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“You’re overthinking it,” Loid murmured, eyes not leaving the newspaper he held. His left ankle rested on his right knee, a cup of hot tea still steaming on the side table. With Anya in front of him, and Yor in the kitchen, it was just about as simple as any other Saturday.
There was a frustrated heat that rose from Anya’s chest to her face and through the tips of her ears. “I don’t know the answer!” She shouted, slamming a small fist on the table. Her pencil clinked against the surface, rolling away from her homework.
Loid unfolded his legs and leaned forward, setting his newspaper on the couch. His hand reached out and swiveled her homework so he could read it properly. “This is just long division, Anya,” He sighed. “We did this last week, remember?” The little girl let out a huff of air and folded her arms, peering towards the floor.
Tuning in, Yor exited the kitchen with a pot of something. “Why don’t we take a little break? Dinner is ready,” She beamed softly. Her feet delicately made their way to the dining room table as she placed the pot down in the center and returned to the kitchen to grab plates and silverware.
There was a definite frown that stretched across Loid’s face, but he tried his best to keep his demeanor soft. Anya had seemingly forgotten all of her troubles, dashing to her seat at the dining room table. “What is it, Mama?” She asked, standing on the chair as she tried to peer into the pot. Loid followed shortly after, peering down at the dish. To call it food would be an exaggeration.
Yor returned to the common area, passing out plates “Nothing too crazy today,” She chuckled. “Just noodles and pork.”
Loid took a seat, sharing a concerned look with his daughter. “Ah, that’s, uh…” He began. When Yor removed the lid, a foul stench filled the room. The scent reached up in steamy swirls, grasping to suffocate any living thing in th room. Bond let out a whimper from across the room as he dug his snout into the crook of one of his paws. “Thank you for cooking, Yor.”
Anya figured it would be best to copy Loid’s actions. She spoke in a terribly monotone voice. “Yeah… Thank you, Mama.”
Yor looked absolutely delighted, clasping her hands together as she took her seat beside Loid. They were each served their own portion, the room growing awfully quiet. Silence wasn’t irregular for the family, but it was impossible for the psychic. Anya’s eyes jittered a bit as she listened to each of their thoughts.
I really do hope Anya can get her grades up. It feels as though Strix is falling behind on progression. At least everyone is safe for now. I’d really hate for any other missions to pop up right now. This week has been so tiring… No. I can’t let myself relax. Keep yourself together, Twilight.
Anya’s not eating her food. Oh, shoot… Loid’s not eating it either! He’s just moving the meat around the plate and eating the noodles. Did I mess this up too? I won’t make this one again. Goodness, I was never this stressed when it came to feeding Yuri.
Anya keenly observed Loid’s plate and followed suit. Copying his every move was the best way to survive dinner. “I want to go to the Zoo again!” Anya announced, shattering both of their thoughts.
Yor blinked, straightening her posture. “Oh?” She questioned softly. “You only went a few weeks ago with Becky, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, but I want to go with Mama and Papa instead,” Anya explained before washing down another bite with some water.
Loid nodded slowly. “I suppose we could do that some time, but not tonight.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s too late. All the animals have already gone to bed,” He explained.
“But it’s only dinner time!” She sulked.
“Now, Anya. You have to think about animals the same way we think about other humans. When families visit the zoo, it’s like the animals are going to work. They’ve been working all day, and now they need rest too,” Yor explained gently. The girl nodded along, though she wore a defined pout on her face.
Anya darkly muttered, “Well, I hope they enjoy their sleepy time.”
“Speaking of which, you’ve been staying up far past your bedtime lately,” Loid scolded, though it lacked any real bite. He placed his fork down and dabbed his mouth with a napkin.
“It’s ‘cause I stay up so late to study!” Anya protested.
Her grades certainly don’t reflect that.
Anya’s face drained of color, eyes painfully staring at him. “Why are you looking at me like that?” Loid grimaced, voice heightened from shock.
“Nevermind,” She murmured shamefully.
₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚
Yor almost always took care of getting Anya ready for bed, but the little one had been running between parents and causing a frenzy the whole evening. “Anya!” Loid shouted from the bathroom. “You still haven’t brushed your teeth!”
There was a plethora of little stomps echoing from the other room and Loid silently prayed that the downstairs neighbors wouldn’t call the police on them for a noise complaint. Anya, running circles around Yor in her bedroom, shouted, “You’ll never catch me alive!”
Loid, of course, did catch Anya alive.
Carrying her like a suitcase rather than a child, he groaned, “What is going on with you today?”
Anya playfully kicked against him until he set her down on the step stool by the sink. He folded his arms as she silently prepared her toothbrush and brushed away. With a mouth full of foam, she sputtered, “Mama says you have to brush my hair for me.”
“Did she now?” He mused, looking oh-so-sarcastic.
Anya nodded before spitting into the sink. Loid, on the other hand, gave in. He grabbed her hairbrush, standing behind her and getting to work. The pink hair was all sorts of tangled in a way that was impressive for just barely getting out of the bath. Her bright green eyes softened as she gazed at him through the mirror.
