had loaded up with most of her weapons; sword on her hip, staff on her back, and dagger attached to her lower left leg. Solana’s spear was strapped to his back while Mad wore a red medic bag on its back. Velvet carefully pinned their messy hair out of their face before turning back to the group. 

“Everyone ready?” they asked. Solana nodded.

“We were mainly waiting for you, Velvie.”

“What do I have to do to get you to stop calling me that?” The elf smirked at her.

“Kill me.” “Oh trust me, that can be arranged.” 

“Enough, you two. Not the time,” Mad stated, “We’re looking for Wyrmis, remember?” Maroon nodded in agreement. Velvet rolled their eyes but remained quiet. The assassin stepped forward and pushed the door open, revealing the dark stairwell downward. 

“Oh, I’ve played this horror game before,” Thorn mumbled. He smiled at Maroon, but it melted away when he saw the worried face of his friend. 

“...sorry, bad joke.” Velvet gestured in front of them.

“Lead the way, flashlight.” Mad sighed as their TV lit up. The robot started downward first, quickly followed by Velvet and Maroon. Thorn and Solana brought up the rear of the group as they slowly descended into the darkness. It was quiet for a minute or so before Solana spoke up.

“So, Velvet.” 

“What?” Maroon could barely see the older teen, but her voice came from their right. 

“What’s under the mansion?” 

“I don’t know.” 

“How?” Thorn began, but quickly stopped, “Not in a like, making fun of you way. Doesn’t Zaeor tell you everything?” 

“Apparently not. I’d call him, but he’s with the CoD today.” 

“CoD?” Solana chimed in.

“Cult of Dark. You know, the cave introverts.” 

“I thought you meant the video game for a second there,” Mad added. Thorn sighed.

“No one knows what you’re talking about, old man.” Mad turned back to look at aer, a question mark nearly blinding the group. 

“How do you know that joke?”

“I’ve been watching old meme compilations in my free time.”

“So that’s the obnoxious sound I hear coming from downstairs,” Velvet mumbled as Mad turned around again. 

“I don’t know how I feel about you watching memes from my time,” the droid mumbled. 

“Back in my day,” Velvet began, causing Thorn to laugh behind Maroon. 

“How do you know that joke? ‘Cause I know you aren’t watching meme compilations.” 

“Zaeor lived through your time and trust me, he was a self-proclaimed memelord.”

“Oh god.” Solana laughed at the droid.

“Are we almost there?” Maroon interrupted. The group was quiet for a moment. 

“I think so,” Mad started, looking down the hallway again. Maroon nodded as Thorn took their hand.

“It’ll be okay, mushroom. I promise.”

“Don’t do that,” Velvet interrupted. Thorn sent a glare their way.

“What?”

“Promise something you can’t.” Mad stopped once it got off the stairs, turning back to look at the group. Maroon covered their eyes.

“Can anyone see a light switch?” the droid asked. 

“You know, those of us who can see in the dark,” Solana replied sarcastically.

“Oh. Right.”

“Velvet can, right?” Thorn asked. Velvet turned to aer.

“What?”

“It’s part of your whole shadow…magic…thing.” The assassin let out a groan.

“You have magic?” Solana asked, “Damn, you’ve been holding out on me.” 

“I don’t,” Velvet hissed, “I don’t know where he got this idea.” The light suddenly zoomed away as Mad looked around.

“I think I see something,” it mumbled. The light grew further and further away until a bright light erupted above them. The group instinctively looked away from the flame that was now lit in a large, transparent braiser hanging above them. In front of them stretched a large dirt pathway, seemingly carved out of the red dirt. It split off into various different pathways but it grew too dark to see. Maroon ran forward and placed their hand on one of the dirt walls before turning back to the group.

“Wyrmis made these,” they began, gesturing to the paths, “This is where he must’ve been disappearing to all those times.” 

“But why didn’t he come back this time?” Thorn wondered out loud.

“And where did those stairs come from?” Velvet added quietly, “The worm definitely didn’t make those.” 

“Maybe he just got lost,” Solana said. Maroon shook their head.

“I don’t think so.”

“Well, we won’t find him just standing here,” Mad began, lowering their screen brightness. The droid joined Maroon at the maze’s entrance.

“I don’t like this,” Velvet mumbled. No one seemed to notice as the group entered the dirt hall. Maroon turned around to look at her. She met their eyes before rolling hers.

“Whatever. Let’s get this over with.”

The path splintered as they walked, several others splitting off from the main one. It seemed to stretch on forever and each direction looked the same to Thorn. The prince held on to Maroon’s right hand while Velvet stood to their left.

“You know, I’m getting flashbacks to when we found Thorn,” Velvet joked. Maroon shivered as they walked.

“There better not be someone locked in the basement or I’m gonna quit,” Solana said, crossing her arms. 

“I don’t know what’s down here. There may be some mysterious magical teen somewhere.”

“Velvet shut up.” Thorn leaned past Maroon and locked eyes with Velvet. A smirk appeared on his face, to which Velvet nodded.

“Wait, is that someone over there?” Thorn said, panic in their voice. Solana quickly raised his spear and spun around. Thorn and Velvet burst into laughter, causing the entire group to stop walking. Mad sighed and shook its T.V. at the two teens.

“You know, I thought you two getting along would be a good thing,” Solana mumbled, lowering their spear, “But this is getting ridiculous.” 

“Maybe be less gullible, Solana,” Velvet said, crossing their arms. Solana walked up behind them and lightly smacked the back of their head.

“Ow, hey!”

“Let’s keep moving, everyone.” After a few more minutes of walking, Velvet stopped again.

“Something’s wrong. We’ve been here before. It’s a circle.” “Are you seeing something I’m not seeing?” Solana asked, “‘Cause I’m just seeing dirt.” Velvet groaned.

“Apparently I am.” The teen stepped towards the wall and pointed at a spot. At first, Thorn didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

“This discolouration was near the doorway, about ten metres away.” 

“Oh dear gods,” Thorn breathed. Mad sighed.

“Velvet, I think you’re reading too much into it.”

“Why does everyone always think that?” 

“‘Cause it’s true,” Solana said. The elf locked arms with the teen and dragged them down the pathway. Thorn glanced at Maroon, who was frowning.

“Something wrong, mushroom?” it asked. Maroon was quiet for a moment before shaking their head.

“No…well. I don’t know.” Thorn chuckled a bit and took their hand again.

“Well, if you figure it out, let me know.” Maroon smiled slightly, which made Thorn’s smile grow. Mad suddenly set a hand on each of their shoulders, causing both teens to jump. The robot quickly put its hands in the air.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. It’s just Solana and Velvet are leaving us in the dirt. Pun only partially intended.” Thorn chuckled.

“Pun fully intended.” A smile appeared on Mad’s screen.

“Yeah, pun fully intended.”

To say Velvet was pissed off when the group ended up back at the entrance to the maze would be an understatement. Solana suddenly stopped in the hallway and crossed his arms.

“Wait, that is the beginning,” she breathed, turning to Velvet, “How the hell are we back at the beginning?” Velvet glared at them.

“That’s what I tried to tell you half an hour ago. It’s looping.”

“It’s not looping, there’s no way,” Mad began. It walked ahead before stopping.

“Oh.”

“Why does no one listen to me anymore,” Velvet breathed, placing her face in her hands. Thorn opened their mouth but one look from Maroon caused them to close it. 

“But how is it looping? We’ve taken different paths and tried different routes,” Solana said. 

“Magic, obviously.”

“How are Wyrmis’s tunnels magic?” Maroon asked. Velvet looked at them and shrugged.

“My guess is Zaeor did something. That or it’s had magic the whole time and never told you.”

“It’s a worm, how the hell was it gonna tell them?” Thorn joked. 

“Magic talking worm,” Solana replied. Velvet shivered.

“Nightmare fuel.” The two laughed as Velvet crossed their arms.

“Why do you hate worms so much, Velvie?” The elf asked. 

“I don’t hate them, I just don’t like them.”

“Sure, sure.” 

“So how do we find Wyrmis if the place is an endless loop?” Maroon asked. Velvet didn’t answer, instead staring down at the floor. A question mark popped up on Mad’s screen.

“Velvet?”

“Shut up, I’m thinking.”

“Oh no, we’re all doomed,” Solana muttered, getting a laugh out of Thorn. Velvet snapped before turning to look at Thorn and Maroon.

“I’ve got it. You two create a network in the soil and see if you can sense where it is. You can do that, right?” Thorn raised an eyebrow.

“I mean, I can try-” Maroon let out a deep breath as mushrooms sprouted at their feet. After a few seconds, they looked up at Velvet.

“I think I found him.” Velvet gestured to the front of the group.

“Lead the way, then.”

As Maroon led them more and more, Mad began to pick up on little sounds. They couldn’t make out what they were, and the others didn’t seem to be noticing them. Maroon seemed anxious, their eyes darting back and forth down the various pathways.

We must be getting close, the droid thought to itself, Maybe they’re trying to figure out exactly where- Their thought were cut off by a loud roar nearby. The group quickly stopped and Velvet drew Kil-layye Mo’ore. Solana’s spear fell into their hands and the elf pointed it towards the source of the noise. 

“Is that your worm?” Solana asked. Maroon shook their head.

“He…he can’t roar like that. At least I don’t think so.”

“It can’t,” Velvet stated, “Something else is down here.” Purple eyes peeked out from behind one of the walls before another roar echoed. 

A creature sprinted towards them, sharp claws swinging sporadically around it. Its blue and green scales created a spiral pattern on its back, reminiscent of a river winding down a mountain. Purple eyes blinked rapidly as it scanned the area. Velvet wasted no time charging towards the monster. They swung Kil-layye Mo’ore at the creature’s 3-metre-long tail, but it let out another roar and backed out of the way.

“Solana, other side!” The assassin shouted. Solana jumped to the right, attempting to drive his spear into the creature’s lower abdomen. It swung one of its claws at them, forcing them back. Velvet threw her sword towards the creature’s neck but it bounced off of its scales and clattered to the stone ground. The creature spun around, slicing its claws through Velvet’s mission uniform and causing the teen to go tumbling to the ground. 

“Velvet!” Solana and Mad called out, the former barely managing to dodge the backswing of the creature by rolling underneath it. Mad took off towards the assassin and nearly tripped on the pool of blood forming underneath her. Maroon quickly raised their hands and a mushroom wall burst up and stood between their friends and the creature. 

Solana slid between the creature’s legs and raised their spear in front of Mad and Velvet. The assassin was still conscious and summoned their sword once again. The creature turned away from the elf and locked eyes with Maroon. It froze for a moment before its face morphed into rage. Solana’s eyes widened.

