Chapter 28: Kings and Shadows
(Keifer's POV)
Something was wrong.
Not the normal kind of wrong.
Not the kind where a teacher is angry or someone spreads rumors at school.
This was bigger.
Darker.
And it had been following me for weeks.
Yuri.
The warehouse.
The anonymous message.
Jay avoiding me.
The strange tension in Watson Mansion.
Everything felt connected.
I just didn't know how.
Yet.
I stood in the underground garage beneath Watson Mansion.
The air smelled like oil and concrete.
Three motorcycles rested near the far wall.
A black SUV parked beside them.
And leaning against the hood…
Kuya Angelo.
Kuya Angelo had always looked calm.
Too calm.
The kind of calm people have when they've seen too many fights.
Too many secrets.
Too many problems.
He looked up when I approached.
Kuya Angelo:
"You're late."
Keifer:
"Traffic."
Kuya Angelo smirked slightly.
Kuya Angelo:
"At midnight."
I shrugged.
Keifer:
"Suspicious people deserve suspicious hours."
Aries stepped out from behind the SUV.
Aries:
"Good answer."
Our crew gathered slowly.
Six of us total.
Me.
Kuya Angelo.
Aries.
Marco.
Luis.
And Dante.
We weren't exactly a "gang."
But we weren't exactly innocent either.
We handled things.
Protected each other.
And occasionally…
Handled people who needed to be handled.
Our crew had a name.
Iron Vipers.
Kuya Angelo pushed away from the car.
Kuya Angelo:
"We have a problem."
That sentence alone told me everything.
Kuya Angelo didn't panic.
Ever.
Keifer:
"How bad?"
He tossed a folder toward me.
Kuya Angelo:
"Read."
I opened it.
And immediately my stomach twisted.
My name.
Over and over.
Contracts.
Money transfers.
Kill orders.
Someone had put a price on my head.
Actually…
Multiple people.
Keifer:
"What the hell?"
Aries leaned against the wall.
Aries:
"Your family loves you."
I flipped another page.
Then another.
My uncle.
My cousin.
Two business partners.
Three hired mercenaries.
And finally…
One name that made my jaw tighten.
Keizer Watson.
My father.
Keifer:
"You're joking."
Kuya Angelo didn't laugh.
Kuya Angelo:
"I wish."
The garage felt colder suddenly.
Keifer:
"Why?"
Kuya Angelo crossed his arms.
Kuya Angelo:
"Inheritance."
Of course.
Money.
Always money.
Keifer leaned back against the table.
Keifer:
"So my own family wants me dead."
Aries shrugged.
Aries:
"Classic rich people problem."
I ran a hand through my hair.
Keifer:
"Great."
Then something clicked in my mind.
The warehouse.
Yuri.
The beating.
Keifer:
"Wait."
Kuya Angelo looked at me.
Kuya Angelo:
"What?"
Keifer:
"Someone already tried to protect me."
The room went quiet.
Aries frowned.
Aries:
"What do you mean?"
I explained quickly.
The anonymous message.
The warehouse.
Yuri tied to a chair.
Beaten half to death.
Marco whistled softly.
Marco:
"Damn."
Kuya Angelo's expression changed slightly.
Like he suddenly understood something.
Kuya Angelo:
"That wasn't random."
Keifer:
"Obviously."
Kuya Angelo leaned forward.
Kuya Angelo:
"There's a group."
Keifer raised an eyebrow.
Keifer:
"What group?"
Kuya Angelo hesitated slightly.
Then he said the name.
Kuya Angelo:
"The Obsidian Circle."
The name sounded… dangerous.
Like something whispered in dark rooms.
Keifer:
"And what the hell is that?"
Aries answered.
Aries:
"Five girls."
I blinked.
Keifer:
"Girls?"
Kuya Angelo nodded.
Kuya Angelo:
"Don't underestimate them."
He placed another file in front of me.
Information.
Reports.
Rumors.