His eyes landed on his hands, numbly.
These same hands have killed countless. What am I turning into? Ugh, don’t think like that… It’s all a facade. Being a good father is just as crucial as any other detail for the mission.
Anya frowned at his thoughts, and his eyes immediately snapped onto her expression. “Did I accidentally pull your hair?” He asked gently. “I’m sorry if I did.”
“No,” Anya hushed into a yawn. “I’m just sleepy, Papa.”
“Well, we’d better hurry you to bed.”
“Can you carry me?” Anya asked, turning around tugging at Loid’s blue plaid pajama pants.
Loid hesitated, a sort of pain striking his chest. “Uh… Your legs still work, don’t they? Run along.”
The little girl let out a heavy sigh before climbing down the step stool and walking back to her room. Yor sat on the floor next to Anya’s bed, beckoning her to come over. Gently, she helped Anya put on her sleeping cap before tucking her into bed.
Loid found himself standing in the doorway with his arms crossed. Anya was practically knocked out by the time Yor made it to the light switch. He kept his smile concealed, pressing his back against the frame so as to avoid bumping into Yor.
This is good. Another week completed without any disasters… Well, other than dinner.
Yor tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she paced back to the living room to clean up a few of Anya’s toys. “Hey Loid?” She called out, crouching down.
The man didn’t even think before his legs began to move toward her. “Yeah?”
“I just want to say thank you for eating my dinner. I know it’s not always great, but I’m trying my best, and the fact that you even try to eat it means a lot to me,” She chuckled softly, trying to keep her soft blush out of sight. Loid just smiled tightly and approached beside her, dropping to a squat to help her clean.
“It’s no problem, really,” He offered. “I should really be the one thanking you. You take such good care of my daughter.”
Yor just smiled and nodded, face feeling hot from the compliment. She reached to the left to grab the last toy and was greeted with Loid’s hand. Immediately retracting it, her face burned into a rosy red. “O-Oh! I’m–”
“Sorry, I just–” Loid apologized at the same time. They cut their own words short as their eyes met for a soft second. The man chuckled to avoid any further embarrassment, head swiveling downward.
While he stood with the toy and tossed it towards the couch, Yor took a moment longer to simmer in the feeling. Her eyes glazed over the sight of his back, broad and sturdy. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t prefer him in his white, cotton v-necks he wore to bed.
He always gets so close… I still can’t figure out why I get so flustered over it. It’s not like anything about this is actually romantic. It’s ridiculous to think that he might actually want something more than what we have, worse to hope. Maybe I should just ask him head on. Better now than never.
Yor tried her best to swallow her pride, though her stomach churned at the thought of even opening her mouth. She nervously fidgeted with a strand of her hair, twisting it to relieve the stress in her hands. “Loid?” She began, voice crawling from her throat in a shaky croak.
“Yes?” He replied, turning back to face her.
Her voice caught in her throat, air pushing out to make an odd croaking sound. “Uh… I–”
Ring!
The two paused, eyes falling on the telephone. Yor silently thanked God for the interruption. All of the tense pressure in her shoulders seemed to slack as she watched Loid pace toward the phone.
“Forger residence,” Loid greeted casually. A hush fell as he swallowed thickly, eyes narrowing on the wall in front of him. “I see. Thank you.”
The sound of the phone clicking into the receiver felt heavier than a bullet. Nevertheless, Loid simply turned to his wife with a plastered smile. “Hospital emergency involving one of my patients. I’ve got to go… Will you be alright here?” He explained, trying his best to keep it brief.
Yor found herself standing up and numbly fiddling her fingers. “Oh! Of course,” She piped. “I hope everything is okay.”
Loid had changed and gotten out of the house in less than two minutes and he found himself walking down the dark, deserted streets. The daily bustle of life was absent, leaving only his quiet footsteps on the pavement. Despite the lack of life, he kept himself strictly aware of every single rustle of the leaves and flicker of streetlamps.
It’s unlike Nightfall to call so late. Speaking in code… This must be serious.
Quickly, he found himself at the telephone box that she had requested he meet her. He leaned against the booth, eyes surveying the road in front of him. The whistling wind picked up, nearly blowing off his hat. Loid adjusted his stance, pulling on a pair of black, leather gloves. He checked his watch. She’s late.
He slid his coat sleeve back over the watch, taking in a long drawl of the cold air. Any other mission and he would have been reaching for a cigarette, but he knew better than to return home with such a scent.
A pair of headlights turned the corner, to which Loid tipped his head down. His eyes memorized every detail of it as it passed by: A black sedan with tinted windows and freshly implemented silver rims on the tires. The driver, a man, was wearing a brown suit. The license plate was from Westalis. TMS-870T6.
Late… I trained her better than that. Why would she call me just to–
Every single thought clicked into place at the same time. Loid’s heart seemed to drop onto the sidewalk, a spike of fear running up his spine. He could physically feel a chill at the base of his neck, squirming its way to every last nerve in his body. Without another second, he began bolting at full speed back towards the house. His mind ran through countless scenarios, trying his best to keep sanity as his breath caught in his throat.