“Maroon, watch out!” he called out, giving Thorn just enough time to push Maroon out of the way and summon a plant wall to protect himself from the strong jaw of the monster charging at him. Maroon rolled into Solana’s legs. Solana pulled the youngest teen to their feet and Thorn quickly sprinted towards the group. Maroon stared at Velvet’s bleeding wounds as Mad dropped their medic bag on the floor. Thorn grew more vines around the creature, but it quickly broke free. 

“I don’t think your powers are gonna do much,” Solana breathed, attempting to catch his breath.

“What else am I supposed to do, Solana?” Velvet gently detached their staff from their belt, extended it, and tossed it to Thorn.

“You’re a prince, surely you can wield a staff.” Thorn narrowed their eyes at them but caught the stick. Velvet groaned again and placed a hand on the wound, which Mad quickly batted away.

“You’re going to get an infection.”

“So the solution is to let me bleed out? Gee, thanks Mad.” 

“I’m working on it.” Velvet’s neck suddenly went limp, causing the robot’s screen to go blank.

“Velvet? You-”

“Yep, still here,” she mumbled weakly, “Maybe. Can you hear me?” 

“Yeah, I’ve got you.” Thorn pushed his back against Maroon’s, raising the staff. Maroon’s eyes were locked on the creature as their hands raised again. Another mushroom erupted in front of the creature but it chomped it in half. 

“Fuck, what is that thing?” Solana asked. Maroon was quiet for a moment.

“Not thing. His name is Khatar.”

[the-red-mafia]

The Escape

The mafia has been separated across the galaxy with no way to contact each other. With Solana's life on the line, will the gang be able to escape in time to save them? Also available on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/TheRedMafia

Next Update: [Updated] Word Count: 3987

An hour after “The Incident”

“How…is this possible?”

“It’s not.” 

“Well obviously it is!” 

The room went silent as Mad’s screen powered on. The three scientists took a few steps back as Mad looked around the room. 

“Umm-” the droid mumbled, turning back towards the humans, “Where am I?” One of them, a woman, stood in front of the others. She had a blank facial expression as she straightened her white lab coat. 

“GS-001,” she said in a monotone voice, causing Mad to straighten their back, “You are currently in the Association for Experimental Technology’s Robotics Engineering Laboratory. I am Dr. Hurley and these are my colleagues, Dr. Orr and Dr. Penn.” The two men behind her nodded, with the one to the right, Dr. Penn, giving Mad a slight wave. The robot’s screen went blank. 

“Hello,” it mumbled. Dr. Hurley narrowed her eyes at Mad. 

“Did you turn your screen off on command?” 

“Yes.” 

“Turn it back on.”

“No.” The doctors’ eyes widened, with Dr. Hurley taking a step back.

“...what?” 

“No.” 

“I knew it,” Dr. Orr stated, “The programming has been messed with, of course. No doubt by the outlaw that stole it.”

“Please,” Dr. Hurley scoffed, “You think a criminal elf from the Gazran military would have the capacity let alone the technology to manipulate the programming of one of Dr. Valentine’s greatest works?” 

“It could’ve been one of the teenagers,” Dr. Penn chimed in. His colleagues turned to him, Dr. Hurley montioning for him to go on. 

“I mean,” he mumbled, clearing his throat, “Am I the only one who thought that red-haired one looked a lot like Velvet Bolton? If it was then-” Dr. Hurley let out a laugh, cutting him off.

“Penn, don’t kid yourself. You’re a scientist, not a conspiracy theorist.”

“Right, sorry.” 

“He might be onto something, though,” Dr. Orr added, “One of those kids could easily be some kind of robotics genius. It would make sense why the criminal would keep a bunch of teens around them.” 

“But that doesn’t explain how they got the equipment,” Dr. Hurley shot back, crossing her arms. 

“Who’s to say they didn’t steal some? We should check the database for any recent robberies of our extended facilities.” 

“That would’ve been a huge, universe wide scandal, Orr!” 

“Um, if I may,” Dr. Penn mumbled, “It isn’t our job to figure that out. We just need to fix the robot.” Dr. Hurley looked at him and groaned. 

“You’re right, Penn. GS-001,” she said, turning towards Mad, “Power off. We’ll check the programming and try to undo the quirks from the past three hundred years.” Mad looked at the doctors and sighed. 

“I can’t do that, Doctor.” Dr Hurley raised an eyebrow.

“And why not?” “I can’t. Not for you.” Dr. Orr sighed. 

“It must have some kind of failsafe from Dr. Valentine.”

“Of course,” Hurley mumbled, “Fine, I’ll do it, then.” She took a step towards Mad, but they scooted back on the table. The two male doctors stared in shock, but Dr. Hurley just groaned. 

“GS-001, I demand you stay still.” 

“No.” She mumbled a few curses under her breath and reached onto the table to grab Mad.

“Hurley, maybe you should-”

“Shut up, Penn.” 

“Amanda-” Dr. Orr said, grabbing her wrist, “It’s a rogue robot, you shouldn’t-” Dr. Hurley broke his grip and jumped forward. Mad quickly slid off the table and backed away even more. 

“I don’t want to hurt you, Dr. Hurley,” Mad called out. She walked around the table and kept walking forward, much to the dismay of her coworkers. Before long, Mad’s back hit a wall. Dr. Hurley smirked, stepping in front of Mad and grabbing their arm. 

“Alright, let’s see-” Mad quickly pushed her forward, breaking her grip and causing her to fall to the ground. The doctor’s head collided with the concrete floor and a loud thud echoed across the lab. 

“Shit-”

“Amanda!” Dr. Orr shouted. Mad stepped around her, causing the two men to take a few steps back. They stared at Mad as they walked towards one of the doors at the back of the room. Dr. Hurley slowly sat up, rubbing her head. 

“Fuck,” she mumbled, turning towards her coworkers, “What are you doing? Grab it!” Mad opened the door and ran out, Dr. Orr and Dr. Penn hot on their heels. 

“Where the hell is my child?” A loud, female voice echoed through the police station. Maroon and Thorn turned towards the entrance to their cell, but the source of the sound was out of their view. Velvet was unconscious on the bench in the corner of the cell, seemingly unaware of the voice. It had been about an hour since Thorn’s talk with Rebecca, who kept her promise of putting the three teens together. When Maroon woke up, Thorn explained what was going on, minus the issue with Solana. That, it kept to itself. The detective seemed frantic anytime she came by, talking rapidly and giving orders to various guards in the vicinity. She had retired to the office, though, leaving three guards to watch them.

“Ma’am, please take a deep breath-” the duo heard Rebecca say.

“You said you found my child. Where is she?” 

“Right this way, miss.” They watched as Rebecca turned the corner with another woman, seemingly in her early forties. She had deep black hair that was 

tied up in a bun, although it had begun to come undone. Her eyes locked on Velvet as soon as she looked into the cell. 

“Velvet!” She shouted, running to the bars, “Why is she asleep?” Rebecca took a deep breath. 

“Well, Mrs. Bolton, we had to sedate her in order to get the DNA test. I apologise-” 

“Open this door,” the woman demanded. Rebecca blinked at her a few times. 

“What?”

“Open the door.” 

“Miss, we can’t-”

“Did I stutter?” The detective quickly shook her head. 

“No, Mrs. Bolton. Let me just grab the keys from the office-” Rebecca turned on her heel and quickly rushed back down the hallway. Mrs. Bolton looked towards Maroon and Thorn.

“You two are Velvet’s teammates, correct?” she asked in a hushed voice. The comment caught the two off guard for a few moments. 

“Um, yeah,” Thorn muttered, “I’m Thorn, and this is Maroon.” Mrs. Bolton’s face softened and the woman smiled slightly. 

“It’s lovely to meet you two. We’ll talk more in a moment but-” Before she could finish, Rebecca came around the corner once more, keys in hand. The detective frantically unlocked the cell door when she arrived and threw it open. Mrs. Bolton rushed past her and quickly knelt near where Velvet layed. She slowly brushed a few strands of hair out of the teen’s face before turning towards Rebecca once more. 

“We’ll be going now, thank you for finding her,” she said, running a hand through Velvet’s hair as she turned towards Maroon and Thorn, “Do either of you have anything you need to grab?” 

“Just our cell phones,” Thorn said, glancing at Rebecca. The woman looked as if she had seen a ghost just behind Mrs. Bolton. 

“Alright, where are their phones?” Mrs. Bolton asked, locking eyes with the detective.

“Mrs. Bolton, we still have an investigation-”

“You know, it truly would be a shame if this sector of the UPS lost valuable ammunition access,” Mrs. Bolton lowered her voice as she spoke, sending a chill down Rebecca’s spine. 

“W-What do you mean?”

“I mean Bolton Ammunition Distribution would not be afraid to sever business with the UPS if something…unsavoury were to happen. After all, Velvet here is going to run the company one day.” Mrs. Bolton stood up and stared at Rebecca. Even though the C.E.O. was an inch or two shorter than Rebecca, Mrs. Bolton seemed to tower over her. 

“O-of course, ma’am. You’re free to go,” the detective mumbled. Mrs. Bolton smiled. 

“And just so we’re clear, this does not reach the public.”

“Of course.”

“Perfect, I’m glad we agree. Now,” Mrs. Bolton knelt down and slowly grabbed Velvet, carrying her in her arms like one would with a baby, “Let’s go. The ship is outside.” She confidently strolled out of the cell, Maroon and Thorn following close behind. Rebecca stared at them as they stopped in the main reception before ordering the receptionist to hand over the small bag that held the trio’s cell phones. 

The group was silent while they walked to a ship parked right outside of the station. It was a light pink, with glowing white lights along the outside. The door opened as Mrs. Bolton approached, and the woman motioned for Thorn and Maroon to come inside as well. Inside was a cockpit similar to the Umbrella’s, with four chairs on each wall and a small bed to the right of another door. The door shut behind them and Mrs. Bolton quickly walked over to the bed, laying the still unconscious Velvet down upon it before turning back to the duo. 

“We’ll be unmonitored here, don’t worry,” she said, straightening her white blouse before holding out a hand, “My name is Nala Bolton, I’m Velvet’s mom. Although, I’m sure you could’ve guessed that already.” Maroon and Thorn took turns shaking the woman’s hand. Nala quickly walked to the control panel and hit a few buttons, opening the door near Velvet’s bed.

“Right, onto business. I’m sure you’ll want to rescue your other teammates?” The two Red Mafia members nodded. 

“Ok, I know where they took your robot friend. Ugh…what was their name…”

“Mad?” Maroon supplied. Nala smiled and nodded.

