Chapter 374: An Exchange?

They stopped outside another ward and West immediately pushed the door open.

Inside, a patient lay unconscious with thin body and pale skin.

Medical equipment surrounded the bed as a monitor beeped rhythmically beside them.

Angel Trigger glanced toward the patient. "Who is this?"

"Someone who suffered grievous injuries," West walked toward the bed. "They’ve been unconscious for weeks."

Angel Trigger crossed his arms. "And?"

West looked back at him. "You said there was no way to heal injuries like your brother’s."

"I said the available methods have limits."

"Exactly."

West reached toward the empty air and Angel Trigger watched as a ripple appeared.

In the next instant, a transparent bottle materialized in West’s hand.

Angel Trigger’s eyes immediately widened. ’Where the hell did he get that from?’

Inside the bottle was a glowing crimson liquid.

Angel Trigger stared at it. "What the hell is that?"

Without answering, West unscrewed the cap and almost immediately a faint scent of something strange filled the room.

Angel Trigger watched as West carefully tilted the patient’s head and poured a small portion of the crimson liquid into their mouth.

For several seconds... nothing happened.

Angel Trigger scoffed. "I knew this was—"

Before he could complete his statement, the patient’s fingers twitched.

Angel Trigger paused and slowly turned his head to stare at the monitor beside the bed which had began to change.

The heartbeat became stronger and the patient’s chest rose.

Suddenly... cracks and bruises across their skin began to fade.

Angel Trigger’s eyes widened as color returned to the patient’s face and their damaged body began repairing itself before his very eyes.

Muscles tightened, wounds closed and the weak heartbeat became steady.

"What..." Angel Trigger stepped closer. "How? No fucking way..."

The patient suddenly gasped and their eyes shot open.

For three weeks, they had remained unconscious and now they were awake.

The room fell silent while West slowly screwed the cap back onto the bottle before turning towards Angel Trigger.

Angel Trigger remained rooted in place, staring at the recovered patient as though reality itself had betrayed him.

"How..." he whisperd once more.

West stayed silent until Angel Trigger finally turned.

His eyes dropped to the bottle before shifting back to West.

"How the hell do you have something like that?"

West held the transparent bottle loosely in his hand with the crimson liquid shimmering within.

The recovered patient had barely finished taking their first confused breaths when Angel Trigger moved.

His hand shot toward West. "Give it to me."

West calmly stepped back and then, the transparent bottle disappeared from his hand.

Angel Trigger eyebrows furrowed in confusion. ’How is he doing that?’

"What did you just do?"

West shrugged. "Put it away."

"Bring it back."

"No."

A dangerous silence filled the hospital room.

The guards behind Angel Trigger immediately became tense afterwitnessimg what the crimson liquid could do. They had watched a person who had supposedly spent three weeks in a coma recover before their eyes...

And judging from Angel Trigger’s expression, he wanted that bottle more than anything.

His fists slowly tightened. "West."

The young Shadow Reapers leader looked at him as Angel Trigger took a step closer. "Give me the elixir."

West’s expression didn’t change while Angel Trigger’s voice dropped. "Or those two women die."

West simply stared at him before laughing.

Angel Trigger frowned. "You think I’m joking?"

"No," West shook his head. "I know exactly how serious you are."

His eyes hardened. "But you’re forgetting something."

West took a step toward him. "If Aria and Liz die..."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop. "...you will never get that elixir."

Angel Trigger hesitated while West continued. "And if you kill them, I’ll also have nothing left to negotiate for."

His eyes began to glow faintly. "If that happens, you won’t be dealing with the West Einstein you’ve been playing around with for the past two weeks."

Angel Trigger stared at him.

"You’ll be dealing with someone who has nothing left to lose."

West pointed toward the floor. "And you won’t just have me to worry about."

His voice became colder. "You’ll have every single member of Shadow Reapers."

Angel Trigger’s expression darkened as West added. "You’ve seen what I’m capable of alone."

He smiled slightly. "Imagine what happens when I actually decide to come after you with an entire organization behind me."

For several seconds, Angel Trigger said nothing because he realized he had once more underestimated West... if he wanted that elixir, he’d have no choice but to listen.

Angel Trigger slowly exhaled while West folded his arms. "So here’s how it’s going to be."

"An exchange," West’s voiced firmly. "You get the elixir."

His gaze sharpened. "And I get my girls."

Angel Trigger immediately frowned. "You expect me to just hand them over?"

"Yes."

"What stops you from disappearing after they’re released?"

West smiled. "What stops you from killing them after I hand you the elixir?"

They stared at each other without answering.

Angel Trigger wanted the bottle... je wanted his brother healed... but giving up Aria and Liz meant losing his greatest leverage.

Finally, Angel Trigger looked away. "Fine."

West raised an eyebrow. "Fine?"

"Don’t make me repeat myself."

A faint smirk appeared on West’s face as Angel Trigger glared at him. "We’ll make the exchange."

...

...

Arrangements were made quickly and since both sides didn’t trust the other, neither West nor Angel Trigger would personally participate in the actual exchange.

It would take place back in Misty High City on a neutral stretch of road on the outskirts of the city.

The location was wide and open with a little traffic.

There were no buildings close enough for someone to easily hide nearby.

On one side would be Angel Trigger’s people while the other would be Shadow Reapers.

Jax had been placed in charge of the exchange.

When West called him to explain the situation, he was ecstatic. "Finally."

West blinked. "Finally?"

"Bro, you have no idea how tired everybody is of this whole situation."

West almost laughed. "Bring Aria and Liz back. That’s all I care about."