I, the slave boy, awaken with the most potent seed!!

Chapter 163: Gone...poof!!!

As the sun set, darkness enveloped the alleyway, broken only by the faint glow of a distant streetlamp.

Ratface, leaned close to his companion and whispered, "Oi, Brutus, where the bloody hell are they? Gustavo and the lads should've been here ages ago."

Brutus, grunted softly. "Keep your voice down, you pillock. They'll be here."

"But what if somethin's gone wrong?" Ratface's voice took on a whining edge. "What if the Enforcers've got 'em? We could be next, mate. I've got a bad feelin' about this, I have."

"Don't be daft," Brutus growled, cuffing Ratface lightly on the back of the head. "Gustavo's too clever for that. They're just running late, is all. Probably stopped for a pint, the cheeky bastards."

Ratface rubbed his head, unconvinced. "I dunno, Brutus. It ain't like them to keep us waiting. What if-"

"I said shut it!" Brutus hissed, his meaty hand clamping over Ratface's mouth. "I think I hear something...."

The faint rustling sound from behind made them both stiffen. They whirled around, hearts pounding, to see two silhouettes emerging from the shadows.

Gustavo stepped into view alongside another figure. His voice cut through the night air with quiet authority. "Hey boys, where's Matilda's house?"

Brutus, recovering quickly, pointed to a dimly lit building across the street. "Right there, boss. White house, third window from the left."

Ratface, his earlier pessimism giving way to curiosity, couldn't help but pipe up. "Oi, Gustavo, why've you only brought one bloke with you? Thought there'd be more of us for this job."

Gustavo's eyes narrowed slightly at the question. "I didn't bring just one person, Ratface. Mordred and another person are positioned on the far side of the building. We split up to avoid drawing attention. They're waiting for my signal. And more to that, out target is just lady and not an army of Enforcers."

He turned to address the whole group, his tone leaving no room for further questions. "Listen up. We move on my command. Ratface, you're lookout."

Without any word, Gustavo moved first, his steps measured and casual as he approached Matilda's house. The others fell in behind him, with Ratface bringing up the rear, his eyes darting nervously from shadow to shadow, searching for any sign of Enforcers.

'This is my chance to finally get my hands on the bounty. I've waited so long for this,' Gustavo thought as he made his way to the door. 'I'm ready to take the life of anyone who stands in my way. I promise to finish off Zafron for good.'

He turned around and saw the men following him. '…And I need to find a way to get rid of them all once we get to Astoria.'

As they neared the building, two more figures emerged from the darkness across the street - Mordred and his companion, having spotted their target. They converged on the group as Gustavo reached the door.

Gustavo tried the handle, but it refused to budge. He stepped back, a frown creasing his brow.

Mordred moved forward to offer some help. He raised his hand and, a blade as dark as night materialized in his grasp.

Without a word, he pressed the edge against the doorknob. The metal hissed and gave way, melting like ice under a blowtorch.

Turning to Gustavo and adjusting his dreadlocks, Mordred's lips curled into a smirk. "There's nothing my blade can't cut through," he murmured, his voice tinged with pride.

Gustavo nodded, his expression grim.

With a swift motion, he pushed the door open. "Move in," he commanded in a harsh whisper.

The group burst into the sitting room, their eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of movement.

Finding nothing, Gustavo raised his hand, signaling for silence. His fingers moved in a practiced sequence, directing the team to proceed upstairs with utmost caution.

They ascended the staircase, each step carefully placed to avoid any creaks that might betray their presence.

At the top, Gustavo motioned to Mordred and two others, directing them towards one bedroom while he, Brutus, and Ratface took the remaining rooms.

Gustavo led his small team to the first door, easing it open with bated breath. The room beyond lay empty, undisturbed.

'This looks like Zafron's room,' he thought, noticing the men's clothes neatly laid out on the bed.

He turned to the next room. As the second room came into view, Gustavo's expression hardened.

Women's clothes were strewn about haphazardly, drawers left open, clear signs of a hurried departure. The realization hit him like a physical blow - they were too late.

"Damn it," Gustavo hissed under his breath, his jaw clenching in frustration. He turned to Brutus and Ratface, his voice low but urgent. "They're gone. Must have cleared out in a hurry."

Ratface's eyes widened, his earlier pessimism seemingly justified. "Blimey, how'd they know we were comin'?"

Brutus remained silent and tense as he awaited Gustavo's next move.

'How did they escape with these two watching? And where could they have possibly gone? Are they already out of the city?' Gustavo wondered.

Suddenly, Mordred and the others burst into the room, their faces etched with urgency.

"Gustavo, there's no one here," Mordred reported, his voice taut. "We've checked the kitchen, the toilet - nothing."

Gustavo's jaw clenched. "They've left. We're too late."

A flash of rage crossed Mordred's face. In an instant, he lunged at Brutus, slamming the man against the wall, his forearm pressed against Brutus's throat.

"Why is there no one in the house?" Mordred snarled, his face inches from Brutus's. "Wasn't it your job to make sure they didn't leave? Or did you lie to us from the start?"

Brutus struggled against Mordred's grip, his face reddening as he choked out a reply. "I... didn't... lie. I know... what I saw."

Mordred pressed harder. "But there's no one here, is there? Why?"

"I... don't... know," Brutus gasped, his eyes wide with panic.

Gustavo stepped forward, his voice level but commanding. "Mordred, ease up. This isn't helping."

Mordred reluctantly loosened his grip, allowing Brutus to slump against the wall, gasping for air.

"Talk," Gustavo ordered, fixing Brutus with a steely gaze.

Brutus rubbed his throat, coughing. "I swear, I'm not lying. The only people I saw coming and going was Lady Cordelia and that bloke you met with, Gustavo. The one who promised their safety."

'Malachi?'

Gustavo's brow furrowed as a name surfaced in his mind. "Wait. Are you absolutely certain it was Cordelia and Malachi you saw?"

Brutus nodded emphatically, still massaging his throat. "Yeah, boss. Clear as day, it was."

Gustavo's eyes narrowed. "When exactly did you see them leave?"

"'Bout two hours ago," Brutus wheezed. "Thought nothin' of it at the time."

Gustavo's mind raced, pieces of a puzzling picture trying to fit together. He thought, 'If what they're saying is true, why would Cordelia, a noble's wife, be doing with Malachi?'

A moment of tense silence filled the room before Gustavo snapped back to the present situation. "Right, we need to move. Now. Enforcers could be on their way as we speak."

He turned to address the group, his voice low but commanding. "Listen up. All of you, except Mordred, head back to the hideout. Keep your eyes open and take the long way round. We can't risk leading anyone back to our base."

Ratface fidgeted nervously. "What about you and Mordred, boss?"

Gustavo's eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint in them. "We're going to pay our friend Malachi a little business visit."

Mordred's lips curled into a grim smile. "With pleasure."

"Alright, move out," Gustavo ordered. "And remember, if anyone asks, you were never here. Understood?"

A chorus of quiet affirmations followed as the group began to file out of the room.

With that, the group split up, melting into the night shadows as they left the empty house behind. Gustavo and Mordred hung back, watching the others disappear before setting off on their own mission to Malachi's mansion.