The mansion was dark when he got back. None of his men remained. Varys' deep scowl only
increased. Every step he took the worry inside him just continued to grow. How had things gotten this
corrupted in his organization? He had more men than Ethan, so why was it full of more traitors?
"Varys?" whispered a voice up ahead. "Is that you?" he recognized the voice, but he was in
considerably worse shape than when he'd left him.
Varys rounded the corner to go down the stairs to where Hope was being kept safe and stared down at
Max. The man was holding his sides as he panted. His eyes were wild and the sweat trickled from him
non-stop. "Max, where's Hope?"
"Your doctor took her," Max panted. "They left me for dead, I've been trying to follow them, but my
progress has been slow, to say the least." He coughed and his whole body shuddered from the action.
"I don't have a doctor," Varys growled. "How many was it?"
Max peered at him hard. "Are you by yourself?"
"Ethan bought off my entire family, except for Marco, and he didn't make it." Varys glanced away. He
didn't like admitting that part. "Who was with this fake doctor? How many men are we tracking?"
Max leaned against the wall, his forehead pressed against the cold brick. "I only saw the doctor and
that guard with the fucked up hands. They forced her to go with them, or they were going to shoot me."
Varys's rage started in his toes. They clenched and as it rose through his body his own skin deepened
in color. "Why are you alive?" he ground out.
"They left me for dead," Max panted. "But I'm not going to let them take her."
"Looks like you already did that." Varys pointed out. "We need to hurry. You stay here, you're in no
shape to come with me."
"Go ahead, I'll limp after. I'm not stopping, not until Hope is safe. Those fucking bastards poisoned me,
before I die, I'll get her back to you."
"Whatever," Varys turned his back on him and looked up and down the hallways. "I came from that way,
and you came from down there. There are two paths left. You take the left, and I'll go for the right."
"Wait." Max stared at the ground before shaking his head and pointing. "Isn't that Hope's?"
Varys leaned down and picked up the strands. Too soft and beautiful to belong to the maids, which he
assumed to be traitors as well. He'd get rid of everyone that was left in this cesspit, the entire group.
"Yes." Her hair, but why was it here?
"She might have pulled it out herself." Max sighed. "She's got faith in you."
Those words made the rage inside him die out, instead to be replaced with the unmistakable warmth
she kindled in him by just being near. "I won't let her down." Letting this friend of hers die would
probably be part of that. "Here, take my phone, call this number, that's my personal doctor. I don't need
you getting in my way. I'm going to follow this trail and get Hope back."
Max glanced from the phone to Varys. "Are you sure about this?"
"Positive," Varys took his lock off and dialed the number himself. "There, talk to him, tell him what
happened, I'm getting Hope."
He didn't turn back as he jogged down the hall. He didn't have time to waste. Who knew what they
would do to his Hope. He got to another intersection, and just in the way was another small strand of
hair. She was leaving him a trail.
They would pay for forcing her to this extreme. And he'd pay too forever leaving her in such danger. As
he jogged down this tunnel he heard voices at the far end echoing.
"Where are all the cars?" barked a voice that Varys couldn't place.
"Looks like the others went to celebrate too early. Bunch of dumbasses, I told them to standby. No
matter, my car isn't parked with the others, we'll have to walk a bit but we'll make it. But don't worry, we
have such a cooperative prisoner, don't we?"
A whimper echoed and a sheen of red filled Varys vision. He knew that voice better than he knew his
own. That was his Hope. What were the bastards daring to do to her? He softened his steps as he
continued to approach step by step. He wouldn't let them catch him, but he wasn't about to stop the
chase yet. If he could hear them, it was only a matter of time until he saw them.
"Please, I did what you want. Why do you have to do this? Ethan is dead!"
"As you've screamed at me before, and as I've told you, I don't give a damn he's dead. You're still his
wife, and you're still going to be joining him."
"Please! NO!" Hope's scream echoed down the hall before a choked sob and whimpers of pain
followed it.
Varys reached for his gun. He wasn't about to mess around. As soon as he got sight of the assholes,
he'd disable them, and then the torture would come. Hell, maybe that would be how he ultimately
decided who was worthy enough to be in his family. There would be no room for traitors or softness.
Except for Hope.
Varys got to the end of the hall but there was no hair for him to find this time. Instead, he saw the backs
of the men as they opened the door. It was a moment of distraction, and all Varys needed. He aimed
and his finger curved around the trigger before gently squeezing. Hope was being tortured by the other
asshole, but at least it would reduce his troubles to one.
The doctor's body fell with a thump and Hope was shaken before the monster grabbed her by her hair
and used her for a shield. "You're going to let me out of here, or I'm going to fucking shoot her in the
face. She won't be so pretty then."
Varys snorted but held his aim.
"Drop it," the asshole barked.
"I'm not stupid," Varys countered. "You let her go, and I'll let you live, for two minutes. You try to hurt
her, I'll make your entire life agony."
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