An Ember's Touch

Through the Vine

Sebastian flicked an ash out the window and stared at the large house then the three cars in the driveway. His nerves were still twinging a little, fighting himself mentally. It wasn’t his place to help others that f****d him over, but he had no choice now when it came to Kassandra and their deal. He hated going back on his word—ever. He dropped Kassandra off back at her house last night, not bothered by the silence in the car between them. The next morning, he picked her up when he caught a whiff of Balter being at the police station under charges of delivering guns. His main priority for the day then had sadly changed. He only mentioned to Kassandra that he heard that Balter was arrested last night and her car was impounded; nothing else. By the look she gave him, she only half-believed him. Deep down, he was thankful when she didn’t ask any questions and basically glided into the Jeep.

Shitty thing after dropping her off, Sebastian didn’t want to show up here: Charlie’s house.





“…Son of a bitch.” He bit on his cigarette and kill the engine, getting out and slammed the door. He hated waltzing into another lion’s den but this time, it was needed. He had a gut feeling these guns Balter was delivering weren’t just anyone’s. He walked along the side of the large house and went through the side gate, hearing distant splashing and childish laughter. He stopped and finished off his cigarette before stamping it out into his leather jacket sleeve, walking around to the backyard.

Charlie tossed the little boy up in the air and caught him, both of them laughing while in the pool. A woman was sitting near the edge of the pool with a baby sitting on her lap, talking to another girl when she spotted Sebastian first. She perked up and smiled under her big sunglasses, waving to him. “Bubby!”

Sebastian rolled his eyes and walked around the deck railing. “You’re mean.” He walked up the stairs, “I see everyone is relaxing before the big weekend. When’s the bachelorette party again?”

“None of your concern since I know you would try to bone all of my bridesmaids.” The woman, Trisha smiled and her friend giggled.

“He’ll still try.” Charlie walked over while the boy sat on his shoulders. “You here for business or pleasure?”

“I wish both.” Sebastian walked passed the girls and over to the grill, tossing his cigarette butt in the little trash can built into it. He came back and slipped his hands into his jean pockets, “But I’m looking into a few things. A few things you’ll probably know about.” 



“Of course.” Charlie picked up the little boy and put on the edge of the pool. He smirked up at him, “Go to mommy and Aunt Ashlyn, buddy.” the boy nodded then scurried over to Trish and Ashlyn. Charlie climbed out and rang out his swimming trunks while Ashlyn gave Sebastian a flirty smile, Sebastian smirking back till Trish nudged her to knock it off. 



“He usually kicks you out of his bed after sex.” She smiled at him then. “And he’s not nice about it.”

Sebastian grew eager to gloat and make the point he didn’t do it to Kassandra a couple of nights ago. Rather, he traced circles into her back till she fell asleep. It took him longer to fall asleep till he buried his nose into her sweet hair. He wasn’t going to admit it out-loud, but he was puzzled by how just her body and no other girls’ basically intoxicated him. Same time, he didn’t mind it. “Leave my s*x life in the bedroom, will ya?”

She shifted the baby who was drooling on its fist closer to her and smiled. “I will when you stop having s*x in public places.” 



“Such a spitfire.” Charlie noted. 



“Such a brat.” Sebastian teased, Charlie nudging him while Trish giggled and flipped him the bird.

     Charlie N. Klause was his full name yet the two held no blood nor marriage relations. Charlie’s hair was brown and cut short, his hazel eyes lazily looking upon Sebastian. For a moment he looked over his new haircut but said nothing of it, nodding off to Trish who simply did the same. Charlie slapped Sebastian's shoulder and headed for the stairs, Sebastian bowing his head to the women and children before following after him. They walked onto the fresh-cut large lawn, heading towards the gazebo. Charlie huffed with little interest and stared ahead. “So, what’s this about?”

“Someone’s gun delivery includes someone I was trying to f**k up.” Sebastian stated, Charlie shaking his hands off excess water then ran his hand through his hair. “I need to find out whose gun order was taken by the Monica police department.”

“Upset someone else took your prey?” Charlie teased. 



Sebastian stared down the large wooden screened Gazebo, thinking back on how badly he wanted to pin Balter’s hand to the bar that night when he told him he didn’t have the money. He felt stupid already that he accepted his bet know a chump like Balter didn’t have that kind of money. “You can say that.” he murmured, Charlie and him exchanged look.

Charlie nipped her lip and smirked at the gazebo, intrigued. He walked up into it first, “You got a spare cigarette?”

“Doesn’t Trish thinks you quit?”

He grimaced and walked over to the table. “Do yourself a favor, shut your mouth and hand over a f*****g cigarette, will ya’?” He sat down in the wicker chair and sighed heavily, resting his ankle on his knee. 