“Yes, that’s it! Sorry, I know Velvet told me but I couldn’t remember. They’ve been taken back by the AET, or the Association for Experimental Technologies. I can take you to their main headquarters and you can break in to get them.” 

“What about Solana?” Maroon asked, “Do you know where they took them?” 

“No, I’m sorry,” Nala said, closing her eyes, “I only know about Mad because …well. You don’t need to know that.”

“I know where Solana is,” Thorn mumbled, “But you’re not going to like it.”

“Mona Roisin, now isn’t this a surprise?” An elven guard, dressed in a suit of armour and armed with a multitude of weapons, pushed Solana onto a chair. There was a table in front of them, with another elf seated at the other end. She had bright pink hair that went down to her shoulders, nearly covering her pointed ears. Solana scoffed. 

“Now that’s a face I never expected to see again,” she joked, “It’s been a while, huh?”

“Six years in fact,” the other elf responded, waving her hand at the guard, “You can leave us, I can handle myself.” The guard exited the room, leaving the other two elves alone. The elf across the table sighed before looking at Solana once again. 

“You’re in a lot of fucking trouble, you know that, right?” 

“Kinda guessed, yeah.”

“You shouldn’t have come back.” Solana rolled his eyes and held up his hands, chained together with a thick metal chain. 

“I didn’t exactly have a choice, Kandace.” 

“They want to kill you as soon as possible,” Kandace mumbled, taking off their glasses and rubbing their temples. Solana narrowed their eyes at the other elf. 

“How soon is ‘as soon as possible’?”

“By my estimations? This evening, at the earliest.” Solana rested his head on the wooden table. 

“Fuck.”

“Mhm.”

“No trial then?” Kandace chuckled at them.

“Are you crazy? You killed the King.”

“I know. Where’s Nolan? I would’ve thought he would have been a part of my welcome committee.” Kandace shook their head and sighed again. 

“Out on a diplomatic trip with his wife. Rumour has it she’s pregnant, you know.” Solana laughed. 

“Please, that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard all day.” Kandace stared at her. 

“I…I told you you were going to be executed-” Solana shrugged.

“That’s not really ridiculous. In fact, I expected it.” 

“Of course you did,” the other elf mumbled, “Listen, Mona. What you did is…unforgivable. Ronald was…an amazing king-”

“No he wasn’t?” Solana said, raising an eyebrow, “Kandace, did you forget what he did to your sister?” 

“Luna got what she deserved!” Kandace shouted. Solana stared at her before laughing, shaking their head. 

“I should’ve known,” they mumbled, “Without me here, who was supposed to keep you from going fucking crazy?” Kandace straightened out her brown blazer and walked around the desk. 

“Luna was a traitor,” the pink-haired elf began, “And she got the punishment that went with her crime. It doesn’t matter if she was my sister or not.” Solana’s expression went blank as Kandance looked him up and down. 

“You betrayed everyone. Then you left. You left me, Nolan, your team, everyone. All because you didn’t want to face the consequences of your actions. You ran. Like a fucking coward,” Kandace slammed one of her hands onto her desk, “You ran.” “So you would rather have had me stay and get killed?”

“Yes!” Kandace exclaimed, “Because then I would’ve gotten some fucking closure instead of you evaporating into thin air for 6 years.” 

“Some friend you are, Kandace,” Solana muttered, standing up out of the chair, “I would’ve thought you would be happy to see your fri-” Kandace cut them off with a slap across the face. Solana recoiled slightly before turning back to stare at her. Her face was slightly red from anger and her other hand was bunched into a fist. 

“We are not friends, Mona Roison,” she spat, “Not anymore. You are a traitor to Gazra and I happily await the moment your head is sliced from your neck.”

Waking up Velvet was harder than they would’ve thought. 

After filling Maroon and Nala in about Solana’s wearabouts, the group realised they would have to split up to save their teammates. For that, they needed Velvet awake. After numerous attempts of Nala’s to wake up her child, it was Thorn’s idea that finally worked.

“Fucking hell-” Velvet shouted, jumping up. Thorn broke out into loud laughter as Velvet quickly looked around before glaring at them. Water dripped from the teen’s hair and they attempted to shake it out. Thorn dropped a water cup and hung onto Maroon’s shoulder for support as they gasped for air through laughter. 

“You’re fucking dead-” Velvet growled, jumping towards their teammember. They were quickly caught by Nala, who pulled them back into a hug. Velvet initially attempted to break out of Nala’s grip until she looked up to see her mother smiling back at her. 

“...Mom?”

“Hi, sweetheart.” Velvet quickly turned around and returned the hug. 

“Awww,” Thorn teased, “Velvet has a soft spot for their mom, that’s adorable.”

“You’re still dead, frūx.”

“Please, you won’t kill me in front of your mom.”

“Don’t fucking test me,” Velvet said, letting go of Nala and turning to glare at Thorn once again. 

“Language, Velvet,” Nala muttered, causing Thorn to break out into laughter once again.

“Shut up, Thorn,” Velvet groaned, turning to Maroon, “What happened?” Maroon began explaining the situation, the rest of the group chiming in when necessary. When they finished, Velvet put her face in her hands and let out a loud groan. 

“Of course it’s regicide,” the teen mumbled, looking up again. Thorn narrowed its eyes at Velvet. 

“You knew already?”

“I knew the basics, yeah.”

“And you didn’t think, oh, I don’t know, this would be important information to share with the group?”

“Whatever, now’s not the time. Mater, can you take us to AET headquarters?” The woman smiled and nodded, before turning around and approaching the control panel. Velvet leaned in closer to Maroon and Thorn, their voice lowering to a whisper. 

“Ok, here’s the plan. You two will break into AET and get Mad back. I can’t imagine they’ll be hidden much, considering it’s only been a few hours. After you grab them, get somewhere safe and message me. By then, I should have gotten Solana and hijacked a ship. We’ll come grab you guys and go back to the mansion. Clear?” 

“There’s so many places this could go wrong,” Thorn mumbled. Velvet rolled her eyes. 

“Do you have a better plan? If so, please share with the class.” Thorn was silent for a few moments. Velvet looked at him with a smug look on their face before walking over to Nala. 

“To think this all started with groceries,” Thorn joked. Maroon stayed quiet, staring at the pure white floor of Nala’s spaceship. Thorn’s face dropped and ae grabbed one of Maroon’s hands. 

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Maroon looked up at them and let out a sigh.

“Nothing, it’s stupid.” 

“If it’s bothering you it’s not. What’s wrong?” Maroon let out a strained chuckle and looked back towards the ground.

“It’s just…what if Velvet isn’t able to get Solana on their own? What if…” Their voice trailed off. Thorn gave Maroon’s hand a light, reassuring squeeze. 

“It’ll be ok. Velvet will be able to get them. They’re the best at what they do, right?” 

“I know. I just…can’t shake the feeling, I guess.” 

“Oh no, your anxiety. It’s back.” Maroon laughed. 

“It never left, Thorn.”

“I’m aware.”

“Ew, affection,” Velvet called out, catching the duo’s attention. Maroon went bright red and backed away from Thorn. Thorn rolled his eyes at Velvet. 

“Oh don’t be such a downer, filīa. After all, you and Car-” “Nope,” Velvet interrupted, cutting off Nala, “Don’t you even dare.”

“Ooo~ Velvet, don’t tell me you have a crush!” Thorn teased, “Who’s this mysterious ‘Car-something’?” 

“Nobody,” Velvet growled, clenching her fist, “And I’ll thank you to never bring it up again.” Nala sighed and shook her head. 

“Velvet-”

“Don’t!” the teen snapped, before their eyes widened, “I- sorry mater. Can you take off, please?” 

“Wow, miss Nala. You must be a truly…remarkable woman to be able to get Velvet to behave,” Thorn said, smiling. Velvet turned around and gave aer a death glare. 

“Say that again, stultus, I dare you.” Nala laughed. 

“You flatter me, Thorn.”

“Of course, miss Nala,” he replied with a wink. Velvet went to grab their sword, but looked down and groaned. 

“Fuck, Kil-layye Mo’ore is still on the Umbrella.” Thorn laughed, causing Velvet to flare at him again.

“This isn’t funny Thorn,” they mumbled, turning to their mother, “Mom, do you have any extras?” Nala paused for a moment. 

“I think I might have a few spare handguns in the back.” The teen groaned. 

“Fine, that’ll have to do.” 

“And generous too!” Thorn said, smirking. Nala laughed quietly as she walked to the door at the back of the ship. Maroon looked towards the ground and grabbed Thorn’s hand. Thorn looked at its friend and let out a chuckle. 

“It’s a joke, mushroom. I’m just messing with Velvet,” he said quietly. Maroon looked at them. 

“Really?”

“Mhm.” 

“Here’s an idea: stop,”  Velvet shouted, plopping onto the captain's chair. Thorn turned to them and smirked. 

“No way in hell, Velvet.” Maroon looked between the two of their friends.

“Wait, can’t you summon Kil-layye Mo’ore?” they asked. Velvet blinked a few times.

“I can do that, huh?” Thorn let out a laugh.

“How did you forget that?” 

“I never use it out of combat, so I don’t really think about it.” She held out her right hand. A minute or so passed but nothing happened.

“...what’s going on?” Maroon asked. Velvet frowned.

“Not sure. Even if it's coming from a few miles away it should be here by now.” Velvet peeked out of the window.

“Where the fuck…”

“Maybe it can only be summoned when it’s unsheathed?” Maroon mumbled, joining the assassin at the window. 

“What can be summoned?” Nala called out, once again walking into the cockpit. The teens turned to her.

“Nothing mom, nothing.”

Thorn jumped out of Nala’s ship before turning around to help Maroon down to the ground. 

“I’ll be right back, mom,” Velvet said, following them outside. They now had a small handgun in a holster attached to their belt. They pulled their phone out of their back pocket and typed something on the screen. Suddenly, two loud beeps echoed from Thorn’s and Maroon’s pockets. Velvet looked up and glared at them. 

“Firstly, silence your fucking phones. You’re going on a stealth mission, oh my gods.” Maroon laughed nervously and pulled out theirs, covered in a lime green case. 

“W-what’s that?” The other teens stared at them for a few seconds. Maroon looked between them before smiling awkwardly. 

“Listen-” Velvet sighed, interrupting them. She tilted her phone to show the side. 

“You see this bar? Pull it down.” Maroon mimicked their actions, but ended up staring at the side of the phone for several seconds. Thorn laughed and stepped towards them, taking it from them.

“This bar,” it said, pointing towards it. Maroon’s eyes widened. 

“That’s a bar?” 

“Oh my gods-” Velvet mumbled, unlocking her phone again. They hit a few buttons and turned it towards the others. 

