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Honor Bound

When the stirring of ill ease blossomed from justified suspicion into awareness of the Elders embarking upon a full blown dangerous course of action, Shin slipped away to make an important call.

For years he had been waiting for this moment, knowing it was inevitable. His brother had faithfully followed Vicious across the galaxy, had virtually worshiped the ground on which the coldhearted man stood, had done his best to emulate the callous superiority that Vicious had radiated. Thankfully, Lin had at least known better than to get involved with taking Bloody Eye, but Shin could still not fathom how his brother had managed to maintain his allegiance when Vicious was sent away.

Spike disappearing had been somehow less ominous despite the oft-whispered rumors of his demise. Though neither Shin nor Lin had revered Spike in quite the same way, he had still been above them in the ranks and therefore held a position of one to be respected and obeyed.

Spike had a well-earned reputation as brash, hotheaded, and self-destructive. Vicious had an equally deserved reputation as a methodical, merciless, madman. The Van considered both of them too wild to be off leash yet too skilled at their jobs to be destroyed.

It had been left to Julia to wrangle the mutts. And it was Julia with her poise and her cool headedness and her inexhaustible patience to whom Shin pledged his loyalty. She was brilliant, beautiful, and saw so much more than anyone realized.

She would be the future of the Syndicate one day. And he was honor bound to see her succeed.

If she could just survive this…

Shin gripped the phone tightly in his hand, waiting for the ringing to give way to the answering machine. She never picked up. It was far smarter this way. He would relay the imperative message and then await further instruction before making a move.

He had been serving in the shadows for so long now. Listening, watching, reporting back to her, and always so nervous about potential discovery. Afraid that she would be unable to keep one step ahead of Vicious. Anxious that the Van would wise up to the uprising slowly gaining momentum at their very feet.

At last he was going to be able to act. To throw himself willingly into the fray. For her he would walk over hot coals into the flames of the fire itself. After all, it would only be under her calm and capable governance that the Dragons truly had a future to speak of.

He was awash with nervous energy. It felt like he had always been teetering here on the edge that separated doom from triumph. Never before had things come this close to a head however. Never before had the Van and Vicious both been working so diligently towards such opposing goals, and each doing so as secretly as possible.

He had been trapped here between discreetly warring factions for too long. Now he could stand tall and reveal his true allegiance.

One way or another, it would all be over soon.