Fiona wasn’t the one who called. What is wrong with me? I’m so off my game that I didn’t even… How could I be so stupid? Is Anya…? No, she’s fine. Everything is fine. Yor has always been a great protector. Is Yor…? Stop thinking! Just get there fast. Everything is fine, Twilight. Calm down. Anya and Bond are fast asleep, and Yor is probably just getting to bed. Bond… Anya… Yor…
Loid’s hand hooked onto the complex door’s handle, his entire body swiveling to follow. His shoulder slammed into the door frame on the way in, and his legs skipped two steps at a time as he sprinted up the stairs. The sheer amount of noise he made left no consideration for the other residents.
Short on breath and wide eyed, his heart managed to sink further. The front door was cracked open, and the lights were turned off inside. A numb tingle buzzed at his fingertips, arms feeling too limp to even touch the doorknob. He licked at his lips, noting that all moisture from his mouth had fled. The anxious feeling refused to leave his body, zapping at his brain and muscles.
Loid wasn’t sure if it was his mind or his heart that managed to help him open the door.
The house was sickening. The kitchen knife block had been toppled over, and the chef's knife was stuck in the wall like a thumbtack. There was a small trace of blood on the kitchen table, and three of the four chairs had been knocked over. Anya’s toys in the living room seemed to be untouched, but one of their family photos was shattered on the floor.
His feet moved slow and steady, silent to assure safety in the case of the assailant still being present. Down the hallway, it felt darker than normal. There was a small trace of dirt on the floor, followed by the sight of all three bedroom doors being open or cracked. Loid took utmost precaution as he crept towards Anya’s room.
Her door had been left wide open. The sight of Bond laying limp on the floor felt worse than anything he’d ever seen in the field. Loid quickly paced to the window, swinging it open and rushing the thick air of the home out. He had been subconsciously holding his breath in case there was some sort of active gas in the air, only stopping to take a breath once he swung his head outside. Loid took heavy precaution of any lingering chemicals as he dropped to one knee, his finger pressing against the inside of Bond’s rear leg.
Bond’s pulse was slow, but present. Loid sighed shortly, droplets of sweat running down his back. He ran a single hand through his fur, taking an extra second to scratch at the back of his ears. There was no blood or visible wound as far as he could see, pretty much confirming his theory that the initial attack was likely with some sort of gas. Anya’s room, other than the messy sheets, was just about as normal as he had left it. He held tight to the hope that the blood outside wasn’t hers.
The small relief of Bond’s health was only temporary as Loid stood to go check the other rooms. Dread seeped deep into his stomach, leaking out of his every pore.
Loid didn’t ever go into Yor’s room unless they were re-decorating for visitors. Even in his own home, the room felt like a foreign land to him. Today was no different, as all he did was peer inside.
The bed was made, and all of her belongings were in pristine condition. Though she wore no perfume, Loid could still make out the softest scent of her skin. The bedsheets looked like they had been freshly washed. Perhaps Yor hadn’t even made it to her bedroom before the attack.
It was disturbing how normal the bedrooms looked in contrast to the unruly living room. He could feel his worry beginning to turn into rage as he swiveled to his room instead. His door was left open with only two inches of give which had him immediately reaching for his concealed gun. With his foot, he pushed it open and took a step back, eyes scanning the room in record time.
He hadn’t even taken a step in before he noticed the way his lamp shade was twisted about 5 degrees to the left. With alarms going off in his head, he stepped into the room, speedily grabbing the lampshade and throwing it to the ground. A small listening bug that had been planted flew from the shade, rattling against the floor. Loid crushed it with his heel before turning to the window to air out the house more.
It was safe to say that there was nobody in the house, but he would need to do a full sweep for any other listening devices before he continued the investigation. The silence of the house came in waves, giving him only a few moments to go over all the information in his brain.
Loid paced over to his nightstand, opening up the regular drawer before clicking a latch on the bottom of it to reveal a hidden compartment. Inside were a plethora of spy tools, and a small photograph on glossy paper. He picked it up, heart ripping. The photograph was of Anya and Yor at the local park. Anya still had some leftover ice cream stuck to the rims of her smiling mouth, and Yor was smiling back at her with the loveliest gaze Loid had ever seen. Loid had never found himself able to throw it away or seal it to records, keeping it for himself when he’d have to leave for especially dangerous missions. He was human, after all.
His thumb gently grazed the paper and his breath began to settle back into its natural rhythm.
I’ll find you. I’ll find you. I’ll find you.
₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚
Loid was massaging his temple while petting Bond with his right hand. The kitchen table had become a massive workspace, littered with any and everything related to the kidnapping of his family.
18 hours in and Loid was falling apart trying to crack the case himself. The car was a bust with a completely fake license plate, and one of Anya’s toys was the only thing he allowed WISE to get their hands on. There were no fingerprints left on any of the knives, and the dirt from the hallway came back clean. He used a kit to figure out that the blood in the main room was Yor’s. That made him feel more nauseous than anything.
You hand-picked these people, and look where it led them. Any harm to them will stem from you. Hurry, Twilight. Figure it out. If you’re too late, then you’ve failed in far more ways than one.