A secret group operating quietly for years.
Hackers.
Spies.
Assassins.
Strategists.
Nobody knew their identities.
Nobody knew their leader.
But one thing was certain.
They eliminated threats.
Quietly.
Efficiently.
Keifer leaned back slowly.
Keifer:
"So you're telling me…"
I tapped the file.
Keifer:
"These girls beat Yuri up."
Aries nodded.
Aries:
"Most likely."
Kuya Angelo continued.
Kuya Angelo:
"They usually target criminals."
Kuya Angelo:
"Corrupt businessmen."
Kuya Angelo:
"Traffickers."
Then he looked straight at me.
Kuya Angelo:
"But this time…"
He paused.
Kuya Angelo:
"They protected you."
I stared at the file.
Thinking.
Keifer:
"Why?"
Kuya Angelo shook his head.
Kuya Angelo:
"No idea."
But I did.
Or at least…
I had a suspicion.
Jay.
She had been acting strange.
Avoiding me.
Disappearing.
Late nights.
Secret calls.
And somehow Yuri ended up half dead.
No.
That was impossible.
Jay was sweet.
Kind.
Soft.
But still…
The thought stayed in the back of my mind.
Keifer:
"So what's the plan?"
Kuya Angelo answered immediately.
Kuya Angelo:
"We work with them."
Aries looked surprised.
Aries:
"You serious?"
Kuya Angelo nodded.
Kuya Angelo:
"Yes."
He explained calmly.
Kuya Angelo:
"They're already eliminating threats."
Kuya Angelo:
"And we have the manpower."
Marco grinned.
Marco:
"So basically…"
Marco:
"Team up with mysterious assassins."
Dante chuckled.
Dante:
"That sounds fun."
Kuya Angelo looked at me.
Kuya Angelo:
"What do you think?"
I thought about the sniper.
The contracts.
My father.
And the fact that someone out there was already protecting me.
Without asking.
Without showing themselves.
Keifer:
"I'm in."
Aries smirked.
Aries:
"Knew you'd say that."
Kuya Angelo nodded slowly.
Kuya Angelo:
"Good."
He closed the folder.
Kuya Angelo:
"Then we start tomorrow."
Keifer:
"How do we contact them?"
Kuya Angelo smiled slightly.
Kuya Angelo:
"They'll contact us."
The garage fell silent again.
Somewhere out there…
The Obsidian Circle was watching.
Planning.
Protecting.
And they had no idea that the person they were secretly protecting…
Was now trying to find them.
Meanwhile upstairs…
Jay Jay was probably sleeping peacefully.
Looking innocent.
Sweet.
Harmless.
I chuckled quietly to myself.
Keifer:
"Five dangerous girls running a secret organization."
I shook my head.
Keifer:
"Crazy."
But something deep in my mind whispered a strange thought.
What if Jay knows them?
The idea made me smirk.
Keifer:
"If she did…"
I laughed softly.
Keifer:
"That would be hilarious."
Because there was no way.
Absolutely no way.
Jay Jay could be connected to something that dangerous.
Right?
Chapter: Lines That Shouldn't Cross
(Keifer's POV)
The problem with secrets is that once you know they exist… you start seeing them everywhere.
Even in places they probably don't belong.
Like the Watson Mansion.
Like Jay.
Morning sunlight filtered through the tall windows of the dining room, spilling across the long marble table.
Sir Alvin was already reading the newspaper.
Kuya Angelo leaned against the counter drinking coffee.
Aries scrolled through his phone.
Everything looked normal.
Too normal.
Jay Jay walked in a few minutes later.
Hair slightly messy.
Still tying it into a ponytail.
Looking like she had just woken up.
Sweet.
Harmless.
Exactly like always.
But now my brain refused to shut up.
Five girls.
Obsidian Circle.
Unknown leader.
Protecting you.
Jay sat across from me.
Jay Jay:
"Why are you staring at me?"
I blinked.
