Chapter 367: I Have No Sympathy

Angel Trigger stared at his phone with trembling hands while West remained seated calmly.

Angel Trigger slowly raised his head and his eyes met West’s.

For the first time since they had met, there was no amusement in his expression.

West smiled. "Now you understand how it feels."

Angel Trigger’s fists clenched. "You..."

West stood. "You came after Aria."

He took one step closer. "You took Liz."

"You dragged my people into this because you wanted revenge for your brother."

His eyes hardened. "So I decided to give you a taste of the same medicine."

Angel Trigger’s body trembled with rage. "You bastard."

West shrugged. "You started this."

"You threw my brother off a building!"

"Your brother tried to force himself on a woman after she refused to sabotage me."

West’s voice became colder. "He got what he deserved."

Angel Trigger’s aura began to rise causing several people in the club to immediately back away.

His guards became nervous. "Sir..."

Angel Trigger ignored them. "You think taking my mother changes anything?"

"No."

West smiled. "It changes the equation."

He pointed toward Angel Trigger. "You have something I want."

Angel Trigger’s eyes narrowed. "Aria and Liz."

"Exactly."

West lowered his hand. "You give them back."

"And my mother?"

"She goes home."

Angel Trigger stared at him. "And if I refuse?"

West’s smile disappeared. "Then we both lose important people."

The silence between them became suffocating while Angel Trigger slowly looked around the club before looking back at West. "You really think you can threaten me?"

West’s eyes glowed faintly as he stepped closer. "This isn’t a threat. Its a negotiation."

Angel Trigger’s aura continued to rise but West met it with his.

The floor beneath their feet creaked and every living being in the building could feel suffocating pressure from the two powerful awakeners.

The club’s patrons began fleeing, abandoning tables and causing drinks to spill across the floor.

The guards positioned themselves around Angel Trigger but West didn’t even glance at them.

His attention remained locked on Angel Trigger. "Bring Aria and Liz back."

Angel Trigger clenched his fist as the confrontation inside the luxurious club reached a strange stalemate.

---

Earlier That Day...

West stood inside his office with Jax across from him with the file containing Angel Trigger’s information remained open on the desk.

West tapped his finger against the photograph. "Jax."

"Yeah?"

"We have no option but to fight dirty."

Jax’s expression hardened as West continued.

"He’s already taken Aria and Liz. He’s made it clear that he’s willing to go after people around me."

Jax understood immediately. "So..."

"We take someone important to him."

There was a brief silence before West looked directly at him.

"His mother."

Jax’s eyebrows rose. "You want us to abduct his mother?"

"I do."

Jax stared at West for several seconds.

It wasn’t that he had never participated in immoral activity. Shadow Reapers was a gang after all. They weren’t saints.

They operated outside the law when necessary... but kidnapping someone’s mother was another level.

West seemed to understand the hesitation. "Jax, I know this isn’t something we’ve done before."

Jax remained silent as he continued.

"But look at what we’re dealing with."

West gestured toward the file. "Aria is missing. Liz is missing. We have no idea what they’re doing to either of them. And the person responsible isn’t going to stop just because we ask nicely."

Jax clenched his fist as West’s voice became colder. "If we want them back, we need leverage."

He paused briefly before adding. "And unfortunately, his mother is the strongest leverage we have."

Jax looked down and for a few seconds, he said nothing.

Then he sighed. "We’re gangsters."

West raised an eyebrow as Jax continued. "People like us don’t get to pretend we’re clean."

He looked back at West. "If we start worrying about keeping our hands spotless while our people are being taken, we’re going to lose them."

West nodded. "Exactly."

Jax straightened. "How many?"

"Enough to handle the situation, but not enough to draw unnecessary attention."

Jax nodded. "I’ll choose them."

West looked at him."That’s why I’m putting you in charge."

Jax blinked. "Me?"

"You’re capable. You can think under pressure, and I trust you."

Jax gave a small smile. "That’s a lot of responsibility."

"Then don’t screw it up."

Jax laughed. "Yeah, yeah."

He turned toward the door. "Consider it done."

---

Several hours later, Jax stood outside a residence in another part of the city.

A handful of Shadow Reapers members waited nearby, dressed inconspicuously.

They weren’t wearing gang colors or carrying obvious weapons or anything that would immediately identify them.