Sebastian rolled his eyes and dug into his pocket, lighting up a cigarette then handed it over. Charlie squinted at him as he took a long drag then held it in for a second, “Those guns were only supposed to pass through your area, but they made a random pit stop.” 



“Go on.” Sebastian slipped into another chair.

Charlie smirked and looked over the cigarette. “You know I don’t give information without a price.”

“Trust me when I say I do.” Sebastian blinked, not amused. He knew he was gonna pull this, he always did. 



“What do you possibly have to offer that I like?” Charlie rolled the cigarette between his fingers.

Sebastian huffed and leaned back, digging into his pockets. They didn’t tear its eyes off each other as he held up an envelope and twitched a brow then tossed it over. Charlie slipped the cigarette between his lip and pulled it over. His left brow sternly rose when he saw papers instead of money. He made a soft disappointed noise which made Sebastian smirk as he pulled them out and unfolded them. “I know you said want your little brother to join us. I’m offering that opportunity, I only want twenty of the cut.” 



“Black Friday deal for sure.” Charlie shot him a look then resumed reading. “What happened to the original owner?”

“Rock climbing accident.” Sebastian leaned back and joined his hands on his stomach. 



Charlie smirked and dropped the papers on the table, he rested the cigarette near his temple. “Why should I take the place? Afterall…you shot Spencer. Your own cousin.”

“Wasn’t recognizable from his b***h face and he was sneaking into my warehouse. I already told Randall that before Spencer went off to spat off some lies to his daddy.” He tilted his head to the side, Charlie bit his thumbnail and glanced over the large yard. “But of course, you already knew all of this.”

“Randall called me to keep an extra eye on him for the time being. I just wanted to hear your side to see if it changed.” He blinked, not moving for a second. He dropped his hand to the table and picked up the papers. “If the weasel wasn’t such a f*****g a liar, I’d give this to him for some responsibility. But I can tell from recent actions that he’s not ready for it.” he folded up the papers and tapped them on the table. His tone went low and gentle, “Those guns were going to Vincent. He got the rest of them last night when the heat rolled up, Vincent’s none too happy about it.”

Sebastian stopped bouncing his knee, staring at each other. His jaw tightened, forcing himself to breathe out calmly. “What’s he planning now?”

“You can ask him that yourself.” Charlie blinked. “I’m already knee-deep busy from Trish with this f*****g wedding. Spencer and I have to go to the Venue later to drop off more decorations and help them out. So for the next sixteen days, leave me out of your bullshit.” He took a drag.

Sebastian crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes. What the f**k was Vincent doing now if needed guns? And how did he get someone stupid like Balter to transport them? “Got it. Do you least know where Vincent is at?”

Charlie flicked an ash off to the side. “He’s has a few horses running today so he’ll be at the track.” He got to his feet and stretched his arms over his head. “One more thing.” He turned to him, “If you or Vincent start s**t at the wedding or wedding reception, Trish gave me permission to beat your ass.”

Sebastian smirked and huffed. He noticed the hardness to Charlie’s eyes and quickly noted it. He tipped his chin up, “Such a spitfire.”

Remarkably, Charlie snorted and handed the cigarette back over. “It’s her big day so my nuts are in the jar if something goes wrong. She spent $12,000 on a dress.”

“And who let her?” Sebastian smirked as he took a quick puff, Charlie kicking his leg but chuckled. “Have fun with that casino, I’m already out seventy-five with it.”

Charlie glanced at the papers in his hands then him, “I thought you were the strategic one?”