“I sent this to both of you, it’s a map of the facility,” they began, pointing to a door near the back, “You should probably enter here, it’ll take you into the break room. From there, you can follow the hallways and search the rooms. Considering the time frame we’re working with, they’re probably running experiments. Try searching the labs first, but stay out of sight.” 

“And how are we supposed to do that?” Thorn asked, grabbing its phone from its pocket as well. Velvet shrugged. 

“Not sure, I don’t know much about the A.E.T., Unor hated them. Maybe disguise yourselves? Best bet is to just hide in vents, closets, etc.”

“I think we would break the vent.” Velvet rolled her eyes.

“I really don’t care. Just, figure it out.” 

“You’re really helpful, Velvet.”

“Thank you for the sarcasm, Thorn. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go break into a public execution,” Velvet turned around, waving slightly to their teammates. Before they could get very far, however, Thorn’s phone buzzed again. Velvet stopped in her tracks and turned back around. 

“What did I just fucking say?” she hissed, glaring at aer. Thorn groaned. 

“Calm down, I just haven’t silenced it yet. Give me a second.” Velvet crossed their arms and stared at them. 

“...Are you really gonna stand there and watch me do it?”

“Yes.” Thorn sighed and pulled down the bar. 

“Wait, can one of you read that notification?” Maroon asked, looking down at their own phone, “I think it’s from Mad.” Velvet quickly opened their phone, eyes wide. 

“Well would you look at that,” she mumbled, “It managed to get away from the scientists. They’re hiding out in a storage closet.” Thorn smiled as Velvet began typing a response. 

“This should be easy, then. You think they’ll be able to get out here on their own?” 

“I just told them to text you their relative location. You should still try to meet them inside. It’s not exactly equipped to deal with a physical confrontation.” Velvet locked her phone before sliding it into their back pocket once again. 

“Alrighty then!” Thorn said cheerfully, “Let’s go then, mushroom.” 

“Wait,” Maroon interrupted, catching their companions' attention, “Velvet, what if you helped us get Mad, and then we can all go save Solana.” Velvet narrowed their eyes at the younger teen. 

“We don’t have time. When I pulled up Gazran news, they were already preparing to put him on the stage. Which,” Velvet started walking backwards towards Nala’s ship, “means I’m pushing time right now. Don’t fuck up and do something stupid.” Before Thorn could respond with a witty retort, she jumped onto the ship once again. The duo watched the spacecraft take off and fly out of the atmosphere, leaving them alone on the ground. Maroon sighed and Thorn looked towards them. 

“You ready, Maroon?” They turned towards aer, a nervous smile on their face.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

[the-red-mafia]

The Plea

After L'arj Mahnnnh landed on the Red Mafia's planet, the group is forced to make a choice: risk their lives to help him or let hundreds of people perish because of it. What will happen? Also available on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/TheRedMafia Next Update: [Updated] Word Count: 3947

L’arj Mahnnnh sat on a couch in the living room, slowly sipping a cup of tea, courtesy of Mad. He set his black cowboy hat next to him before continuing to drink. Velvet stood in front of the archway that led to the rest of the mansion while holding Kil-layye Mo’ore in her right hand. Solana also blocked the way to the kitchen with her spear. The rest of the mafia sat on the other couch, eyes locked on the man in front of them. L’arj Mahnnnh let out a sigh and set the cup on the side table. 

“Now, onto business,” he said, placing his hat back on, “I should catch you up on what I’ve been doing since our last meeting.”

“Or your whole life, considering the only thing we know about you is that you’ve tried to kill us on multiple occasions,” Velvet mumbled. 

“If you insist, Velvet Bolton, daughter of Unor Bolton.”

“Oh dear gods.” L’arj Mahnnnh cleared his throat.

“It all started when I was born…”

“I wasn’t always the pride of my family. I had seven siblings, so I had to make a name for myself quickly. By the time I was 10 years of age, I had already begun climbing the ranks of my clan, the Mahnnnh Klahnnnh.”

“What a name.”

“Wait for it. L’arj Mahnnnh, how do you spell Man Klan?”

“M-A-H-N-N-N-H K-L-A-H-N-N-N-H.”

“Of course.”

“Guys, let the man tell his story.”

“Don’t you mean the-”

“Thorn.”

“I soon made it up the ranks until I reached Ti-Tahnnick Mahnnnh, our previous patriarch. It was a gruesome battle that lasted for days on end. After all, I am very strong. As predicted, I came out on top and was soon named the patriarch of my clan. I was ceremoniously granted Kil-layye Mo’ore, the ancestral sword that has been passed down through the patriarchs for generations.”

“...why is everyone looking at me? It was Maroon who stole the sword.”

“We all know they did that to get on your good side.” “That is not- Maroon, that’s not what happened.”

“Uh- right. Yeah.”

“See, told you.”

“You are literally holding a weapon, of course they’re going to agree with you.”

“L’arj Mahnnnh, please just continue.”

“Of course, robot. I soon became a successful bounty hunter, bringing fame and fortune to my family. After I married my wife, we had fourteen children. I was known and feared by those involved in illegal schemes. I even did a few jobs for your father, Velvet Bolton-”

“Don’t even start.”

“That’s what I was doing when I first met Margaret Pembrooke, daughter of Maximillian Buysee. A buyer was offering a large amount of money for the Custodio power gem. Little did I know that the mission would be my last. After being defeated by Margaret Pembrooke, daughter of Maximillian Buysee, I returned to my home in shame and defeat. After being saved by modern medicine and my faith, my wife divorced me. I was shunned from my clan. I was forced to beg for food and shelter every night and eventually turned to crime to make money. After weeks of living on the streets, I swore vengeance on the child who ruined my career.”

“L’arj Mahnnnh, I’m really sorry that happened-”

“Hush, Margaret Pembrooke, daughter of Maximillian Buysee. I don’t need your pity. I have been shamed enough.”

“I wasn’t-”

“I soon encountered you again, on my home planet, Pu Llannette, no less. I thought that I finally had the upper hand on you, but your robot assisted you in defeating me. Then you stole my family’s sacred sword, the last remnant I had of them. As you flew away, I awoke and swore that you would be my nemesis until the day I bested you.”

“Oh, I remember that mission.”

“Do you, Solana? I’d fucking hope so, considering you were the reason we were being attacked in the first place.” 

“You were also being paranoid.”

“I’m not paranoid, I’m insightful.”

“Exactly what a paranoid person would say.”

“I was soon banished from Pu Llannette and forced to wander the universe. Eventually, I found a small start-up town on a newly discovered planet rich in natural mining resources. When I arrived, they were under attack from a horde of wild beasts. I slayed them all and was soon welcomed into the town. They made me their sheriff, and here I stand before you today.”

“So that’s why you’re wearing the cowboy hat.”

“Thorn, quiet.”

“Last week, the mining company of Veris arrived on our planet and has been tearing it open for its resources. We’ve lost twenty-seven people to accidents they’ve caused. Our mayor has tried to diplomatically solve the issue, but asked me to handle it from now on. I refuse to lose another home, so I ask you to assist me in expelling the Veris pests from my soil.” 

The Mahogany Mansion’s living room was quiet as L’arj Mahnnnh took another sip of his tea. Both Maroon and Mad glanced towards Velvet, Mad’s screen blank. The teen narrowed her eyes at them. 

“You two want to help him.” Maroon nodded.

“People are dying, Velvet,” Mad began, standing up, “We can’t just sit here and do nothing.”

“I mean, we can,” Solana chimed in, “But I agree, there’s really no risk for us. It’s not like the Veris Mining Company has great security.”

“And I can call…you know. I’m sure he’d love to help us mess with Veris,” Mad added. Velvet rolled their eyes. 

“Don’t do that. L’arj Mahnnnh, where’s this planet?” 

“Not too far, Velvet Bolton, daughter of-” 

“You know, I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t say that every time you refer to me.” 

“It’s respectful.”

“It’s annoying.” 

“Mad, are you not concerned about Maroon going after…all of that?” Thorn asked. The droid turned to it.

“I am, partially. I want to do a full medical exam before we leave, but whatever magic L’arj Mahnnnh used seems to be working well.” 

“Well, you must get started. We must leave as soon as possible,” L’arj Mahnnnh said, standing, “I will take my cup and wash it while you do so.”

“Oh, I can get it-”

“Nonsense, robot. Go do your medical check on Margaret Pembrooke, daughter of Maximillian Buysee.” L’arj Mahnnnh quickly disappeared into the kitchen, leaving the Red Mafia alone in the living room. Velvet looked at each of their teammates before sighing.

“You all really want to do this?” Maroon stood, but looked towards the floor.

“I have to make it up to him, Velvet,” they began quietly, “I’ve ruined his whole life. This is the least I can do.” The assassin narrowed their eyes at them.

“...okay, fine.”

Maroon stared at L’arj Mahnnnh’s ship as it landed next to the Umbrella. White rocks flew in various directions when the landing gear slammed into the ground. Once his door was lowering, Mad began opening theirs. Velvet attached Kil-layye Mo’ore to their mission belt on their uniform before leading the way out of the ship. A town sat in the distance, its brown walls surrounded by mining equipment. The humming from the machines echoed faintly in the youngest mafia member’s ears. 

“There it is,” L’arj Mahnnnh stated, stopping next to Maroon, “My town, Vil-Idgh.” Velvet groaned.

“I swear to gods.” 

“So what’s the plan, L’arj Mahnnnh?” Mad asked. He started forward, motioning for the Red Mafia to follow him. 

“Margaret Pembrooke, daughter of Maximillian Buysee, you follow me. We will sabotage the mining equipment. The rest of you, split up and evacuate the citizens to the outskirts of the city. No more casualties.” 

“Do you have a map?” Velvet asked. L’arj Mahnnnh nodded before reaching into a bag attached to his hip. He pulled out a small, rolled-up scroll and handed it to the teen. She quickly unrolled it and began scanning the page.

“Wow,” they mumbled, “This place is small.” 

“We are a new city.”

“City is a generous descriptor.”

“Velvet, chill,” Solana mumbled. The assassin rolled her eyes but remained quiet. 

“I’m going with L’arj Mahnnnh and Maroon,” Thorn stated. L’arj Mahnnnh looked down at him.

“No, Thorn Alviar, child of Eilon Hollis. This is a mission for the two of us alone.” Velvet looked up from the map and narrowed their eyes at him. Maroon looked towards Thorn, a look of confusion on their face. 

“I thought your dad-” Thorn looked away, cutting them off. Solana rested an arm on the prince’s shoulder.

“It’s all good, Thorn. The two of us can go destroy some shit too.” The teen looked up at her and smirked.

“Hell yeah.”

