The Family (IV)

21: Know No Peace

HARGEON BRIDGE

There he stood.

His black coat draping over his suit.

Cold onyx orbs were fixed on the glowing moon's reflection on the river below the bridge.

Only the light of the moon made the figures of the earth visible.

There was no one else but he in that silent place, even birds and butterflies never dared to lurk. Not when the night was spine-chilling and the darkness was eerie.

Then light footsteps came walking towards him.

The steps of the person he was waiting for.

"Have I kept you waiting?" Invel spoke with a pleasant smile on his face as he stopped beside the Don.

But his presence was not acknowledged as Natsu kept staring at the tranquil river down below. Not a single glance.

"You have summoned me here, is there someone you want me to kill?" he spoke again.

And again, he received nothing but silence.

Invel fixed his eyeglasses as he let out a troubled sigh, making sure the Don heard it.

"I believe you're still mourning after the death of little Lucas," he continued in a pained tone, "My sincerest condolen-"

"He's alive," Natsu cut him off. The sound of his boy's name being called out by the traitor greatly added fuel to his fire. But his face did not reveal it, not yet.

Hearing the unexpected news, Invel's eyes showed obvious shock. How unexpected indeed.

"Th-That's a wonderful news!" he mustered a smile that was too good to be true, "I honestly thought he-"

"Enough with the pointless act...," Natsu cut him off again, "...Traitor."

This time, he turned his head to the side to look at Invel, his orbs still cold and void of any motion.

There was silence after that.

With such a display of gesture, Invel knew that the conversation was leading to something that wasn't what he had come for. Not what he had in mind.

"Don, I don't understand-"

"That's bullshit."

And that was when Invel realized there was no point in playing innocent anymore.

Figuring that there was no way out of it, he twisted his arm in a sudden movement in the attempt to reach for his gun tucked on his lower back.

But the Don stopped him. He had everything planned all along.

"Don't bother," Natsu sounded unfazed, "I already have someone pointing a gun at you right now. Make a move and a bullet will go straight through that scheming brain of yours."

Invel paused.

Seconds passed by as he thought it through, dropping his hands at his sides in defeat afterwards.

Then he started laughing.

Laughing at his own fate that told him it was game over.

"Alright. You got me," he admitted with a smirk on his face, "Congratulations."

Natsu turned his entire body to face him, finally getting the confession he was waiting for.

"And here I thought you came to meet me alone. How foolish of me," Invel continued with a mocking hurt look on his face.