Keifer:
"I'm not."
Aries snorted.
Aries:
"You definitely are."
Jay raised an eyebrow.
Jay Jay:
"Did I grow two heads overnight?"
I leaned back in my chair.
Keifer:
"I'm just thinking."
Jay grabbed a piece of toast.
Jay Jay:
"That's new."
Kuya Angelo laughed quietly.
Kuya Angelo:
"She got you there."
I rolled my eyes.
Keifer:
"Very funny."
But the thought didn't leave my head.
What if Jay really knew something?
Not that she was part of it.
That would be insane.
But maybe she knew someone.
A friend.
A cousin.
Something like that.
My phone buzzed.
One message.
From Kuya Angelo.
Garage. After breakfast.
Great.
More secret meetings.
I looked up again.
Jay was talking with Aries now.
Laughing about something.
Completely normal.
Completely relaxed.
And somehow that made me even more suspicious.
Because the more I thought about the warehouse…
The more something bothered me.
Whoever beat Yuri up…
They didn't kill him.
They didn't even seriously injure him.
They just made him suffer.
That wasn't random violence.
That was controlled.
Personal.
Jay suddenly looked back at me.
Jay Jay:
"You're doing it again."
Keifer:
"Doing what?"
Jay Jay:
"Staring."
I smirked.
Keifer:
"You're just very stare-able."
Jay rolled her eyes.
Jay Jay:
"You're ridiculous."
Aries leaned over.
Aries:
"He says that to every girl."
I pointed at him.
Keifer:
"Lies and slander."
Jay shook her head, smiling slightly.
But when she looked away…
Something about her expression changed.
Just for a second.
Like she was worried.
And that made my suspicion grow.
Breakfast ended.
Jay grabbed her bag and headed for the door.
Jay Jay:
"I'm leaving early."
That was strange.
Jay was never early.
Keifer:
"Why?"
She paused for half a second.
Then smiled.
Jay Jay:
"Library."
Then she left.
Aries looked at me.
Aries:
"You're thinking again."
Keifer:
"Shut up."
Kuya Angelo stood up.
Kuya Angelo:
"Garage. Now."
We headed downstairs.
The garage door closed behind us with a heavy metal sound.
Kuya Angelo pulled out a tablet and placed it on the hood of the SUV.
A map appeared on the screen.
Red dots.
Multiple red dots.
Kuya Angelo:
"These are the threats."
I counted them.
Ten.
Just like last night.
Keifer:
"And?"
Aries leaned forward.
Aries:
"And three of them are already moving."
Kuya Angelo zoomed in on the map.
One dot flashed.
Kuya Angelo:
"Sniper."
Another dot.
Kuya Angelo:
"Hired mercenary."
And the third…
Kuya Angelo:
"Your cousin."
I sighed.
Keifer:
"My family really hates me."
Aries laughed.
Aries:
"Money does that."
Kuya Angelo crossed his arms.
Kuya Angelo:
"Here's the interesting part."
He zoomed out again.
And then another symbol appeared.
A black circle.
Kuya Angelo:
"That's them."
Keifer:
"Obsidian Circle?"
Kuya Angelo nodded.
Kuya Angelo:
"They're already moving too."
Aries frowned.
Aries:
"So they're hunting the same targets we are?"
Kuya Angelo:
"Yes."
For a moment the garage was quiet.
Then I chuckled.
Keifer:
"So we're basically competing with mysterious assassins."
Aries grinned.
Aries:
"I like them already."
Kuya Angelo shook his head.
Kuya Angelo:
"No competition."
He pointed at the screen.
Kuya Angelo:
"They're faster."
One of the red dots disappeared.
Aries blinked.
Aries:
"Wait."
Kuya Angelo refreshed the map.
The mercenary signal vanished.
Kuya Angelo:
"They got him."
I leaned forward.
Keifer:
"Already?"
Kuya Angelo nodded.
Kuya Angelo:
"Efficient."
