Chapter 452: Beg for mercy
Lucius stepped out of the taxi that dropped him at the seaport, where Tsar was rumored to be. He slipped a hand into the pocket of his black blazer, fingers brushing the concealed gun, then pulled out his phone to check the last message of Tsar’s location. After a quick glance, he slid it back into his trousers pocket and began his search.
The port was confusing, a labyrinth of containers, cranes, and shadowy passageways. Each turn seemed to stretch the distance between him and his target. Tsar was somewhere close but far too, and every passing second meant he was closer to escape.
Lucius quickened his pace, weaving through the zigzagging paths of the docks that all looked maddeningly alike.
Then, the sharp blare of a ship’s siren reverberated. Lucius stopped and finally realized from where that sound had come.
He heard the phone’s vibration in his pocket as he sprinted toward the massive cargo ship, its engines rumbling, preparing to depart. He yanked it out with one hand.
"Yes, Luca?" he panted.
"Lucius! Why the hell weren’t you answering?" Luca’s voice crackled through the line. "Tsar’s on a cargo, and it’s leaving in the next five minutes. If we miss this, he’s gone." In the background, Lucius could hear Luca barking at his driver to go faster.
"I’m already at the port," Lucius shot back, his eyes locked on the looming vessel. "I won’t lose him." He ended the call and pushed his body harder, legs burning as he drove himself forward.
Finally, the cargo ship came into his full view. His lungs ached, his muscles screamed, but he couldn’t stop. Then, heavy droplets of rain began to fall. Within seconds, the drizzle turned into a downpour, slicking the ground beneath his feet. The dock turned into a slippery path.
Through the sheets of rain, Lucius saw it, the entrance ramp of the cargo ship beginning to rise, slowly but steadily sealing off access. His pulse hammered. If he didn’t make it now, Tsar would vanish and it would take another long effort to catch him.
Lucius pushed his body to its limit, sprinting until the massive cargo ship loomed before him. With one final burst of strength, he lunged forward as his fingers the edge of the rising ramp.
"Ahh!" A cry tore from his throat as pain shot through his arms. Dockworkers nearby froze, staring in shock as Lucius hauled himself upward. Without hesitation, he scrambled across the metal and slid down the steep incline, slipping inside just before the ramp sealed shut behind him.
His palms slammed onto the ship’s metallic floor. He stayed there for a moment as he steadied himself. His hands were bruised, but he paid them no mind.
What mattered was hunting down Tsar.
After steadying himself, Lucius rose and moved forward cautiously. It wasn’t long before he climbed to the upper deck, where sky and sea were visible. For the briefest moment, it felt like standing on the edge of two worlds.
Then, he felt a rope shot around his neck from behind, tightening with brutal force. Lucius gagged, clawing at it, his body yanked backward.
"Dearest younger brother," Tsar’s mocking voice slithered into his ears. "We meet again."
Lucius strained to turn, but the rope bit deeper into his throat, holding him in place.
"I must say, you carry our father’s blood well," Tsar sneered. "You turn into a madman the moment you lose someone. Tell me how was my little surprise?"
Lucius could feel the sinister smile behind him, even if he couldn’t see it. Rage surged through him. With a sudden twist, he drove his elbow back hard, connecting with Tsar’s ribs.
"Urgh!" Tsar grunted, his grip on the rope loosening just enough. Lucius tore himself free, stumbling forward. In one swift motion, he reached inside his blazer and pulled out his gun, spinning around to face him.
"You shouldn’t have done that, Tsar," Lucius growled, raising the weapon with steady hands. His eyes burned with fury. "You dared to threaten my wife... without realizing what insanity it would awaken in me."
He saw his brother’s face clearly now. It was scarred half-burnt flesh, only accentuating the madness in his eyes.
But Tsar only smirked, utterly unfazed by the barrel aimed at him. "Insanity?" he mocked. "Shouldn’t you admit you lost yours the moment you buried that whore you called a mother?"
Lucius lost it right there. He hit the bullet right into Tsar’s chest, making him stumble. Because the gunshot happened at a time when the siren rang again, nobody could hear it.
"Watch your fucking mouth!" Lucius snarled.
Tsar wiped the blood from the corner of his lips, grinning through the pain. "Lucius... every morning you wake, you’ll see me in the mirror. Do you know why? Because you’re going to kill me. You used to tremble at the thought of raising a gun, yet here you are. Once you pull that trigger, you’ll be nothing more than a murderer. That will be your identity. Not even Layla will be able to drag you out of that darkness."
Lucius let out a harsh laugh, though his eyes burned with rage. "You can’t sway my mind. Beg for mercy. Beg for an apology."
"Apology?" Tsar spat, baring his teeth in a sinister smile. "Never. You betrayed your own blood. You killed our father, and now you’ll kill me. Don’t you dare call yourself human after today."
Tsar staggered but didn’t fall. Instead, he stepped closer, his eyes gleaming with malice. "I’ve prepared a nice gift for your wife. I only hope she’ll still be alive to open it."
Lucius’s grip on the gun faltered, a flicker of doubt breaking through his fury. "Don’t you dare spew nonsense," he warned.
Tsar tilted his head, smirk widening as his hand slipped discreetly behind his back. "Why would I lie when I’m staring at my own death? Your wife and that life growing inside her, they won’t make it. Your phone will ring soon, Lucius... and you’ll hear that they’re both gone."
Tsar’s fingers closed around the gun hidden in his waistband behind his back.