“Like I said.” Sebastian smiled big, enjoying the breeze. “Rock climbing accident.” 



~~~~~*~~~~~







“What do you mean I can’t see him?”

Deputy Gigs took in flustered Kassandra, handing a couple of files over to an officer who was sitting at her desk. She wasn’t phased by Kassandra whatsoever, telling the officer those were the only files she could find. Then she turned to Kassandra, “There was a warrant out for his arrest.” 



“For what?!” She raised her voice, getting a few to look over. 



Feeling on the spot, Gig’s stood up professionally straight and shoved her frustration further down her throat, “That part is not for the public, miss.”

Kassandra gripped the strap of her purse tighter, “He’s my stupid brother who took my car last night. I didn’t know he was in any of this mess whatsoever.”

“Sorry to hear that, m’am. But protocol is protocol.” Gigs blinked, watching the flames flicker in Kassandra’s eyes.

“Protocol of what?” 



The heated attention turned to Oxen and Lutinent Grant standing there. Flustered by their presence, Gigs’s lips thinned and tapped the files against her hand. “Protocol on the warrant for Balter’s arrest last night.”

“I’m sure you’ve said enough,” Grant grumbled, taking a step closer to Kassandra. “I do apologize for her arrogance, m’am. Lutinent Grant. If you don’t mind and step into my office, we can go over details about your brother.”

Irritated yet little relieved from the sudden leniency, Kassandra flared her nostrils and huffed. Thirty minutes of waiting by the front desk already built on her pent up anxiety, only to get a b***h Officer who automatically shuts her down from learning about her brother or her car. Let alone, she had a thousand questions she wanted to ask Sebastian and about how he found out in the first place. But the dense, concentrated look he gave the road and the way he gripped the wheel and smoked his cigarette told her his mind was off in Neverland. Which she couldn’t tell if that was good or bad. Kassandra kept herself from shooting officer Gigs a dark look, instead of finding herself looking at Deputy Oxen for a moment. “That’d be delightful.” 



His blond hair was beginning to thin in the front, his calm hazel eye studying Gigs behind her. He was more on the hefty side and from the look of his rolled up sleeves and the buttons of his collar undone, he’d been here while already. For a second, he glanced at her and they exchanged looks before she walked passed him and after Lutinent Grant. 



He glanced over his shoulder and watched her with little interest. The way she pushed her hair behind his ear gave a painful ping to his chest, little eager to smile but retained it. So that’s Kassandra…interesting. He gripped his hip and rose a stern brow back at Officer gigs, speaking softly. “A word in my office?”

Officer Gigs bit her tongue hard and offered a fake smile. “Of course.” 



The door clapped shut hard behind Gigs and stormed over to his office, he wiped his mouth and stared at the blinds. “You almost blew our cover.” He leaned his fist on his desk. 



“What cover?” Gigs walked over, “That guy is transporting guns.” 



Oxen spoke low. “To Vincent Klause.” The room remained quiet and Gig’s body stiffened. Oxen exhaled with little uneasiness, ducking his head down. Gig in doubtfully could only watch the man.

“Another one of the system.” She whispered. 



Oxen sighed heavily; defeated. He knew well enough about the system, including all the members. All except for one. The one Sebastian and the rest listened to. Thanks to investigating past events and cases where they’ve left evidence of their presence, and individual cases of the members including Sebastian himself. And information from Sebastian himself. As much as he wanted his nephew out of it, he was too high up in the tree to just bail out without harm. Gigs walked over to his desk and pressed her knuckles on it, “Does the Trinity Department know of this?”

“It’s already been faxed over.” Oxen stood up, knowing where this was going. “They’re sending a couple of officers to question Balter since our other guy isn’t talking.” He walked around the office. For a second, he glanced at the picture of Spencer, Sebastian, and his sister. His stomach turned a little at the thought Spencer was now himself a new founding member alongside Sebastian, keeping tabs on him by keep in contact in Charlie or asking Sebastian about him every now and then. At first, Oxen ignored all contacts from Sebastian when he first found out that his son had become a member. After slugging Sebastian across the face next time he saw him, he quickly found out it was on Spencer’s own luck than Sebastian’s witty recruitment. “But this is the closet to someone that has been in contact with Vincent Klause in a long time.” He heavily emphasized and gave Gigs a scolding look. “If anyone catches winds that authority has someone in custody that has spoken to another member of the System, we won’t have a shred of new evidence because they will mostly like be dead.” He pulled his arms behind his back, “I’m sure you’ve already read up on them.” 



“Of course.” Gigs’ eyes hardened but her frown of shame remained, turning into self frustration. “I’m sure every seasoned officer here knows about them, they’re nearly untouchable. We’re been going after them for at least 10 years, cold cases with conspiracies of their fruitful playing.”

“Nearly.” Oxen repeated, walking over to the closest chair before his desk and gripped the back of it. “This case of gun contrabands needs to be taken seriously and diligently. Lutinent Grant will be covering up your track nows with said as in the file for his warrant and arrest: Balter was found with an unregistered gun while there was a raid at a nightclub. We got a tip-off from a private investigator that Balter was seen carrying a bag of guns in, confirming it.”

“Private investigator.” Gigs pressed, her brows twitched when daring to ask. “You mean Sebastian?”

Oxen licked his lip and calmly blinked. “Wrong again. He hasn’t seen him in a couple days, last time at a bar. But it was a local at that bar where they were seen together.”

“So that means Balter’s been in contact with two of the three members.” She boldly asked. “Does Sebastian work for him?” 



She didn’t know his status, stay calm. He stood up and exhaled gently through his nose, “You’re still on this case, Gigs. Keep your head in that game.” 



“Answer me this.” Gigs crossed her arms. “Has Sebastian ever been under investigation? For being a member?”



Unhappy, he answered flatly. “Yes. And he still is.”