Bond whined by his side, pawing at Loid’s slacks. “I know,” He hummed in response, silencing his thoughts as he continued to type on his computer. Working off of coffee and anxiety, it was no wonder he resorted to talking to the dog to keep himself sane.
When the, now replaced, phone rang, he felt a wave of apprehensive deja-vu. He gave Bond’s jaw another small scratch before he paced over. Loid rested his hand on the receiver for a few extra seconds, sulking in the silence between rings. “Forger residence,” He greeted, sounding much duller than the night before.
“We have an update on the substance,” A familiar voice spoke, clear and direct. “Halothane.”
“The anesthetic?”
“The very same,” Handler replied. “Though, I must ask why such a volatile chemical was on your daughter’s stuffed lion.”
Loid’s throat felt tight. “She had brought it to school,” He lied smoothly. “The dog noticed the odor and got sick. Figured it was better to be safe than sorry.”
“Is that so?”
“That it is. I appreciate your help.”
Loid hung up before Handler could get another word in, chest tightening as he paced back to his makeshift desk. Bond’s tail wagged as he neared, but all Loid could offer was a weak smile and a head pat.
Halothane wasn’t a regularly used anesthetic in their day and age, making it easier to track than most commonly used substances. Loid was always good with computers, tracking data at rapid speeds and hacking into systems that most regular people didn’t even know of. He was diving face first into secure chatlogs and databases deeper than the dark web. His eyes were trained on every piece of code and cyphered message, storing them into his own mind as he cross referenced every note.
There were plenty of disgusting things going on in the world, more than he’d ever admit he knew about. The mere concept of him possibly knowing was enough to get himself killed. That wasn’t an option.
Cross checking anyone online with those that had recently purchased or worked near halothane, he was able to find a few chatrooms. Loid deciphered a particular message, teeth biting the inside of his cheek.
M8B7: Twitrap complete.
B1R6: rx worked then?
M8B7: Feisty crew, but yeah.
B1R6: worth it for the value
M8B7: Meet at haven.
M8B7: ETA 11.
B1R6: kk
Two people. Two people, maybe more, behind their kidnapping. Loid’s chest felt tight and stricken with discomfort. The messages themselves felt fairly easy to understand, despite the slang used. RX was just jargon for halothane, the same way haven was likely their homebase.
But, Twitrap? These people knew him. Twilight had kept himself completely covered in every angle, meaning the only people who knew had to be from WISE. There was an absolute 0% chance that someone outside had figured him out without his own knowledge.
Loid was in full spy-mode, thinking every single detail through four times before making his next move. He started by setting a radius of anything an hour away from their home, hence the ETA given. He looked into less populated areas, specifically low foot traffic and abandoned buildings.
In the meantime, a system he had set up hours ago was completed, showcasing pictures of every security camera in the city that picked up the license plate between 8 and 11pm. The results were slim, but just enough to figure out an approximate route.
Asking WISE wouldn’t be a bad idea, but he didn’t want to risk them finding him incapable of continuing Operation Strix. He’d already lied to them about the case he was handling, not to mention falling for some random person imitating Nightfall.
Nightfall. She would help him without a single question. Loid sighed, tapping at his computer to set up a video call. The line didn’t manage one ring before she picked up, eyes dully looking at him through the screen.
“Dr. Forger,” She murmured in that cold, calculated voice.
Loid swallowed his pride, beginning to speak between words as they usually did. “Miss Frost. How are you doing this evening? (I need a favor if you have a moment.)”
“I’m doing just fine. (Anything.)”
“Good, good. I just wanted to follow up on our conversation earlier. (Don’t get WISE involved. I need a list of anyone who wasn’t working at HQ last night.)”
“Oh yes. Is this about the birdwatching event? (Surely. The list may be large, though.)”
“Yes. You said it’ll be this upcoming Friday? (Narrow it down to initials MB and BR. Fake or real names.)”
“That is correct. All of the details should have been on the email. (Of course. Anything else?)”
“Ah! The email. I must have forgotten. (That will be all.)”
“Well, I hope you have a nice day, then.”
“Thank you, Fiona,” He tightly nodded, ending the call.
₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚
Sometimes it baffled Loid how insanely quick Fiona was with her work. He had taught her everything she knew, and though he’d often get strict about sloppy work, it was impossible for him to work quite as fast as her. She had given him a composite list with more than enough information in less than 20 minutes.
Time flew off the wall, and Loid found himself cracking the entire case just short of 25 hours. Two coworkers from another district, Markus Bauer and Bernard Russo, had been developing the plan for months. Likely driven by anger and jealousy, they had kidnapped Loid’s family in an attempt to make him look incapable of doing his job. It would simply be his loss and their gain within the system.
So, in the dead of night, Loid found himself sneaking into an abandoned warehouse. He had left Bond at the house, purely out of fear that he may make even the tiniest sound. Loid had never faced off another spy from WISE, especially not in a context such as this. Nevertheless, he silently slipped in through the roof, acrobatically slithering through the vents along the ceiling.