Jax looked toward the house. "Remember, we’re taking her alive. Nobody hurts her unless absolutely necessary."

One of the men nodded. "Understood."

Jax glanced at his phone for a second, seeing that West had already given him the green light.

"Let’s move."

The operation began and as expected, there was resistance.

The woman’s private security attempted to intervene, forcing the Shadow Reapers members to fight their way through.

Fortunately, most of them were regular humans.

One of the attackers suddenly multiplied causing Jax’s eyes widened. "The Multiplier."

Several identical figures appeared around them, making the situation chaotic.

"Don’t let them separate her!"

The Shadow Reapers members pushed forward but the Multiplier’s replicas swarmed them.

Jax fought through two, then three, then four copies while another member was thrown across the driveway.

"Move!"

Jax reached the woman and grabbed her before another replica could intercept.

Just as they swarmed towards him, he yelled. "Up!"

Every Shadow Reaper in the surroundings jumped upwards while Jax stomped his right foot onto the ground.

A carpet of ice suddenly swept across the vicinity from his position, completely covering all the replicas in frost.

The Multiplier clones were instantly frozen, left unable to move.

"We’re leaving!" Jax dropped Angel Trigger’s mother who he was holding up.

She struggled. "Let me go!"

Jax tightened his grip. "I’m sorry."

He looked at his team before instructing them. "Vehicle!"

They fought their way through the blockade outside of the residence and wventually, they got the woman into the vehicle.

Jax climbed in behind her. "Drive!"

And then, the vehicle sped away.

---

Back to the present...

Angel Trigger expression had darkened considerably.

West phone vibrated and he looked at the screen.

~ Jax ~

West answered. "Listening..."

Jax’s voice came through. "We have her."

West’s lips curved slightly. "Good."

"Although..."

West’s expression changed. "Although what?"

"We ran into the Multiplier and a few others trying to protect her."

West’s eyes narrowed. "And?"

"We took her nonetheless. We’re on our way back to base now."

West smiled. "Good work."

After West ended the call, Angel Trigger slowly lowered his phone and then, surprisingly, he began applauding.

Clap~

Clap~

Clap~

"I’ve gotta give it to you."

West looked at him.

"For a kid who’s been awakened for less than a year..."

Angel Trigger shook his head. "You truly are something."

West shrugged. "Well, what can I say?"

He leaned back. "I can only improve when douchebags like yourself keep coming after me."

Angel Trigger’s smile faded. "You expected me to do nothing when you came after my brother first."

West’s voice hardened. "You are well aware of what he did. For scum like that, I have no sympathy."

Angel Trigger paused and for the first time, there was a genuine moment of uncertainty in his expression.

He looked away before slowly rubbing his hair while a small smile returned to his face. "Ah..."

He sighed. "Well, he’s still family."

His eyes returned to West. "So I have no choice but to make you pay."

West stared at him incredulously. "You’re still saying that?"

He laughed twice. "I have your mother now."

West leaned forward. "If you ever want any chance of seeing her again, release Aria and Liz."

Angel Trigger stared at him but unlike before, the troubled look was missing.

A faint smirk appeared on his face. "Are you sure about that?"

West’s eyebrows lowered as Angel Trigger leaned back. "Do you truly have her?"

West frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Angel Trigger raised one hand before snapping.

Even after his fingers clicked, nothing happened.

West stared at him, blinking in confoundment. "Are you just trying to be dramatic?"

Angel Trigger didn’t respond but in the next moment, West’s phone suddenly began ringing.

His eyebrows furrowed as he looked at the screen.

~ Jax ~

Something instantly felt wrong.

"Jax?" He called out after answering the call but there was only silence for a second.

"She’s gone!" Jax’s troubled finally voice came through.

West’s expression changed. "What?"

"She’s gone!"

"Who is gone?"

"Angel Trigger’s mother!"

West immediately stood. "What?!"

"She was right here! We were driving her back to base and then—"

Jax’s voice became frantic. "She just disappeared!"

West stared at Angel Trigger. "How?"

"I don’t know!"

West’s eyes narrowed. "Tell me exactly what happened."

---

One Minute Earlier, the vehicle sped through the city.

Jax sat beside Angel Trigger’s mother while two Shadow Reapers members occupied the front and another followed behind in a separate vehicle.