Villains Rise

Chapter 17 -- Well played, Ace

Jonas' POV

"She's not coming back." I grit through my teeth as I slam the front door behind me. Ash looks up from a book she was reading. Her feet remain propped up on my living room table. Mason stares at me blankly.

"I told you that." Mason says.

I roll my eyes, wanting to punch my fist into a wall. I've never been this furious. The last time I remember being this angry was with Drake Evans when he tried to blackmail Della.

"She'll come back to us soon, Jonas. She'll realize she can't pretend to be a villain. It's not in her to be cruel and manipulative, even if it is a façade." Ash inserts her opinion. She immediately goes back to reading.

I huff, "So you two are literally going to sit around, waiting for her to give up? That's your plan?" I fume.

They look at each other with a worried glance before Ash answers, "Della can handle herself. And when she can't, she'll come back to us. You have to give her some time."

I bite my lip, "Did you know her kidnapper actually let her go? That she isn't being held against her will?"

Ash finally stands up, walks over to me, and places her hands on my shoulders, "Whatever is going on, we have to trust her. She thinks we don't believe in her; she thinks she has to prove herself in some weird way. If she believes Red Raven is still out there, do we really have any evidence against it?"

I close my eyes and sigh, "No, I guess not. She could be onto something. I just don't see why she insists on working with Owen and Drake."

Mason jumps up from his seat now, "Owen and who?"

I cross my arms over my chest, "Owen and Drake. You remember him?"

Mason nods his head, his eyes growing wide, "Why is she working with him? And who's the Owen guy?"

My eyebrows furrow in confusion, "I don't know! He was a jerk to her back in high school, you'd think she'd stay away. As for Owen, he looks a lot, and I mean a lot like Thomas."

Mason runs a hand through his hair, "I don't like what I'm hearing." Ash shakes her head.

"Well, what do you suppose we do, chief?" I ask, almost mocking him. Now he decides to get upset.

Mason looks straight in my eyes, "We're going in."

Ash pipes up, "In where?"

I concentrate on knowing what's on Mason's mind.

I smirk, "The Undergrounds."

***

Ash was in Mason's work out area at the back of his shack. She spent a lot of time there since Della left. At least it was a healthy coping mechanism, but I think she was doing it more to train for a battle she knew she'd have to face. Deep down, I know this fight isn't over yet either, I just don't think it's with Red Raven this time.

"Okay, so obviously I can't infiltrate The Undergrounds because they're aware I went rogue. But do you think a new suit could change my identity?"

I huff, "Mason, we don't have time to make a new suit."

He rolls his eyes, throwing his hands up in the air. For a moment I think he's going to flip the table and all of our playing cards are going to go everywhere. I'd rather not play 52 card pickup at a time like this.

"Well, captain, what do you suppose we do?" He turns the conversation back to me.

Ash barges in the kitchen area before I have a chance to respond. She's sweating buckets and she wipes her forehead with a towel. Mason stares at her with a slight smile. I haven't even been the third wheel for a whole week, and I'm already sick of it.