It wasn’t long before he had spotted his family. Yor had been bound by thick metal chains against a concrete pillar, while Anya was tied with a thick rope to a metal chair in the center of the room. Yor’s head was slumped over with a little scratch on her forehead and a large gash on her bicep. Her legs seemed to be barely keeping her up, gravity and the chains doing most of the work for her. She was still wearing her usual day clothing, while Anya remained in her pajamas. Anya’s eyes were wide open, head swiveling around as if she was trying to find something.
Loid silently clambered downwards, sticking against walls and pipes like a spider. Once his feet hit the floor, he quietly removed his silencer from its holster. He hid behind a few cargo crates and took a meditative breath.
Get over there, now. No… These are other spies. Waltzing straight in could be a trap. But Anya looks so.. scared? Get yourself together. Think straight, feel later.
Anya’s eyes snapped over, locking onto her father.
How did she..?
“Stop!” Anya screamed. Loid’s senses went into a straight panic, eyes widening as he lifted his hand to make a shushing gesture toward her.
He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and he instinctively ducked, fortunately missing the swing of a baseball bat by a mere centimeter. Unfortunately, he caught a foot that jammed into the crook of his leg, knocking him to the floor. His hands didn’t leave the gun he held, immediately swinging to aim it at the attacker.
He flipped to lay at an upward angle, eyes finally meeting the man’s. He was shorter than Loid, no doubt, but he held a more stocky build. His face was uncovered, showcasing a plethora of scars and a pair of dark brown eyes. He had a patchy beard and mustache, and a short army-style haircut. “Are you Markus or Bernard?” Loid spat, attempting to regain the wind that had been knocked out of him.
The man just smiled back, clearly unphased by the weapon pointed at him. “Twilight,” He hummed. “Didn’t do your research?”
“You can see that–" A gun clicked to the back of his head, but his expression stayed the same. “I did. You two were actually pretty sloppy with your work once I figured out who you were.”
“You talk too much for a man with a gun to his head,” The other replied. His tone was dark with a very distinct Italian accent. Loid figured he must have been Russo with a voice like that.
“So, what’s the plan? Clearly you understand that WISE isn’t going to give your image much more attention after this. Was the real goal just to kill me?” Loid asked, voice more amused than anything. The two erupted into some heavy chuckles.
Markus cleared his throat. “No, no… We just want a little fun.”
The sound of a metal gun smacking the back of his skull was almost as unpleasant as the darkness that followed.
₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚
“Loid,” A voice called, distant and hazy. Loid couldn’t seem to unblur his vision, and his head ached sharply. He tugged weakly at his arms, finding that they were strapped behind him. A few more minutes must have passed before he heard the voice again, growing urgent. “Loid. Loid!”
His eyes finally managed to blink themselves clear, and he peered at his surroundings. He was tied to a pillar, just the same as Yor. Markus and Bernard were gone, and Yor was struggling against the metal chains. Her eyes looked watery, but her face showed a pure rage. “Yor?” He coughed, looking to his left to see his daughter. “Oh, Anya.”
Anya didn’t look even a little bit worried. “Hi, Papa,” She smiled. It was offputting.
“They didn’t hurt you, did they?” Loid asked, frowning. He could feel his legs tingling, and he assumed he must have been drugged. He didn’t feel the urge to struggle, knowing well that the chains were heavy enough to contain him in his weaker state.
Yor tugged again, the skin around her wound looking awfully swollen. “Anya was already asleep when Bond came in to bug me,” She explained, voice gravelly. “I was so confused why he was so worried, but then the vents started smoking. I tried to grab Anya and get out, but these two men barged in with gas masks… I’m so sorry. I tried to fight them off, but the gas was so strong–”
“It’s okay,” Loid replied, softly. He ran through his thoughts for a moment before continuing. “I just… I was worried sick. I’m glad that both of you are alive. Thank you for defending Anya.”
Yor swallowed thickly. “Loid,” She started again, sounding a little more serious. “The men… They said that you’re some sort of spy. Is… Is that true?”
Anya looked a little green as she listened to their thoughts.
They really just outed me like that? Even if they want revenge for something, that’s a terrible thing to so casually share with commoners. Operation Strix might have to be re-evaluated, or even terminated if my family knows what’s going on. What do I do? If I admit it, then our options are so slim to stay together. But denying might make me even more suspicious…
Loid couldn’t possibly be a spy, right? That must be some sort of fake story to make us report him. What do these men even want with Loid anyway? He’s just a psychiatrist… Unless he’s not. God, this is an awful dilemma. If poor Anya’s father turned out to be a spy… God, I’d just have to kill him for that! Betraying such a young and naive soul… I just need to get out of these chains.
“It’s not true,” Loid replied, calm and collected. “I’m so sorry that these men have stolen you and fed you misinformation. We just need to figure out how we can get out of here.”
Papa is a big liar.
“Papa? Anya chimed, light as a flute. “Um… The men aren’t going to kill us.”
“No, they won’t,” Loid reassured.
“No, I’m not asking you. I’m telling you.”
Yor paused, eyebrows furrowing. “How do you know that?” She asked softly.
