Chapter 360: I Simply Want To Watch You Burn

Eventually everyone entered the headquarters and the familiar modern lobby greeted him.

Several members welcomed him again as they passed.

West gestured toward the lounge. "You guys can rest here for now."

"There are drinks."

"Food."

"Television."

"I’ll have someone arrange your rooms shortly."

Robin nodded. "Okay."

West looked around. "Where’s Aria?"

He frowned because normally, Aria would already be standing here with several reports in hand. In fact, she would have been at the airport waiting. But he chalked it up to her being busy with the workload he left her.

Jax scratched his head. "Oh."

"She’s not here today."

West eyebrows furrowed slightly. "...Today?"

"Yeah."

West frowned deeper. "What about yesterday?"

Jax shrugged. "Same thing."

"I figured she was finally taking a vacation."

He dramatically rubbed his shoulders. "And dumping all the work on me."

"My poor back..."

West looked into space thoughtfully. Aria wasn’t the type to miss work without informing him.

He immediately headed toward his office and met it empty. Afterwards, he headed straight to Aria’s office.

The lights were off but her desk remained perfectly organized.

There was no fresh coffee, open laptop, paperwork or nothing.

West slowly pulled out his phone and dialed her number.

The same automated response answered every attempt.

The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable...

West expression gradually hardened as he lowered the phone.

"...This isn’t like her."

He turned toward Jax. "Watch the kids."

Jax immediately nodded. "No problem."

West began walking toward the exit. "I’m going to her apartment."

...

...

The ride from Shadow Reapers headquarters to Aria’s apartment took less than fifteen minutes.

West spent every second of it dialing her number again and again but every call ended the same way.

~ The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable ~

His eyes narrowed. Aria was organized, reliable and annoyingly punctual.... she was the type of person who sent reminders about reminders...

If she ever needed a day off, she’d notify him well in advance and still leave behind an itinerary detailed enough to run the organization without her.

Vanishing for two straight days was technically impossible.

The car pulled into the underground parking garage of an upscale residential complex.

The tall building above glittered from the glow of the afternoon sun.

This was one of the safest residential buildings in Misty High City with luxury apartments, private security and controlled access.

West stepped out before the driver had fully parked. "Wait here."

"Yes, Gang Leader."

---

Upon entry, the lobby receptionist immediately recognized him. "Mr... Mr. Einstein?"

West barely slowed. "Heading to the twenty-sixth floor..."

He disappeared into the elevator very swiftly, leaving behind a number of unanswered questions.

Ding!

After long agonizing seconds, the doors opened.

West walked briskly down the pristine hallway until he stopped outside Apartment 2608.

He knocked three times but there was no response.

He knocked again harder. "Aria."

Only silence greeted him. His senses instinctively expanded and from within, he couldn’t feel footsteps, breathing, heartbeat or even television turned on...

The apartment was empty.

West frowned, staring at the closed door for several moments before slowly turning around.

"CCTV..."

---

The building’s security office occupied the first floor with several guards monitoring dozens of surveillance screens.

Kor~

Kor~

Kor~

One security officer looked up. "Can we help yo—"

His eyes widened the moment he spotted West walking straight toward the monitor station. "West Einstein?"

"I need access to the hallway cameras outside Apartment 2608."

One of the older guards immediately stood. "I’m sorry, sir, but that’s restricted footage."

West stopped walking and the room suddenly became unnaturally quiet.

The younger guard beside him immediately whispered, "...Do you know who that is?"

The older man frowned. "So what?"

"I still have procedures—"

The younger guard’s face turned pale. "Dude..."

"That’s West Einstein."

"...Leader of Shadow Reapers."

The older guard expression immediately changed upon hearing the name of a gang. Which meant the person before him was an awakened.

"...Ah," he looked back toward West. "I..."

"I’m terribly sorry."

"I didn’t realize—"

For a split second he genuinely believed he had just signed his own death warrant.

Stories about awakened were terrifying enough... stories about gang leaders were even worse...

West merely sighed. "I’m not here to cause problems."

"Move aside."

The guard blinked. "...That’s... all?"