Aries whistled.
Aries:
"Damn."
Then Kuya Angelo said something that made my brain freeze.
Kuya Angelo:
"They operate during school hours too."
Keifer:
"School?"
Kuya Angelo nodded.
Kuya Angelo:
"Most of the reports place them around campus."
Something inside my head clicked loudly.
School.
Girls.
Five of them.
Jay.
Savannah.
Sophia.
Amy.
Olivia.
Mia.
No.
No way.
That was ridiculous.
Keifer:
"You think they're students?"
Kuya Angelo shrugged.
Kuya Angelo:
"Possible."
Aries grinned.
Aries:
"That would be badass."
But my mind kept racing.
Jay leaving early.
Jay acting distant.
Jay disappearing at night.
My stomach twisted slightly.
Keifer:
"That's impossible."
Kuya Angelo looked at me.
Kuya Angelo:
"What is?"
I shook my head.
Keifer:
"Nothing."
Because saying it out loud sounded insane.
Jay Jay.
Sweet Jay.
Cute Jay.
Secret mafia leader?
Yeah right.
Meanwhile…
Across the city…
(Jay Jay's POV)
The abandoned office building smelled like dust and old paper.
Perfect.
No cameras.
No witnesses.
Savannah sat at a laptop near the window.
Sophia studied the map on her tablet.
Amy spun a knife between her fingers.
Olivia stood near the door.
Mia watched the hallway silently.
Our headquarters for today.
Savannah looked up.
Savannah:
"Update."
Jay Jay:
"Tell me."
Savannah smiled slightly.
Savannah:
"Mercenary number three is gone."
Amy grinned.
Amy:
"That was fun."
Sophia looked at me.
Sophia:
"Two targets remain active."
Olivia added calmly.
Olivia:
"And the sniper."
I nodded slowly.
Jay Jay:
"We take him tonight."
Mia spoke quietly.
Mia:
"Agreed."
Savannah turned the laptop toward me.
Savannah:
"There's another problem."
I looked at the screen.
Security footage.
Watson Mansion garage.
And there…
Was Keifer.
Standing with Kuya Angelo.
Looking directly at a map of our operations.
My heart skipped.
Jay Jay:
"They know."
Sophia shook her head.
Sophia:
"Not exactly."
Savannah zoomed in on the footage.
Savannah:
"But they know the Obsidian Circle exists."
Amy groaned.
Amy:
"Ugh."
Olivia crossed her arms.
Olivia:
"That complicates things."
Sophia looked at me.
Sophia:
"They want to work with us."
I froze.
Jay Jay:
"What?"
Savannah nodded.
Savannah:
"Angelo suggested an alliance."
Amy burst out laughing.
Amy:
"That's hilarious."
But my chest tightened.
Because if we worked with them…
Keifer might discover the truth.
And if Keifer discovered the truth…
Everything would collapse.
Sophia watched my expression carefully.
Sophia:
"Your decision."
I looked at the screen again.
Keifer's face.
Serious.
Focused.
Trying to survive a war he didn't even start.
Jay Jay:
"No alliance."
Savannah nodded.
Savannah:
"Understood."
Amy twirled the knife again.
Amy:
"So we keep protecting the boyfriend secretly?"
I gave her a look.
Jay Jay:
"Yes."
Olivia sighed slightly.
Olivia:
"This is going to get messy."
Sophia nodded.
Sophia:
"Very messy."
Because now…
Two different groups were hunting the same enemies.
The Iron Vipers.
And the Obsidian Circle.
Both trying to protect Keifer Watson.
But neither side realizing…
The person they were protecting…
Was standing in the middle of both worlds.
And sooner or later…
Those worlds were going to collide.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hey everyone!!
The next chapter after 5 to 10 chapters are going spicy 🔥 🥵 and i might not be able to post tomorrow and on 9 date because of personal issues.
Sorry guys😔🙏🏻
Bye bye 🌷 🫶🏻