Rogue Nation

Blake stormed out of the room to clean himself up, leaving Krist amidst the chaos of wrappers, cartons, and jars. His eyes shifted to Ash, who was still sprawled in the trash heap. A mischievous grin spread across his face as a wild idea took root.

Reaching into his pocket, Krist pulled out his pocket baton, a sleek gadget designed for self-defense. It carried a mild electric charge capable of delivering a surprising jolt. Holding his phone in one hand to capture the moment, he carefully approached Ash. With the baton extended, he brought its tip gently to her neck.

A zap, a flash, and a yelp later, Ash shot up like a firecracker. Her body jerked, and she instinctively assumed a fighting stance, her eyes darting wildly.

Her confusion melted into recognition as she locked eyes with Krist. Her face turned beet red. "Krist!" she screeched. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Before he could answer, she bolted toward her room, slamming the door behind her.

Krist chuckled to himself, watching the video replay on his phone. He was still grinning when Delaney entered the room with two housekeepers in tow.

"Ladies," Delaney said with a wave, "please clean up this mess. Krist, follow me."

The butler didn't wait for a response, striding toward the elevator at the far corner of the room. Krist sighed but followed, his curiosity piqued.

Inside the elevator, Krist cleared his throat. "Delaney, my uncle didn't know I was coming, did he?"

Delaney smirked. "Yes and no."

Krist frowned. "How does that make sense?"

The elevator hummed as it ascended, but Delaney remained silent. When the doors opened, Krist stepped into an elegant rooftop bar. The city skyline sprawled in the distance, framed by the setting sun.

Delaney gestured to a plush chair. "Wait here. Your uncle will join you shortly."

"Wait," Krist said, narrowing his eyes. "You weren't sent to pick me up, were you?"

The butler sighed. "If I'm being honest, no. But after four days of dealing with your uncle and cousin's... 'chocolate escapades,' I was desperate. I thought your presence might snap them out of it."

Krist laughed. "Who would've thought all it'd take was a picture of Uncle Blake buried under wrappers to break his so-called 'break'?"

Delaney chuckled. "You've done more in an hour than I could in days. He was practically high on sugar. I told him you were coming, but I doubt he remembers anything from the past week."

"Wait, so he did know I was coming?" Krist asked, puzzled.

Delaney nodded. "Sort of. I told him. He even said to bring you in to join the 'fun.'"

Krist's laughter filled the rooftop. "He doesn't remember saying that, does he?"

"Not at all," Delaney replied, grinning. "But don't worry—we've got cameras to jog his memory."

A panicked voice cut through their laughter. "Cameras?!"

Krist and Delaney turned to see Blake, now freshly cleaned and dressed in a casual white shirt and pants. His face was a mix of alarm and dread.

"You only disabled the video feed in the second-floor living room," Delaney said, smirking. "The audio was still recording."

Blake groaned. "Damn it! I should've made Ash turn everything off. At least there aren't any pictures of me..."

Krist leaned back, his smirk widening.

Blake froze, his eyes narrowing. "Why are you smiling like that?"

"Just enjoying the view," Krist said innocently.

Blake lunged forward, snatching Krist's phone. Scrolling through the gallery, he found the damning photos and videos. He tried to delete them, but the files refused to budge.

"What the...?" Blake muttered, glaring at Krist. "What did you do?"

Krist crossed his arms, the picture of calm. "When I was in the elevator with Delaney, I backed everything up to my private drive. Even if you delete those, the originals are safe."

Blake's face turned ashen. "No. No, no, no. You have to delete them. Please, Krist. I'll do anything!"

Krist shrugged, feigning indifference. "I don't know... I kinda like these pictures. They're... memorable."

Blake groaned, running his hands through his hair. "Your dad cannot see these. If he finds out—" He stopped mid-sentence, realizing his slip.

Krist's eyes narrowed. "What was that about my dad?"

Blake paled, scrambling to backtrack. "I meant if your dad were here, he'd never let me live it down."

"Uh-huh," Krist said, unconvinced. "Uncle Blake, cut the crap. My parents aren't dead, are they?"

The question hung in the air, heavy with unspoken truths.

Blake looked away, his expression pained. "Krist, I don't know what you're talking about."

Krist stood, his gaze piercing. "Answer me. Yes or no."

After a long pause, Blake exhaled deeply. " Fine.you are 16 already so I think you should know, Yes, they're alive."

Krist's fists clenched. "And you've known this whole time?"

Blake nodded reluctantly.

Krist sank back into his chair, his mind racing. "I knew it," he muttered.

Blake sighed. "Look, I was going to tell you. There's... a reason they're in hiding. It's complicated."

"Then uncomplicate it," Krist snapped.

Blake hesitated, weighing his words. "It's not my story to tell. But... I can take you to them. If you're ready."

Krist's gaze hardened. "You don't get to decide that. I'm ready."

Krist leaned back on the plush leather couch, his face calm, but his eyes carried the sharp glint of a hawk about to swoop in on its prey. Across from him, Blake—a man known for his composure and charm—fidgeted, clearly unsettled. His usual confidence had crumbled, leaving behind a man cornered by the weight of his own secrets

Krist broke the silence. "You've known all this time, haven't you? About my parents. About where they are. You sat back and watched while I—" He paused, his fists clenching. "While I believed they were dead."

Blake avoided his gaze, his hands gripping the edge of the bar counter. "Krist, it's not that simple—"

"Cut the crap, Uncle." Krist's voice was cold, his patience stretched thin. "You owe me the truth. Everything. Now."

Blake sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "Alright," he said, his voice quieter now, almost defeated. "Your parents...they're alive. But their situation is complicated, and I've been protecting you—"

Protecting me?" Krist scoffed, rising from the couch. "From what? The truth? From my own family?" He took a step closer to Blake, his baton still tucked away but ready in his pocket, a silent reminder of the lengths he was willing to go.

Blake finally met Krist's eyes, and for the first time, there was no trace of his usual playful demeanor. Instead, there was a weight—a guilt that had been buried for years. "Your parents are in hiding, Krist. They had no choice. The enemies they made…they're the kind of people who won't stop until they destroy everything in their path."

Krist's brows furrowed. "Enemies? What kind of enemies?"

Blake hesitated. He poured himself a glass of whiskey from the bar, downing it in one go before answering. "Powerful ones. People who don't just play dirty—they rewrite the rules of the game. Your father, your mother…they stumbled onto something, Krist. Something they weren't supposed to know. And now they're paying the price."

Krist's mind raced. "You're saying they're in danger? That they've been running all this time?"

Blake nodded. "Yes. And not just them—you too. If those people find out you're alive, they'll come for you without hesitation most of them want you because of your talent while a certain want you dead so the family head will be given to them. That's why they left you with me, why I told you they were gone. It was the only way to keep you safe."

you may not know this but we are not from here Blake say to krist

Krist's heart pounded in his chest. His entire world felt like it was tilting on its axis. For years, he'd lived under the assumption that his parents had died in a tragic accident. Now, the truth was unraveling before him, darker and more complex than he could have imagined.

"Where are they?" Krist demanded, his voice firm.

Blake poured himself another drink but didn't lift it to his lips. Instead, he stared at the amber liquid, lost in thought. "I can't tell you."

"Why not?"