"Yes," the man hurriedly vacated the chair. "O-Of course!"

West sat before the surveillance system. "Show me the hallway outside Apartment 2608."

The footage appeared and then he rewound two days before increasing playback speed dramatically.

To the guards, the footage became little more than an incomprehensible blur.

People darted past faster than the eye could follow as hours disappeared every few seconds.

But West’s enhanced perception processed everything effortlessly, scanning through morning, afternoon, evening and night.

The guards exchanged stunned looks. "...He’s actually watching that?"

"...How?"

"He isn’t missing anything..."

West continued scanning, looking for something out of the ordinary until... his eyes suddenly narrowed.

"Pause."

The younger guard immediately stopped playback.

The hallway appeared on screen and standing outside Aria’s apartment was a man.

He wore a long dark coat with gloves, a face mask and a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes.

His features were almost completely hidden.

West leaned forward. "Replay."

The footage rolled, displaying the mysterious figure standing perfectly still for several seconds.

Slowly... he turned his head, directly toward the CCTV camera.

A smile seemed to form beneath the mask as he raised one hand and waved.

The security guards felt chills run down their spines. "...Did..."

"...Did he just wave at the camera?"

The figure then casually walked toward Aria’s apartment and entered after unlocking the door.

The hallway became empty afterwards.

Five minutes became ten and ten became thirty... but still no one came out.

After about two hours, West finally stood. "I’ve seen enough."

He left the security room without another word.

The guards looked at one another. "What... exactly is happening?"

"No idea."

"But whoever that guy is..."

"...I don’t think I’d want West Einstein looking for me."

---

West returned to the twenty-sixth floor but this time, he didn’t bother knocking.

Crack~

The moment he rested his hand on the doorknob, the reinforced lock shattered beneath his grip.

The door slowly swung inward and he stepped in.

The apartment was immaculate with everything neatly arranged.

Nothing appeared stolen or overturned.

At first glance, it looked as though Aria had simply stepped out for groceries but West noticed details.

A mug still sat on the coffee table, completely dry.

A notebook remained open beside her laptop and one slipper lay near the sofa while the other remained near the bedroom entrance.

She hadn’t left willingly...

His gaze slowly swept across the room and he noticed more.

The curtains near the balcony were shifted and the balcony door was still partially open.

West approached carefully as breeze drifted inside.

The balcony overlooked the city skyline but usually it would be closed at night or whenever Aria stepped out. The fact that it wasn’t, suggested that whoever came in here, might have left through here.

As West turned back, something caught his eye.

A single folded sheet of paper rested neatly upon the dining table, almost as though someone had deliberately wanted him to find it.

West picked it up and unfolded it.

> I’ve been waiting for your return.

His expression darkened as his eyes moved across the page.

> I’m glad you’re back.

> And if you’re wondering whether your assistant has been taken...

> You’re right.

His fingers slowly tightened around the paper.

> She has.

Every muscle in his body became rigid as he stared at the final lines which were written almost playfully.

> As for what I want?

> Hmm...

> I simply want to watch you burn.

> Your assistant is merely the beginning.

At the bottom was a phone number... and beneath it... one final sentence remained.

> If you want any chance of getting her back, call and be prepared to follow my every demand.

Crack~

The note crumpled inside his fist and his knuckles whitened as he tightened subconsciously.

A cold, murderous aura spread through the apartment.

"...Fuck," the word escaped through clenched teeth.

It looked like leaving the city had given this person the chance to orchestrate this deed.

West slowly pulled out his phone and typed out the number written on the note.

His expression contained no form of panic... only iciness.

"Whoever you are..." he muttered quietly. "...You’ve made the biggest mistake of your life."

...

...

West returned to Shadow Reapers headquarters with a completely different expression than the one he had left with.

The usual relaxed confidence was gone. There was no teasing smile or playful remark or even casual greeting to the members who passed him in the hallway.

He walked straight into the main command room.

Jax was there, along with several members.

The moment they saw West’s face, the room went silent.

Jax straightened. "Bro?"

West stopped at the center of the room. "Aria has been taken."

The words immediately changed the atmosphere.

Jax’s expression dropped. "What?"