Anya grew into a panic. “Uh! Ah! They were talking about it while you were sleeping, Mama!” She bluffed loudly. “They said they wanna sell us away instead!”
Both parents mulled over the information, breaking into their own thoughts and plans. Anya closed her eyes, trying not to let their overlapping thoughts make her more sick. Loid’s fingers fiddled around behind his back, quietly feeling the metal lock that secured his bondage.
His fingers slenderly fiddled with the lock, speaking calmly towards his family. “Have the men said anything else to either of you? Anything at all could be helpful right now.”
Yor groaned, head thumping. “I haven’t heard much of anything. These chains are held by a lock, though. If we could find the key, I’m sure we could make it out of here safely.”
Anya looked towards the warehouse door, only a second before Markus entered the room. He viewed the family like trophies, feet heavily pacing to stand in front of Loid. He cocked his head to the side, cracking a small smile. “Best of the best,” He chuckled. “How do you think WISE’ll take the news of your family’s demise? Think they’ll blame you? Punish you? Or will they just let you go?”
Loid blinked, eyes filled with disgust. He couldn’t speak so freely about it all with Yor and Anya present. “This is about us,” He began quietly, “Let the other two go.”
“You’re right, this is about us,” He agreed, one hand reaching to grab onto Loid’s chin. His grip was harsh and tight. “But sometimes we have to make sacrifices, hm? Besides, I can’t ruin your image if you’re the only one dead.”
Loid swallowed, mouth opening to retaliate, but Anya spoke up first. “Excuse me, Mister. Why do you keep the key in your left pocket?” She chirped.
Markus swung around, eyebrows furrowing. “What?”
Anya blinked widely, mouth blabbing words before she could even think them through. “I just think it’s silly that you keep the keys in your jeans instead of in another room.”
The man released Loid’s jaw, feet heavily planting themselves in front of the girl. He squatted down to her height and reached for his left pocket, pulling out the ring of keys. He peered between them and the girl, eyes calculating her accuracy. He leaned in a tiny bit, and Yor growled, “Don’t touch her.”
Markus turned his head to look at the mother, a grim smile plastering across his face. “Please,” He chuckled lowly. “I’m not a monster. Besides, that’s Bernard’s thing.”
How could she have possibly known that I keep the keys on me? These pants aren’t that tight, are they? Unless she was awake when we brought them here… No. She was dead weight.
Anya broke through his thoughts, yelling, “I’d like to go home now, please!”
Loid mentally facepalmed as Markus let out a loud laugh. His laughter was far from kind, coming out as a harsh and deeply unsettling thunder that rang in the warehouse. Eventually, he settled, taking a long breath and exhaling, “That was pretty good.”
Bernard entered the warehouse, yelling, “What the hell are you laughing so hard about in here?” His eyes landed on the key ring his partner was holding and a sour look crossed his face. “And what are you doing with those? Put them away before I kick your ass.”
Bauer groaned lightly, shoving the keys back into his left pocket. “Can’t I have a little fun? This girl’s got some freak sixth sense or something,” He chuckled, standing back up and heading towards the door. The slam of the metal echoed loudly in the warehouse, leaving the family alone once more.
Loid let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. His eyes were frantically searching the room for anything that he could use to pick the lock when his gaze fell on Yor. Her eyes looked dispassionately drained, face pale. He hated seeing her hurt more than anything. “Yor,” He called out softly. “Are you alright?”
She nodded slowly before shaking her head. “My legs,” She explained through gritted teeth. “I think they’re losing circulation.”
“Just hold on,” He grunted with sympathy. The warehouse had been mostly emptied out with the exception of a forklift and some wire spools. There truly wasn’t anything of use anywhere close, except for, “Anya.”
“Yes, Papa?” She beamed.
His eyes lit up, face remaining stoic as ever. “Is there any way you can get your hair pins to me?” Anya’s eyes looked upwards at her hairline as she gave him a confident nod. The girl tugged at her arms, but it was useless. “Try shaking them out. Be careful, though. Keep them in a spot where you can kick them over to me, okay?”
She nodded, deliberately thrashing her head from side to side until one of the hairpins landed in her lap. Her heart was beating in her throat with sheer adrenaline at such an important task. She tilted her hips upward, allowing the pin to drop to the floor. It bounced, landing behind her feet. The girl leaned forward to locate it, but it was out of her line of sight. Her bottom lip quivered slightly, eyes panicking. “Hey,” Yor soothed from across the room. “Take a breath. The pin is just behind your right foot. Take it slow and see if you can move it forward.”
Anya nodded and sucked down on her bottom lip as she focused, tilting her ankle as she slowly dragged her foot against the floor. The first two tries were unsuccessful, but the third time dragged the small metal clip back into her view. Her eyes lit up, glancing between her mother and father delightfully. Loid smiled as much as he could given the circumstances. “So… I just kick it to you, Papa?” She verified.
Loid nodded. “As strong as you can, Anya. Aim for my feet,” He encouraged.