“I guess that leaves me and Velvet as the other duo,” Mad said, glancing at the young assassin. Velvet nodded slightly, once again returning her eyes to the map. 

“Alright, we’ll evacuate the citizens here,” they began, gesturing to a point on the map, “There’s no equipment over there. We’ll have to wait until they start destroying things to justify the evacuation-” They stepped onto the stone pathway of the city, where L’arj Mahnnnh immediately took a left.

“I will give you all deputy badges so they will trust you.” 

“I can’t believe we’re becoming law enforcement. We were arrested less than 6 months ago,” Thorn joked, “Solana and Velvet are literally wanted criminals.”

“Shut the fuck up, Thorn,” Velvet said coldly. Solana, however, let out a chuckle.

“Yeah, it is pretty ironic.” L’arj Mahnnnh stopped suddenly, opening a door in front of him. 

“Wait here.” The Red Mafia watched him enter the building before Velvet quickly turned to Maroon.

“Maroon, listen to me,” she started, “If L’arj Mahnnnh tries anything, let us know on your comms. I don’t trust him right now.”

“When do you ever trust people?” Solana muttered.

“Shut it. Do you understand, Maroon?” The teen nodded.

“I don’t think he’s going to, Velvet.”

“I have returned!” The door swung open again, nearly hitting Velvet in the face. The assassin jumped back, glaring at L’arj Mahnnnh. He gently handed a badge to each of the mafia members before turning to Maroon again. 

“Are you ready, Margaret Pembrooke, daughter of Maximillian Buysee?” Maroon looked up at him. He had a smile on his face and a determined look in his eyes as he rested a hand on his gun. 

“Yes.”

The machine exploded in front of them as a mushroom split it in half. L’arj Mahnnnh let out a laugh as various people ran out of the fire. 

“There were people in there?” Maroon breathed. L’arj Mahnnnh shook his head.

“They are just robots, Margaret Pembrooke, daughter of Maximillian Buysee. Do not worry.” Maroon looked away from him and crossed their arms.

“...L’arj Mahnnnh, you know…that’s…not my name.” The man turned to look down at them.

“Sure it is. That is what your soul says.” 

“What?” 

“That is how I know your name. I read your soul.” 

“But it’s not my name.” L’arj Mahnnnh frowned.

“I do not understand.” Maroon sighed and turned back to him.

“Margaret was the name I was given when I was born, but it’s not the one I use now. My name is Maroon.” The sheriff stared down at them for several seconds.

“I see. Alright, Maroon Pembrooke, daughter of Maximillian Buysee.” Maroon smiled up at him.

“Yeah, that works.” 

“Put your hands up!” A voice shouted behind them. Maroon quickly turned around to see about a dozen or so Veris guards pointing their rifles straight at them.

“I should’ve known you’d cause trouble, L’arj Mahnnnh!” one of them shouted. L’arj Mahnnnh pulled out his gun.

“I refuse to stand by while you hurt the people of Vil-Idgh!” 

“So you dragged a child into helping you?” Another guard shouted. Maroon raised their hands, causing L’arj Mahnnnh to let out another laugh.

“I suggest you back off, Veris!” 

“We’re not scared of a teenager, L’arj-” Mushrooms quickly surrounded them, locking the guards in a cage. A large smile was plastered across L’arj Mahnnnh’s face as he turned towards Maroon. The guards shouted from the cage but L’arj Mahnnnh set a hand on Maroon’s shoulder.

“It won’t be long now, Maroon Pembrooke, daughter of Maximillian Buysee. Soon we will have them exactly where we want them.” A chill went down their spine as they looked up at him, but they remained quiet.

Rhyme plopped down on her sofa, a bowl of oranges in her arms. He picked up the remote and navigated through various channels before a bright red “Breaking News” alert popped up in the upper left corner. The thief raised an eyebrow and clicked on it. 

“We’ve recently received word of an attack on mining equipment belonging to the Veris Mining Company around a small town called Vil-Idgh…am I reading that right?” A spokesperson began before glancing away from the camera. Rhyme began peeling the top orange in her bowl.

“Yeah, you’ve got it, Jude.”

“There’s no way that’s the name. That’s not a town name.”

“You’re being politically incorrect, Jude.”

“I- moving on,” Rhyme let out a chuckle before popping the first slice in her mouth, “It appears the sheriff of Vil-Idgh, a man named…fucking hell…L’arj Mahnnnh, is leading the assault, with his deputies evacuating the citizens. We go to live drone footage now.”

“You’re gonna get fired, Jude.” 

“Shut up, Derek.” The screen cut away to an explosion on the outskirts of a city, debris flying off into the distance. It then cut to the road, where dozens of people were screaming and running. Someone stood in the middle of the road directing them…Mad?

“Oh you’ve got to be joking,” Rhyme breathed, quickly pulling out his phone. The phone rang a few times before the droid picked up.

“Hey Rhyme, this…isn’t a good time right now-” Mad’s robotic voice began, but the thief cut them off.

“‘Cause you’re fucking messing with Veris without me!” Mad was quiet for a moment.

“In my defence, I wanted to get you to come help. Velvet just-”

“Mad, what the actual fuck are you doing?” The voice of Velvet caused the teen to jump slightly but he quickly sighed.

“Rhyme called and-”

“Oh my gods, really? Give me the phone.” There was some movement on the other side of the line and it was quiet for a second.

“Rhyme, fuck off. We’re busy.” The thief’s eyes widened before she frowned.

“How does she know my name?” Mad sighed.

“Turns out they followed us to the roller rink.”

“Bolton, you fucking dick.”

“Are you that surprised?” 

“Nah, but I kinda hoped you were better than that.”

“Sure Reuter, sure.” Rhyme frowned again.

“Don’t call me that.”

“Don’t call me Bolton.”

“No.”

“Then deal with it.”

“If you guys are done,” Mad interrupted, “Velvet’s right, we are kinda busy-”

“Destroying shit without me,” Rhyme countered, “Should’ve just invited me.” Velvet groaned. An explosion went off in the distance, causing the Red Mafia members to go silent.

“Why are you blowing shit up anyway?” the thief questioned, setting the phone down on her couch’s armrest. 

“Helping out a…friend.”

“Friend is generous. We’re helping out someone who said Maroon was their fucking nemesis,” Velvet added. Rhyme suppressed a laugh.

“Now how did that happen?”

“Mad cares too much.” Rhyme raised an eyebrow.

“Do I want to know what that means?”

“We’re helping out a town who’s under the control of Veris,” Mad began, “Which Velvet thinks is ‘caring too much’.”

“No, it is.” Rhyme paused for a moment before smirking.

“Eh, I think Mad caring about people is kinda cute, actually.” It was quiet on the other end for a few seconds.

“Uh, you guys still there?”

“Yeah,” Mad stated. Velvet groaned. 

“I’m on my way, Maroon. Tell L’arj Mahnnnh I said not to do anything stupid until I get there,” she muttered. 

“What’s she talking about?” Rhyme questioned. 

“Maroon just radioed saying they needed Velvet for their friend’s plan. She’s gone now, so.” Rhyme chuckled.

“Peace and quiet.” Mad also let out a robotic laugh.

“Yeah, I guess,” Mad paused, “So, what was that about me being cute?” Rhyme’s face went a light pink.

“Uh- just something I said to piss off Velvet. Yeah, annoying Velvet. Definitely.” Rhyme turned back to the TV. It was back to where the machinery was on fire, with Maroon and another man off to the side. A spaceship entered the planet’s atmosphere, catching their attention. Rhyme’s eyes widened.

“Shit.”

“What’s wrong?” 

“Eliza’s there.”

“What? Where?”

“Looks like she’s landing by Maroon.” 

“So that’s why he needs Velvet…” Mad’s voice trailed off, “I’ve gotta go help Velvet. If something else happens on the news, let me know?” 

“I gotcha. Tell Velvet to not kill Eliza.” Mad was quiet for a moment.

“Yeah, I’ll do that. Bye, Rhyme.” The call ended and Rhyme looked up at the TV. Eliza Gracy stepped out of her ship, a face of annoyance on display.

That’s my job.

The ship’s door slowly lowered and slammed into the grey dirt. A woman stepped out, dressed in a tight light blue dress decorated with clouds. Velvet gripped her sword tightly behind a group of bushes, Mad behind her. A tall man helped Eliza off her ship as she glared daggers at L’arj Mahnnnh and Maroon. 

“Don’t kill her,” Mad mumbled. Velvet rolled their eyes.

“Whatever.”

“Now what is going on here?” Eliza’s high-pitch voice echoed against the fallen machinery. L’arj Mahnnnh cleared his throat and stepped forward.

“Eliza Gracy, daughter of Adnan Gracy and CEO of the Veris Mining Company, I order you to dismiss your troops from my land and never return!” Eliza blinked a few times before laughing. Velvet groaned.

“Gods, her fucking laugh,” the teen hissed. Mad nodded their TV.

“Wait, how come her guards have guns? I thought it was illegal for civilians to-” “Aw, Mad thinks the law applies to rich people.” 

“Listen very closely to me,” Eliza began, cracking her knuckles, “This land is uninhabited, therefore it-”

“Clearly it’s not,” Maroon interrupted. 

“Fuck, shut up,” Velvet breathed, their hand shooting up to their comms, “Stop talking, Maroon.” Eliza stared at them.

“Now…where have I seen you before?” She wondered aloud, drawing a pistol from inside a silver handbag hanging on her shoulder. Velvet took a deep breath as Maroon froze. 

“Mad, get ready.”

“For what?” The assassin didn’t answer.

“Oh well,” Eliza muttered, raising the weapon. Velvet jumped out of the bushes and threw Kil-layye Mo’ore towards her. The blade knocked the firearm to the ground before zooming back to the teen’s hand. Mad hastily followed, nearly tripping over a branch but joining L’arj Mahnnnh and Maroon. Eliza looked down at her fallen gun before locking eyes with the robot. 

“That’s where I recognise you from,” she called out, “Mad, was it?” Mad’s screen went blank as Maroon looked up at it.

“Mad, you know her?”

“Know is a. Strong word.” 

“Fuck off, Eliza!” Velvet shouted, raising her sword, “This land is taken.” The woman frowned, finally looking at the teen a metre or two in front of her. 

“Velvet, Velvet, Velvet. You are so much better than this. What did you do to your poor hair? It was so-” She was cut off by Kil-layye Mo’ore slicing the side of her own hair. Eliza let out a shriek. 

“There, now we match,” Velvet growled. L’arj Mahnnnh let out a loud laugh.

“You are no match, Veris! Surrender and leave now!” Eliza glared at him.

