Allies

***YASEMINE***

The air in the room was heavy, almost tangible, as we went over our options. Each of us knew that the danger looming over us was greater than we cared to admit. The neon lights of the seedy apartment cast a cold, unforgiving light on our faces. Celine sat on the couch, legs crossed, but her eyes were alert, piercing. Jax stood at the window, a cigarette between his fingers, even though he didn't smoke. It was just a habit, an old ritual when he was thinking. Damian leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, his eyes dark and dismissive as always.

I sat on the only chair that still looked halfway stable and watched the scene. We were all tired, worn down by the last few days, but the idea of giving up was unthinkable.

“We can't do this alone, guys,” Celine finally said, breaking the oppressive silence. Her voice was calm, but there was an insistence in her words that brooked no contradiction. “We need allies, people we can trust.”

Damian raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. “You mean our old contacts from the gang days? Most of them have families, have moved away or have their own problems. They won't come back.”

Celine tilted her head slightly. “Maybe. But I know someone who could help us.”

Jax turned around, leaned his back against the windowsill and eyed her. ‘Who?”

“Roger,’ she replied, dropping the name like a well-aimed bullet. Her voice was firm, sure, as if she had been carrying this thought around with her for a long time. “You remember, Jax. He ran the club with you back then. He was your best man, your closest confidant. Today he is a dreaded figure in the underworld. His name is known everywhere. If anyone knows how to take action against Marie, it's him.”

Jax laughed softly, a rough, humorless sound that echoed off the wall. “Roger? That bastard? He was good, I admit it, but do you really think he'll help us? He has his own business.”

“He was loyal,” Celine replied. “And loyalty is not easily forgotten.”

Damian snorted. “How do you want to find him? Roger is everywhere and nowhere. Even if he wanted to help us, we would have to track him down first.”

A wry grin spread across Jax's face. ”You underestimate me. I never lost sight of him. I know exactly where he hangs out.”

The surprise on Celine's face was unmistakable, but she nodded. “Good. Then we'll visit him tomorrow.”

The silence returned, but I could feel the thoughts racing in the minds of the others. Everyone was trying to find the next piece of the puzzle, another ally who could help tighten our net. I cleared my throat, feeling the eyes of the others on me.

“I have someone too,” I finally said. My voice sounded calmer than I felt. ‘I'm sure he could help us. At least he could support us from the background.”

Jax folded his arms across his chest, his gaze lurking. ’Who do you mean, Yasemin?”

I hesitated before continuing. ”Marcus. My ex. He works for the FBI.”

The reaction was mixed. Jax's grin disappeared and his eyes narrowed. Damian didn't seem thrilled, but Celine raised an interested eyebrow.

“FBI?” she asked. ‘That's risky. What makes you think he'd help?”

“Because he still feels guilty,’ I replied quietly. ”He knows he abandoned me back then. I'm sure he's willing to make amends. And... he has access to information that could help us. Maybe he can find out something about Marie. Or about Viktor Carter.”

The name noticeably increased the tension in the room. Viktor Carter was a mystery, a shadow lurking behind Marie. We hardly knew anything about him, except that he was dangerous – perhaps even more dangerous than Marie herself.

“What do we know about him?” Damian finally asked, his voice cool.

Celine shook her head. ”Not much. He works with Marie, that's for sure. But his past is... nebulous. There are no clear records. No clues as to who he really is.”

Jax took a drag on his cigarette, letting the smoke out slowly. “I've heard rumors. Supposedly he was once in the mafia, worked for various families before going underground. Now he's Marie's right hand – or shadow. Nobody knows where he came from, but everyone knows he's deadly.”

A shiver ran down my spine. “What if we can find out something about him? About his connection to Marie? Maybe we can use that against her.”

“Your FBI friend is taking care of that,” Jax said curtly. ”Contact him.”

I nodded, but felt the gravity of the decision. Contacting Marcus meant opening old wounds. But if it helped us stop Marie, it was worth it.

Night had long since fallen by the time we made our plans. Roger, Marcus, Viktor Carter – each piece of the puzzle brought us closer to the truth, but also closer to danger. Celine pulled out a map and marked the last places Roger had been seen. Damian checked weapons that we could use if necessary. Jax made a phone call to an old contact, his voice calm and controlled, but full of urgency.

I retreated to a corner, my cell phone in hand, the number for Marcus' office on the screen. My thumb hovered over the call button. Part of me didn't want to do it. But another part knew I had no choice.

I pressed the button and held the phone to my ear. The wait felt endless, the seconds stretching. Then I heard his voice.

“Marcus Cole. Who's speaking?”

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice from betraying my nervousness. “Marcus. It's me. Yasemin.”

A moment of silence. I could hear him swallowing before he answered. ‘Yasemin. It's been a long time.”

“Yes,’ I said softly. ”But I need your help.”

His voice became sharper, more professional. “What's going on?”

I told him everything – or at least as much as I could. About Marie, the danger we sensed, and the fact that we needed information. Marcus listened, didn't interrupt, but I could feel his mind racing.

“This is dangerous, Yasemin,” he finally said. ‘Marie is no ordinary target. And this Viktor Carter... I've heard of him. If he's behind her, it won't be easy.”

“I know,’ I replied. ”But you're the only one I can trust.”

Another pause. Then he sighed. “I'll see what I can do. But you owe me an explanation when this is over.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, and in that moment I felt a small relief. It was a step forward, but the road was still long.

When I hung up, the others were already engrossed in discussions. Jax looked at me, his eyes asking without using words. I nodded. “He's in.”

“Good,” he said curtly. “Then we have a plan.”

But deep down I knew that no plan could really protect us. The shadow of Marie and Viktor Carter was bigger, darker, than we wanted to admit to ourselves.