The girl nodded, taking a brave breath before kicking the pin towards him with all of her might. In her head, that kick could have scored World Cup winning goals, and the clip could have soared through galaxies without ever fading in power.
In reality, the pin had slid about halfway across the room, not even close to her father’s reach. Loid grimaced, trying his best to keep his composure. “Ok,” He nodded, recalculating their odds of getting out. “You still have one more pin. Let’s try again.”
The second pin was easier to maneuver, but Anya found herself just as nervous as ever when her foot was lined up to kick again. Her eyes met Loid’s, bordering on tears. “Papa, what if I miss again?” She quietly asked with worry flooding her voice.
Loid smiled tightly, eyes sinking deeply into hers. “You won’t.”
Anya took another solace breath and kicked it with the tip of her foot, eyes staying open. She watched the pin spin across the concrete, whirling forward. Time seemed to slow in her mind as the pin came to a stop about half a foot away from Loid. She looked around for some sort of approval.
“Great job, Anya!” Yor quietly cheered, though her expression looked a bit sick. Loid nodded in agreement, sliding his weight down as much as he could as he forced his leg out to pull the pin towards him. He ripped off one of his shoes, gripping onto the pin with his toes as he awkwardly curled his leg upward, barely managing to get it to his hands.
He slid his shoe back on as his fingers quickly worked behind him, bending and jamming the pin into the lock until there was a soft click. Loid held onto the chains around him as they loosened, making sure there was no loud eruption of metal agains the concrete floors. He slid out of the bondage and peered down at the ruined hairpin. Loid quickly ran towards Anya, picking up her failed attempt of a pin before sliding it back into her hair. He looked between the two girls, then at the door. For a moment, he hesitated.
I don’t want to leave them, but I can’t let them see what I’m going to do to these men.
Loid began to head towards the door without another word. Yor’s eyes burned slightly, face contorting. “Loid,” She whispered, stopping him in his tracks. “Where are you going? Just unchain us and we can all go home.”
He pressed his hands into fists, shaking his head as he came up with a sugarcoated lie. “The pin I used broke in the lock. We can’t risk it with only one more pin… I need to find something else to assure we can all get out of here safely,” He explained.
Yor sighed, but her eyes held a fiery understanding. “Be safe,” She hushed, urging him to go quickly. Loid nodded, pressing a finger to his lips before turning and silently exiting the warehouse. Anya’s big eyes met Yor’s as her lips began to uncomfortably tremble. Yor tried her best to give Anya a smile, whispering, “It’s going to be okay. Your father is a smart man.”
₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚
Loid hadn’t planned for the fight to go on as long as it did, but it ended in an unfortunate amount of bloodshed. His face had been badly bruised, and he carried a fresh bullet wound on his left shoulder. Despite his usual attempts to conceal any and all harm that came to him, Loid found himself in a hazy state, holding tightly to his arm as he made his way back to the warehouse.
Bloodied keys in hand, Loid entered the stale smelling room with a half lidded smile. Yor’s face dropped the moment he entered. “Loid!” She yelled, leaning forward against the chains. “What happened to your arm?”
The blonde sighed, pacing over to her quickly. His fingers fiddled through each key until he found one that fit, quietly replying, “I said I would get us out of here safely.”
Yor’s legs had been numb from the drastic change in bloodflow, and she found herself falling face first towards the floor the second the chains began to loosen. Loid strongly grabbed onto one of her arms, pulling her back to him quickly. His shoulder ached, but he held her close until her legs could support her once more. His face felt all too close to hers, a silent shudder erupting up his spine. “Are you okay, Yor?” He asked in a mournful husk.
She could feel an immediate heat rising to his face. The throbbing of her wounds and aching limbs seemed to subside at the mere touch of his hand around her hip. “I…” She trailed off.
“Hey! You have to untie me too!” Anya shouted.
Loid’s eyes opened wide and he cautiously let go of Yor before heading towards the pink haired girl. He was quick to cut through the rope with a spare knife, frowning as he looked at the rugburned skin around her wrists. Yor joined their side, crouching down to envelop the girl in a hug.
“We should really get out of here,” Loid sighed, gripping his shoulder tensley as his feet redirected themselves towards the door.
“Wait,” Yor interrupted, staring him down meaningfully. Anya held Yor's leg, trying, and failing to suppress a long yawn. “What the men said about you being a spy–”
Loid shook his head, cutting her off. “It was nonsense,” He denied. “I think they must have been some sort of international agents that got tangled up and kidnapped the wrong family.”
The woman blinked, holding tensely to her daughter’s shoulders. “Loid, they knew our names.”
Think of something. Think of anything! C’mon, Twilight, you’re just standing here like a fool! Say something, say something…
Loid coughed out the frog in his throat. “We’re safe now. Isn’t that the most important thing?” He tried. Yor looked down at Anya and frowned, ruffling her hair through her fingers.
“Are we Loid?” She asked, gesturing to both hers and his wounds. “I… Listen. I have demons of my own, but I just need you to be honest with me.”