“Do you think two teenagers and a robot scare us? We have nearly half a thousand personnel arriving here shortly. I’ll offer you the same deal: surrender and leave now or face the authorities. And I’m not sure little miss Velvet here would survive that…interaction.”

“You won’t fucking-” Velvet threw the sword again, but Eliza bent over and picked up the gun. She fired a shot at the assassin that grazed their left arm. A mushroom quickly shot up in between them as Velvet stumbled back a metre or so. 

“Velvet!” They shouted. Velvet bit the inside of her cheek as the pain throbbed.

“Fine!” the older teen summoned their sword back, “Take care of the soldiers!” Kil-layye Mo’ore flew towards the woman again as a bullet barely missed Velvet’s head. Mushrooms sprouted up around the whole field as Mad’s voice came through comms, asking for Solana and Thorn to join them. Velvet paused for a moment until pain erupted from her lower left leg. She quickly fell to the ground before bringing their sword up to block two more bullets. 

“Velvet!” Mad called out. Maroon turned to her and their eyes widened. Another mushroom erupted as the two mafia members ran to their side, L’arj Mahnnnh not too far behind. 

“I’m fine, it’s not too deep-” Velvet breathed, inhaling sharply as the pain spiked. Maroon looked them up and down before locking eyes with her. Their eyes seemed to glow a dark red, sending a chill down her spine. The younger teen turned away and raised a hand. Mushrooms sprouted on Eliza’s left leg, causing the woman to shriek and fall to the ground. The other soldiers laid on the ground useless as Maroon stepped forward.

“Maroon, wait!” Mad grabbed onto their right arm, stopping them in their tracks. 

“Mad, careful, something’s wrong,” Velvet said, shooting up. L’arj Mahnnnh offered them a hand, which they took. 

“Maroon, look at me.” Maroon shook their head, but Mad just repeated itself. 

“Finish her, Maroon Pembrooke, daughter of Maximillian Buysee!” L’arj Mahnnnh called out. The mushrooms on Eliza’s leg slowly crept up, reaching her upper body. She continued to scream out for help, but none of her personnel could do anything but watch. 

“Maroon, listen to me. Don’t kill her.”

“And why not, droid?” L’arj Mahnnnh shouted, “Let her pay for my twenty-seven fallen citizens.”

“Murder is not the answer!” Mad countered.

“It will avenge them!”

“But it won’t bring them back, L’arj Mahnnnh.” The mushroom growth slowed slightly, causing a small smile to appear on Mad’s screen. 

“Maroon, everyone is okay. Just turn around and look at me.” Maroon shivered before slowly turning to look at their friend. Their eyes glowed a dark red as they shook. Mad quickly pulled them into a hug.

“What’s happening?” Solana’s voice shouted from behind. Velvet turned to see Thorn and her sprinting at them. Velvet stepped away from L’arj Mahnnnh and used Kil-layye Mo’ore to steady herself.

“There’s still time, Velvet Bolton, daughter of Unor Bolton. Throw Kil-layye Mo’ore and finish her off.” 

“Velvet…” Mad began. Velvet sighed, turning to Mad.

“Nah, I’m good.” Maroon’s eyes were shut tight as they gripped the droid. Thorn ran straight past Velvet and L’arj Mahnnnh and grabbed Maroon from Mad. Solana stopped by Velvet and quickly steadied the teenager. 

“Literally, I’m going to start making you wear body armour,” the elf muttered. Mad turned to them.

“You don’t already wear body armour?” it demanded. Velvet shrugged.

“Don’t gotta wear armour if you don’t plan on getting hit.” Solana stared at them for several seconds.

“We are just... not even going to start unpacking that right now.” Velvet shrugged before jumping onto Solana’s back.

“Come on, we’re leaving.”

“Wait-” Velvet sent a glare towards L’arj Mahnnnh.

“Most of Veris’s troops are incapacitated right now. Feel free to do what you want with them, but we’re done here.” 

“Maroon passed out,” Thorn breathed, turning to Mad. The droid carefully picked them up before turning to Velvet.

“What…happened there?” The teen took a deep breath and sheathed her sword.

“I don’t know. Let’s focus on getting the metal, you know, out of my fucking leg. Then we’ll worry about whatever the fuck happened with Maroon. Deal?” Mad sighed.

“Right, yeah. Let’s go.” 

[the-red-mafia]

The Bakery

The Red Mafia teens are forced to hang out in a small city to attempt to get Thorn and Velvet to get along (Spoiler Alert: It's not working). When Maroon goes missing, however, the two are forced work together to save their teammate before it's too late. Also available on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/TheRedMafia Next Update: [Updated] Word Count: 4958

4 ½ weeks after “The Illusions”

Maroon took Thorn’s hand and stepped out of the Umbrella. Velvet hung on the door frame and looked out at the parking lot. 

“What are you even doing?” she asked. Solana came up behind them.

“We’re going to the different shops,” Thorn stated, looking at Maroon. The younger teen looked up at Velvet. 

“Boring. Let’s g-” They were cut off by Solana, who kicked them out of the ship. Velvet rolled when they hit the ground, standing and glaring at them. 

“What the hell?” she hissed. Solana shrugged.

“Sorry Velvie, you need to socialise.”

“I am not-”

“Don’t get mad at Solana,” Maroon chimed in, “I asked her to.” 

“Wait what?” Thorn asked, his eyes wide. Maroon lightly squeezed his hand. 

“I have a plan, don’t worry.” Velvet looked at Maroon before returning to glare at Solana. 

“That’s not going to work, I have the stuff.”

“Do you?” Solana reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a green key. Velvet’s eyes widened and they quickly put their hands in the pockets of the red zip-up they were wearing. 

“You bitch.” Solana laughed and hit the button to close the door. 

“Have fun you three,” they said, waving, “Don’t get into trouble!”

“We’ll try not to,” Maroon replied, waving back. 

“Solana, don’t you fucking dare,” Velvet shouted, but the door slammed shut. The Umbrella quickly took off into the sky and flew out of view.

“Oh you’ve got to be fucking joking,” Velvet breathed. After a few seconds, she spun around and glared at Maroon. A chill went down their spine but they took a deep breath.

“Listen, Velvet-”

“What the fucking hell are you trying to do?” they hissed. 

“Yeah, what’s going on?” Thorn added, “I thought we were hanging out today.” 

“Well u-uh,” Maroon took another deep breath, “I was talking to Solana and Mad a-and we agreed that your fighting is a big i-issue and-”

“Hold on a second,” Velvet interrupted, “You three went behind my back to talk about what the team needs?”

“That’s not surprising. You are fucking stubborn and can’t take critism,” Thorn said. Velvet turned her attention to it.

“I’d suggest you fucking-”

“See!” Maroon called out, silencing their friends. Velvet and Thorn looked at them. 

“You guys act like you’re mortal enemies and you couldn’t ever get along, but I know that’s not true. So, I got Solana to drop us off so that the three of us can spend time together to help you guys get along.” Velvet blinked a few times before laughing.

“W-what’s so funny?”

“That…is not going to happen,” she turned around and began walking towards a parking garage in the distance, “Tell Solana to call me when he comes to pick you up. I’m ignoring anything from you two.”

“Velvet, wait-” A mushroom popped up in front of them, forcing them to stop in their tracks and turn back around. 

“Really?” she demanded, crossing her arms. Maroon took a step forward, letting go of Thorn’s hand. 

“Velvet, please. Just an hour? At least give it a shot.” Velvet stared at them, occasionally glancing at Thorn. Maroon smiled at them. 

“Fucking hell, fine,” they stated, walking back to the duo, “Just an hour.” Maroon took Thorn’s hand again. Ae looked up at them, a slight annoyance behind aer eyes. 

“Just an hour, Thorn,” they mumbled, “Please.” Velvet walked past them and began detaching Kil-layye Mo’ore from her belt. Thorn sighed, resting his head against Maroon’s arm. 

“Alright, just an hour.” 

The door chimed when Velvet opened it. Immediately, the trio were overwhelmed with the smells of warm, freshly-baked bread. Sweet smells of sugar and frosting seemed to come at them in waves. There were cabinets lining the wall to the right of the door. Across from them was a large display case, filled to the brim with various types of bread and desserts. Behind the case was a kitchen, but most of it was blocked by a wall. A few display tables were scattered around the room and a door labelled ‘cafe’ stood on the right.

“This place fucking makes me nauseous,” Velvet muttered. 

“I think it smells good,” Maroon said, looking around the shop, “Everything is so pretty.”

“I guess,” Velvet replied. Thorn sent a glare towards her, but she just rolled her eyes. Maroon took a step toward the nearest display table, but a man rushed in front of them. They almost fell to the ground but Thorn caught them. 

“What the hell is your problem?” Velvet demanded. The man turned around and blinked a few times, albeit horizontally. Maroon stared at them while Velvet crossed their arms. 

“S-sorry, I’m just-” they took a deep breath, their hands shaking slightly, “I’m in a hurry, I didn’t mean to knock them down.” 

“It’s ok,” Maroon chimed in, smiling, “Go ahead.” The man smiled back before rushing out of the bakery door. Velvet narrowed her eyes at the fleeing man but didn’t say anything. 

“Was…did their eyes-”

“Yeah, it’s pretty normal,” Velvet interrupted Thorn, picking up a small book off of the table. 

“Of course it is.”

“What’s that?” Maroon asked, gesturing to the book. Velvet held it out so they could see it. 

“Cake book.” 

“...cake book?” 

“It shows the types of cakes the bakery can make.”

“Oh. Do you think we can get one?” Velvet let out a strained laugh. 

“Today? No. These cost as much as a small fucking spaceship.”

“Wait, really?” Thorn interrupted. Velvet nodded, closing the book.

“They are pretty, though,” Maroon added.

“Yeah, they’re like mini edible sculptures. Each of those probably takes dozens of hours to make.”

“Jeez, that seems excessive,” Thorn mumbled.

“Eh, to each their own.”

“Can I see it?” 

“Sure, go for it.” Maroon smiled as Velvet handed the book to Thorn. Ae opened it before turning to ask Velvet to translate. They reached into their pocket, but it was empty. 

“Uh-” they mumbled, “Have you guys seen my phone?” The two older teens turned towards them. 

“Did you leave it on the Umbrella?” Thorn asked.

“I don’t think so, I thought I used it when Velvet was hiding Kil-layye Mo’ore.” 

“Oh yeah, you did. Did you drop it?”

“Maybe? I think I would’ve noticed it.”

“Where else could it be?” 

“That dude!” Velvet blurted out, causing the other two to jump.

“W-what dude?” Maroon asked.

“That dude who bumped into you. They must’ve snatched it when we were distracted.” Thorn shook his head.

“Come on, that’s ridiculous. Why would they do that? Maroon hasn’t done anything to them.” 