Honesty was the worst thing that Loid could fathom. In any and every universe, he was sure that he was born to be a liar until the day he died. It didn’t feel good. It never had. But the way that his family, fake or not, were looking at him made his gut feel uncomfortably disgusted with himself. He wouldn’t be able to tell them the truth. Not fully at least.
Not fully.
Loid sighed softly, balancing his mind and his mouth. He managed some unintelligible mutters, psyching himself up. “Okay… I’m not just a psychiatrist,” He nodded slowly. Anya’s face seemed to light up as she looked at him with her beautifully giant eyes. Loid took a large breath, feeling more vulnerable than he ever had. “I’m involved in a little bit of intelligence work. I’m not a spy, I’m just… trained.”
Yor’s eyes held nothing but a quiet understanding as she nodded. Her lips pressed into a smile. “If it makes you feel any better, I’m sure that I’ve been holding secrets much worse than that,” She chuckled, easing the tension.
His head cocked to the side, watching the way Anya was eagerly bouncing with a smile on her face. “Uh… What do you mean by that?” He asked cautiously.
Yor’s face returned to red, immediately regretting her own word choice. “I-I just… kinda… you know– I have a little more uh… self-defense training?” She backtracked. Loid didn’t seem to buy it, staring at her with a wary disbelief. “Ok! I… I just kind of do some gigs here and there.”
The woman seemed to tense at her confession, expecting an immediate bombarding of hate and antagonistic comments, but she was only met with the understanding looks of her family. Loid broke into a soft laugh, chuckling, “You know what? Sure.”
“Sure?”
“Sure,” He repeated, shrugging and holding back more laughter. “You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met, Yor. It’s no wonder you’d also do something like that on the side.”
Yor sunk to the floor, looking between both Anya and Loid with a confused expression. “So, that’s it? You just don’t mind?” She clarified, blinking rapidly. “Anya, you don’t hate me or anything?”
Anya hummed for a moment before murmuring, “Anya knew.”
Loid blinked. “What?”
Her lips pursed to a tiny dot as she awkwardly whispered, “Papa is a spy. Mama is an assassin. Anya is–”
“Wait!” Yor broke in, eyes going wide. “I didn’t say I was an assassin!”
“And I didn’t say I was a spy,” Loid confirmed, eyebrows furrowing.
Anya bit down on her lip while her small body swayed from side to side. She self soothed her anxiety, fingers knit together as she confessed, “Anya has brain powers. I… I hear what you think.”
The whole room seemed to silence as they each looked at one another, mentally running through each and every thought or suspicion that they had ever had. Loid found himself squeezing on his shoulder a little tighter, eyes glued to the dried blood around Yor’s gash.
“So,” Loid tittered back into the conversation. “A spy, an assassin, and a psychic?”
Anya nodded and Yor found herself falling into a quiet fit of laughter. The premise itself was incredulous. It wasn’t long before Loid joined her laughter and Anya also started up. The three sat in the dim warehouse, laughing like a crew of maniacs.
“Do Mama and Papa still love me?” Anya asked once the laughing fit died down.
Yor and Loid shared a sympathetic look, full of a newfound trust and love. “Of course we do,” Yor replied with a soft smile. She squatted down and ran her thumb over Anya’s cheek, eyes showcasing nothing but love and acceptance. Her eyes moved to look at her husband once more. “I’m sure that we’ll all need to talk things over and understand what this means going forward, but for now… We should really just get back home.”
Loid nodded in agreement, pacing over to pick up Anya. With his limp arm, he slowly reached down and held Yor's hand. She peered up at him, eyes still a little shaky with nerves. “You know something, Yor?” He smiled warmly. “I’m really am glad that I married you.”
₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚
Two weeks had passed, and Loid had taken a temporary leave of absence from Operation Strix. Handler was forgiving with his time off request once he had given her a fully detailed report on the abduction. WISE had helped restore the apartment and code all of his documentation within their system, assuring that he wouldn’t need to relocate. Staying at home to recover injuries and get his family back in order felt much nicer with the clear air.
Yor, on the other hand, refused to take a break. She returned to work promptly, apologizing each and everytime she came home even a few minutes late. The family’s connection only seemed to grow with the increase in honesty and trust, especially thanks to Anya’s urge to speak anything she mentally overheard.
“I’m home!” Yor sang softly as she entered the house. Anya and Bond were sitting on the couch, eyes vividly entranced by a new episode of Bondman. Loid paused his cooking to smile and wave at Yor. She smiled and paced towards him, leaning into him as he pressed a soft kiss on her forehead. “What’re you making?”
“Just stew,” He replied warmly, picking the spoon up for another stir. “How was your case?”
“Easy as ever,” She smiled before turning to hang up her coat.
Anya perked up, though her eyes remained fixated on the show. “Papa just thinked that he’s happy that he’s cooking tonight instead of Mama!” She shouted.
“Hey!” Loid scolded with a laugh. “What did we say about mind reading?”
“None in the house,” Anya sighed, toppling her body to lay on top of Bond’s. The dog let out a tired whine before settling back down with a huff. Yor paced over to sit with the girl and the dog, and Loid found himself genuinely smiling at the three.
There was no blood relation needed for him to know that the Forger family was his own.