“You think that matters? That’s hilarious.”

“I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding,” Maroon mumbled, “I’ll go try to talk to them.”

“Alright, lead the way.” Maroon looked at Thorn.

“Actually…I think it’d be best if it’s just me.” Thorn frowned. 

“What? Why?” 

“I don’t want them to feel cornered by us. I just want to get it back without violence.”

“And what if they attack you?” Velvet chimed in, “What’ll you do then?”

“Then I’ll deal with it, I can handle myself. I’ll be right back!” The younger teen walked towards the bakery door, where someone else exiting held it open for them. Velvet and Thorn watched as they walked out and down the sidewalk. They sat in silence for several moments before Thorn laughed. Velvet glanced at it.

“What’s so funny?”

“This is probably part of their plan to get us to be friends,” he said, placing the cake book back on the display table. Velvet groaned. 

“Fuck, you’re right.” A few more seconds of silence passed. The sounds of various patrons chatting and the cash register dinging echoed around the room. Eventually, Thorn sighed.

“Velvet, listen.” She raised an eyebrow.

“What?” 

“This whole thing Maroon is doing,” he began, crossing his arms, “I get why they’re doing it. Trust me, I don’t like you. You’re a murderous stuck-up asshole who doesn’t care who you hurt as long as you get your way.”

“True. Your point?” 

“Fighting with you constantly is only hurting everyone else. And while you might not care, I do. So, for the sake of the others, I’m willing to be civil with you.” Velvet stared at them for a few seconds before laughing. 

“You’re ‘willing to be civil’? Gods, it’s clear you’re fucking royalty.” Thorn narrowed aer eyes at them.

“Even if you’re willing,” she continued, “Who’s saying I am? You just said I don’t care.” She locked eyes with him, almost taunting him. Thorn glared at her.

“You’re the leader, aren’t you? Leaders are supposed to make their team better, not tear them down. Are you saying you’re a bad leader?” Velvet returned Thorn’s glare. After a few seconds, though, they sighed.

“Fine, alright. I’ll try to be ‘civil’, but it’ll be hard considering how fucking annoying you are.” 

“Right back at you,” it replied, “Oh, and one more thing.” Thorn stood right in front of her and its glare returned. 

“Maroon told me about the…incident after they first met Zaeor. If you ever do something like that again, or hurt Maroon in any way, I’ll tear you apart limb by fucking limb. We clear?” Velvet raised an eyebrow before smirking.

“Maybe you do have a backbone after all.”

Maroon walked down the sidewalk, scanning the crowds. The man had disappeared from their sight. Again. They let out a quiet groan before stopping in front of a small bookstore. People streamed past them, chatting as they walked. 

“Hello again.” Maroon turned towards the voice, eyes wide. There stood the man they had been following for the past twenty minutes, smiling at them. They jumped slightly. 

“Oh, hello.” 

“Do you need something? You’ve been following me for a while.” It was slightly difficult to hear the man over the noise of the crowds.

“W-well, you see-”

“Wait a sec, let’s go somewhere quieter.” Maroon looked at him with a confused look as he waved for Maroon to follow along. The two of them walked down the sidewalk before dipping into an alleyway.

“S-so, I think you have-” The man let out a small laugh, cutting them off. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out the lime-coloured cell phone. 

“This?” Maroon’s eyes widened.

“Uh, yeah. Why-”

“Listen, Maroon.”

“...how do you know my name?” The man slid the phone back in his pocket before turning around and smirking. He reached a hand up and pressed a finger against a small device in his left ear. A chill went down Maroon’s spine. 

“They’re right where you want them, sir.” Maroon took a few steps back but their back hit something. A small laugh echoed down the alleyway. Maroon quickly turned around, eyes wide.

“Hello, Maroon. Long time no see.”

“Oh! It’s an honour to serve you, sir.” Velvet raised an eyebrow. The two teens had moved through the archway and sat at one of the cafe tables. Velvet ordered three cupcakes, one for each of them. The duo had also got coffee, but Thorn had already finished his. 

“It smells glorious in here, shopkeeper.” Velvet immediately tensed up, setting their cup down on the table. 

“Are you fucking kidding me?” she mumbled. Thorn looked at them. 

“Is…that who I think it is?” Velvet quickly threw their hood over their head and moved their chair to block any view of Thorn.  

“Keep your head down.” Thorn obliged. 

“Why thank you, Mr. Bolton. What can I get for you?” 

“Hm, let’s see.” The entire shop seemed to grow silent as he hummed a happy tune under his breath.

“How about this small cake? Although, can you replace this white frosting with another colour?” 

“Of course, sir. What do you want instead?” 

“Hmm…how about a nice…maroon.” A chill went down Velvet’s spine. 

“Shit,” she breathed. 

“What?” 

“He knows we’re here. He’s got Maroon.” Thorn’s eyes widened. 

“How?”

“That man must’ve been one of his agents,” they whispered, also lowering their head, “No doubt he’s been looking for Maroon since they escaped. He must’ve recognized Maroon and notified Unor.” 

“Ah, maroon! Such a lovely colour. I’ll get that started for you. Feel free to relax in our cafe area until it’s ready.” 

“Thank you. I’ll be sure to leave a lovely review.” Footsteps approached them from behind. Velvet quickly stood up and began walking toward the exit. Thorn followed suit, grabbing the box of cupcakes from the table. It kept its head down but managed to accidentally brush shoulders with the middle-aged man. Unor let out a quiet chuckle as Thorn quickly moved out of the way and hurried out of the shop. Velvet was waiting for him just out of view of the window.

“So what’s the plan?” ae asked, shifting the box to aer left hand.

“I’ve got to grab Kil-layye Mo’ore,” the assassin began, stepping towards the parking lot they had come from, “Then we can save Maroon.” Thorn jogged to catch up to them.

“But where’s Maroon?” 

“They were only gone for, what, half an hour? They couldn’t have gotten far.” 

“We don’t know how long Unor’s had them for, though.”

“True,” Velvet mumbled, taking a left, “We’ll have to search the entire area.” They pulled their phone out of their hoodie pocket and quickly unlocked it.

“What are you doing?” Thorn asked. Velvet rolled her eyes.

“I’m calling Solana, duh.”

“She’s not gonna answer you.”

“And why not?” Thorn let out a sigh.

“Maroon probably told them to ignore calls from us.”

“Please, they wouldn’t dare.” Velvet held the device to their ear. As predicted, the elf sent them to voicemail. 

“That little-” she took a deep breath, “Fine then, I’ll call Mad.” It took two rings before the droid answered. By that time, the duo had reached the dumpster Velvet had hidden Kil-layye Mo’ore behind. 

“What’s going on, Velvet?” Mad asked. The teen put the phone on speaker and handed it to Thorn.

“We have a situation. I need you to call Solana and tell him to come pick us up.” Mad let out a sigh.

“Look, I know you’re probably angry at Maroon, but it’s important for you and Thorn-” 

“Unor has Maroon.” The phone speaker was quiet as Velvet attached her sword to her belt.

“...Where’s Thorn?” 

“Right here,” he said, handing the cupcakes to Velvet, “Do you want to hide these here?” 

“Thorn, I really don’t give a fuck about the cupcakes right now.” 

“Don’t you think Maroon will want something sweet after having to face Unor again?” 

“Ugh, fine.” They kneeled down and pushed the box behind the dumpster. 

“Do you know where Unor has Maroon?” Mad asked. 

“Not exactly,” Velvet began, standing, “They’re still in our general area as far as we know. Can you track their phone?”

“Yeah, give me a second.” After a minute or so of awkward silence, Velvet’s phone buzzed. They took it from Thorn. 

“Alright, that’s the info I can grab from Maroon’s phone. It’s still on, as far as I can tell.”

“Gods, Unor’s an idiot,” Thorn mumbled. 

“No he’s not,” Velvet stated coldly, “Unor is a lot of things, but an idiot is not one of them. He’s setting a trap to get all of us, not just Maroon.”

“Well, I’ll go call Solana.” 

“Tell her to come straight here. You’re at the mansion, right?”

“Mhm.”

“Good, stay on standby and open up comm channels. We don’t have ours but Solana will probably grab them from the Umbrella.”

“I can tell them to grab them.” 

“Yeah, do that. And watch Maroon’s phone location. If anything changes, message me.”

“Got it. Good luck.”

“It’s not about luck,” the teen mumbled, hitting the red button. 

“So where’s Maroon?” Thorn asked. Velvet opened the photo Mad had sent her. 

“Nearby,” they replied, holding the phone out to it, “That’s us, and they’re just a few blocks down.” 

“So what, we’re just gonna burst in there and hope for the best?” Velvet laughed sarcastically.

“No. He’s expecting that. He’s probably thought of plans for all of our expected entrances.”

“Then what are we going to do?” The assassin smiled and pointed upwards.

“The unexpected.”

With four guards and Unor surrounding them, Maroon was starting to lose hope. Unor stood right above them, mumbling various phrases in a language Maroon couldn’t understand. The man and three other agents formed a box around them, guns in hand. As Unor droned on, the teen grew dizzy. The world began to spin and their stomach twisted into knots. Unor looked down at them and smiled.

“Perfect,” he mumbled before looking at his agents, “Any sign of the others?”

“No sir.”

“Wow, I’m shocked. I don’t think they’re coming to save you.” Maroon attempted to look at Unor but their eyes refused to focus. The teen’s struggle only caused Unor to laugh more. 

“Not that they’ll be much of ‘you’ to save.” Maroon closed their eyes and leaned their head back. Their head pounded as they tried to open their eyes again. The world seemed to shrink away from them. They could hear Unor speaking, but his voice sounded as if he was metres below the ocean. They were so zoned out that they barely noticed a new rope-like item wrapped around their abdomen. Unor’s voice got very loud, but then grew quieter again. 

Maroon’s headache persisted, but the world slowly crept closer. A warm object surrounded them and allowed them to force open one of their eyes. There stood Thorn, who held them close in its arms. His mouth moved, but Maroon couldn’t make out what he was saying. His face morphed into concern and he turned his face away and spoke again. 

Velvet popped into view. Maroon’s vision blurred again, forcing their eyes to close again. Their head pounded rhythmically as they slowly faded out of consciousness.

Thorn watched as Velvet placed a hand on Maroon’s forehead before quickly pulling it back.

“Holy shit,” they said, staring down at the younger teen, “They’re burning up.”

“They’re what?” 

“They have a really high fever,” she clarified, “We need to get them back to the mansion as soon as possible.” Thorn nodded and slowly shifted their unconscious friend to their back. Velvet quickly pulled off their hoodie, revealing a navy long-sleeved shirt underneath. They tied the hoodie around Maroon and Thorn. 

“I don’t know how much that’ll help, but it’s worth a shot,” she mumbled, “Let’s go, they’ll almost be at the top by now.”

“Alrighty, hang on Maroon.”

“...Thorn, they’re unconscious.”

“I know.” Ae walked to the edge of the roof and held out one of aer hands. A large yellow flower sprouted from the ground and scaled the three-story building. Thorn stepped onto the centre before motioning for Velvet to follow. The flower lowered them to the ground and the teens took off sprinting towards the parking lot. Velvet glanced behind them but saw no one.

“What the hell is he doing?” they whispered, “He should be catching up to us by now.”

“Maybe he gave up? “Unor? Give up? Never.” 

“Correct, Velvie!” The two teens watched Unor jump in front of them, rifle in hand. Velvet stopped in her tracks and Thorn soon followed. Unor had a wicked grin on his face as he looked between Thorn and Velvet.

“Ironic we ended up here again, huh?” he said. Velvet simply glared at him while Thorn didn’t say anything.

“You know, Velvie, I’m proud of you.” 

“Oh, really? I’m honoured,” she replied sarcastically, raising her sword. 

“You should be. I didn’t think it would take so long to track down your little group.”

“Good.” Unor looked at them before laughing. 

“Not that it matters much anymore.” Thorn let out a strained laugh, causing the man to turn towards it. He looked at him at first before his eyes locked on Maroon. 

“How about we make a deal, Velvie?”

“No.” Unor raised an eyebrow.

“No?” 

“No. You’re not taking Maroon again.” Unor blinked a few times before sighing.

“You were always so difficult,” he raised his rifle, aiming the barrel at Thorn, “I’ll be taking them now.” Velvet threw Kil-layye Mo’ore at his arm but he quickly stepped to the side. He fired a shot at Thorn, who grew a wall of vines around them. Velvet jumped behind the wall and summoned their sword back to them. Unor laughed before firing at the plant wall.

“Hide and seek is no fun,” Unor called out, “Why don’t you come out and fight me properly?” 

“Do you think you could restrain him?” Velvet whispered as bullets pelted the wall. Thorn kept regrowing the plants Unor’s bullets destroyed as he turned to Velvet.

“Maybe. Take Maroon.” Velvet sheathed her sword and untied the hoodie, pulling the younger teen off of aer. They held them upward, using their body to keep them from falling to the ground. Thorn tried to peek around the wall but Velvet pulled him back. A bullet flew past the edge of the wall while Unor laughed maniacally. 

“Holy shit,” it breathed. 

“Don’t do that, he’ll take any chance to get you.” Thorn grew more plants to extend the wall further.

“I need to see where he is.” Velvet groaned. 

“How fast can you grow the plants?” Thorn was quiet for a moment.

“Pretty fast, I think.

“Alright, make a small hole in the wall, look quickly, then grab him. But wait for my signal.” Thorn nodded. A bullet burst through the plants and shot past them. Thorn, seeing the opportunity, risked a quick glance through it.

“Thorn-” Ae raised aer hands. After a second, the gunshots stopped. 

“I got him!” Velvet’s eyes widened and they leaned forward to peek through the hole. 

“Holy shit, you did.” She unsheathed her sword before stepping out from the wall. There was Unor, suspended in the air with his arms pinned to his side. Velvet stifled a laugh.

“Oh gods, you look so stupid.”

“Tu dēvotiō-” One of the vines grew to cover his mouth. Thorn stepped out from the wall, once again holding Maroon in its arms. Unor attempted to struggle out of the spiky plants to no avail. Velvet took a step towards him, raising their sword. 

“Velvet, Thorn!” Velvet stopped in their tracks and turned around rapidly towards the parking lot. Thorn turned as well to see Solana sprinting towards them, spear in hand. Velvet smirked. 

“You’re a bit late, Solana!” The elf flipped her off as he slowed in front of Thorn. They looked down at Maroon, who shifted slightly in Thorn’s arms. 

“Is Maroon ok? What happened to them?” Thorn looked down at their friend. 

“We aren’t sure. They were just…like this.” 

“They’ve got a really high fever,” Velvet added, “And they seem to be in and out of consciousness.” 

“When you say ‘really high fever’-” 

“Touch their forehead.” Solana did so before recoiling in surprise.

“Oh my Gazra.”

“Yep.”

“Thorn, hand them to me,” Solana began, holding her arms out, “I’ll get them back to the Umbrella and try to get the fever down.” Thorn gently set Maroon in his arms and grabbed his spear. It looked towards Velvet, who was still looking at the duo. Behind her, Unor was still struggling against his restraints. He managed to free his right arm from the vines just enough to raise his rifle towards Velvet’s back.

“Velvet, behind you!” A gunshot rang out, echoing against the backs of the building. Thorn pulled Velvet to the left and the bullet flew right past aer face. A vine wrapped itself around Unor’s neck. Velvet, after she regained her balance, jumped forward and pushed Kil-layye Mo’ore through his chest. Unor attempted to laugh but it came out as more of a gargle. 

The trio stood in silence as blood dripped down from his shirt. Velvet pulled their sword out and wiped the blood off on their sleeve, sheathing it. The rifle fell out of his hand and tumbled to the ground. Once Unor’s body went limp, Velvet turned to Thorn.

“...Thanks.”

“No problem,” he replied, “I feel like Maroon would’ve been upset if I had let you get shot.” The assassin chuckled. 

“Yeah, you’re right.” Solana glanced at each of them before looking at the teen in their arms. 

“I didn’t think your plan would work, Maroon, but here we are.”

“What is with everyone talking to unconscious people today?” Velvet mumbled, rolling her eyes, “Whatever. Speaking of Maroon, we need to go.”

“What about him?” Thorn asked, pointing a thumb at Unor’s corpse.

“Yeah, the media will get suspicious with a dead and alive Unor,” Solana added. Velvet rolled their eyes.

“Not our problem,” Velvet stepped behind the plant wall again and emerged with her red hoodie, which was now covered in dirt, “Just get rid of the plants, Thorn. Let Unor deal with the press.” Maroon let out a small groan, catching all of their attention. They were still unconscious, but Solana placed a finger on their forehead. 

“...I think their fever’s rising.” Velvet let out a quiet string of Latin curses before pulling out her phone.

“I’ll call Mad, let’s move.”

Mad met them outside the mansion when they landed, wheeling out a white gurney. Maroon’s fever had gone down slightly due to medication Solana and Velvet had found in the Umbrella. Solana had just barely managed to set the youngest teen on the bed before a loud, whirring noise overcame the area. The Red Mafia turned their heads upwards, where a new ship was entering the planet's atmosphere.

“What- I thought no one else could land here?” Mad asked, staring at the machine. Velvet drew Kil-layye Mo’ore once again. Blood that the teen hadn’t managed to wipe off had dried, leaving blotches of dark red around the tip of the blade.

“That’s how it’s supposed to be,” she said through gritted teeth. Solana pulled her spear off her back.

“Could Unor’s soldiers have followed us?”

“No, there are magic barriers around the planet to keep people out.”

“Well clearly they didn’t work,” Thorn mumbled, raising its hands. The ship landed a few metres in front of them. It was unfamiliar, tan in colour with strange black symbols lining the sides. The mafia tensed as the door slowly opened. Mad wheeled Maroon behind the other three before positioning itself in front of them. At first, the doorway was empty. After a few seconds passed, a large shadow loomed on the door.

“Oh you’ve got to be kidding,” Velvet breathed. Thorn glanced at her. 

“Do you know who that is?” Mad let out a groan.

“Not him again.” The figure took a few steps and stopped at the edge of the door.

“Would one of you like to catch the rest of us up?” Solana hissed, but Velvet ignored them.

“What are you doing here, L’arj Mahnnnh?” they shouted. He laughed, taking another step towards the group. As L’arj Mahnnnh’s colossal frame stepped into the light the group could see exactly the extent his previous encounters had wounded him. His entire lower body had been evidently destroyed. Now two gun-metal grey robotic legs replaced them. The skin on his torso was gaunt and clung tightly to his ribs. His hands had been replaced with armoured gauntlets which had a bright orange tube pulsing on them. He wore only a dark leather trench coat with chartreuse highlights, with a matching cowboy hat and bandana. At his side, they could see two energy blasters magnetised to his robotic hip. 

“Hello again Velvet Bolton, daughter of-”

“Don’t go through it all again. Answer my question.”

“L’arj Mahnnnh…where have I heard that name before?” Thorn mumbled. 

“Very well, Velvet Bolton, daughter of Unor Bolton. I am here to ask for the aide of Margaret Pembrooke, child of Maximillian Buysse.” 

“I’m sorry, who-” Solana started, but Velvet elbowed him. 

“You’ll have to come back later, L’arj Mahnnnh,” Mad stated, “Maroon’s unconscious.” L’arj Mahnnh stopped in front of Velvet, who raised their sword. He frowned before slightly bowing his head, causing the assassin to raise an eyebrow.

“I see Margaret Pembrooke, child of Maximillian Buysee, has bequeathed you Kil-layye Mo’ore. Unwise.”

“Hey!” He pushed her to the side. Due to his strength, his ‘light’ push nearly sent Velvet tumbling to the ground. Solana quickly grabbed the teen and hoisted them back to their feet. L’arj Mahnnnh stopped in front of Maroon, towering over them. He looked them up and down before reaching a hand out and holding it just above Maroon’s face. After a few seconds, he lowered his hand and flicked Maroon’s forehead. Nothing happened for several seconds, causing Thorn to attempt to shove him away.

“What did you do to them?” Thorn demanded. L’arj Mahnnnh turned towards him.

“Be patient, Thorn Alviar, child of Eilon Hollis, heir to the throne of Aevum.” Thorn’s eyes widened.

“How did you-” They were cut off by Maroon, who quickly shot up and gasped for air. Thorn rushed to their side while L’arj Mahnnnh had a toothy grin on his face. 

“How did you do that?” Mad asked, pulling the gurney back slightly. 

“It is an ancient technique. Now-” He attempted to take a step forward, but Solana blocked his way with her spear. Maroon’s breathing slowed and the teen looked around. 

“What’s…” their eyes locked on L’arj Mahnnnh, “What are you doing here?” Mad quickly grabbed Maroon’s arm, placing two fingers on their arm to track their heart rate. 

“He says he needs your help,” Velvet stated, holding their sword out so it made a wall with Solana’s spear. Maroon’s eyes widened. 

“My help? With what?” L’arj Mahnnnh cleared his throat, taking off his hat.

“My people are in danger. And, as much as it dishonours me to ask for the help of my arch nemesis, your abilities are our only hope.”