The Consortium's Heir

Using the telescope, Ciel watched from their position a vessel that would soon carry the rebels they were hunting out of the country. Aside from that, the ship was also loaded with stolen weapons—taken from fallen soldiers the rebels had killed. The war against the rebels in this region had raged for almost a month now. Endless gunfire and explosions filled the days and nights of those living in the war zone. According to intelligence gathered from their trusted informant inside the rebel camp, the ship was scheduled to leave at eleven o’clock that night. Ciel lowered the telescope and glanced at the time on his wristwatch. 21:02. Military time. The crashing of the waves and the occasional distant explosions were the only sounds breaking the silence of the dark surroundings. “Ciel,” his brother Carter called his attention. Even with only the moonlight illuminating them, Carter was busy tinkering with the weapons they brought—rifles, bombs, and guns. “Oh?” Ciel muttered curtly. “I’m your big brother—” “I haven’t forgotten that—” “Show some respect, fucker.” Ciel smirked. The two of them had been assigned to plant bombs on the rebels’ vessels. They had always worked as a tandem, even before joining the U.S. Military. Personally chosen by their commodore, they were sent on this mission to help end the growing darkness. “Brother, you know how much I love planting bombs on vessels. Give this one to me,” Ciel said, stripping off his long-sleeved shirt, pants, and shoes before putting on a black full-body rash guard. “Be my eyes this time.” His brother laid three bombs on the leafy ground. Ciel squatted to inspect them one by one. Each device was tightly sealed to prevent water from seeping in once he dove into the sea. It was a dangerous job, but this was what he lived for. He had sworn to risk his life for his country. He didn’t want to be called a hero for others’ praise, but to prove to himself—and to his parents—that the path he had chosen was worth their pride. “Can you swim five hundred yards in twelve minutes and thirty seconds?” Carter asked doubtfully. “That’s a piece of cake for me,” Ciel replied with a confident smirk. “Trust me on this, brother. You act like you don’t even know me.” “Our parents are waiting for us. Make sure you come back breathing.” “Even if I run out of breath, I’ll still come back. I promise,” he said, raising his right hand in mock oath. “Just make sure there’s a woman waiting here to give me mouth-to-mouth resuscitation when I return.” “You really think a woman would show up in a place like this?” Carter shook his head, tossing one of the bombs toward him. Ciel caught it easily. Carter checked his watch. “I’ll time you. It’s 21:20. You leave at 21:30.” Ciel clipped a waterproof listening device to his ear and strapped the three sealed bombs around his waist. “I’ll be back by exactly 22:00.” “No. You should be back by 21:57.” “What?” He frowned. “If you can’t do it, I’ll go instead,” Carter said, standing up to unfasten the bombs from him. But Ciel stepped back quickly. No way. “Alright. 21:57, I’ll be here.” “You only have five minutes to plant the bombs,” Carter reminded him. Ciel nodded and took a deep breath. “I’ll be waiting here.” “Noted.” “We’re running out of time, Ciel. Do your job properly and wisely. I don’t want the commodore disappointed.” “I didn’t train in that place just to mess up this mission, man.” “Good. We need to leave this place exactly at 22:00.” Ciel nodded firmly, stretching his arms, legs, and neck before fist-bumping his brother. “I’m ready!” he declared. “Be safe.” Ciel hid a smile. No matter how strict Carter was, he was still his big brother. “You too,” he said, before slipping soundlessly into the water. He filled his lungs with air and began to swim, pushing himself forward with smooth, powerful strokes. Ciel was a member of the U.S. Navy SEALs. Before that, he had trained for over a year and served there for three more. Later, he transferred to the marines when his parents built a resort in Villa Kerrigan as an extension of their mansion. He had also passed sniper training, but his heart belonged to the ocean. He loved the color of the sea, the pull of the tides, and everything that had to do with the deep blue world beneath the surface. Swimming was his element. “Five minutes more… Ciel,” Carter’s voice crackled in his ear. Ciel still wasn’t short of breath despite several minutes of swimming through the cold, dark sea. He lifted his head slightly to gauge the distance from the vessel. “I can see their lookout.” “Of course,” his brother replied sarcastically. “Don’t get caught.” He resumed swimming quietly. When the vessel came into clear view, he dove deeper, estimating the depth before surfacing just enough to listen. “We need to leave earlier tonight,” a man’s voice said above him. Ciel hid beneath the bow of the ship. “Boss said we should be out of here a little past ten.” “They changed their departure time,” Ciel whispered to Carter. “What?” “They’re leaving earlier—past ten.” “Stick to the plan, Ciel.” “Yes, sir.” “Hurry. The explosion is set for 22:30.” He didn’t reply. He dove under the vessel, swimming toward its stern. He detached one bomb from his belt and secured it there. “Two more to go. Come on, Ciel,” Carter urged, his tone sharp. “You’ve got three minutes left.” Ciel submerged again and swam toward the ship’s midsection, attaching the second bomb. As he moved toward the front, he saw rebels boarding the vessel—armed, alert. Some were watching the water in his direction, rifles ready to fire at the slightest sign of movement. He sank lower, blending with the darkness. He detached the final bomb and fixed it under the bow—just as a beam of light struck the water above him. “f**k…” he hissed quietly. Looking up, he saw three men pointing flashlights right at him. “Something moved down there!” “Shoot it!” Before the gunfire erupted, Ciel darted away, swimming fast and deep. He was skilled—one of the best. The brutal training in America had nearly killed him, but it had made him stronger. “Ciel!” Carter’s voice came through, filled with panic and fear. He had surely seen the flashes and gunfire through the telescope. “There’s someone down there! Shoot!” Bullets tore through the water above him, red laser dots following his movement beneath the waves. His lungs screamed for air—he hadn’t had a chance to breathe before his sprint. He estimated he still had nine minutes to swim before reaching Carter. The pain in his left arm and the spreading ache in his leg slowed him down. “Ciel! Speak!” Carter’s voice pleaded through the comm. Ciel groaned in pain to signal that he was still alive. “Damn it! You’re alive! Come on!” Despite the burning pain in his limbs, Ciel pushed himself forward, swimming toward the shore where Carter was waiting. His body could endure the wounds—but his lungs couldn’t. The lack of oxygen dragged him deeper into the cold, black sea. He could barely see anything now. His body felt heavy. He needed air. Desperately. He forced his head above water and gasped, filling his lungs. When he opened his eyes, he saw a blurry figure on the shore—his brother. “Go down! Go down, Ciel! They’ve got snipers on your back!” Before he could dive again, sharp pain tore through his shoulder and back—another shot had found him. His body went numb. If this was the end, he’d accept it. Maybe this is where his life comes to an end. At least, before dying, he had completed his mission. That was enough for him to be proud of. The crashing waves lashed against his wounded body, each one feeling like a whip of fire. The saltwater stung his open wounds. He could barely feel anything anymore—just pain fading into nothingness. Ciel let go. He allowed the waves to carry him toward the shore—toward Carter. He only needed air—just one breath—to loosen the tightening in his chest. He had passed the drowning test during SEAL training, but now it felt like this would be his true end. His legs were numb. He couldn’t feel anything below his waist. Panic began to creep into him. Not my legs. Please, not my legs. His eyes were closed, but he could still hear everything—his brother’s voice shouting his name, laced with curses and desperation. “Ciel! Damn it, wake up!” Carter yelling, giving him CPR—but it wasn’t working. “You want me to help you cancel your proposal to Serena?!” No! Serena—his longtime girlfriend. He’d been planning to propose to her after this mission. He had to live. He had to. Carter tried reviving him again and again, but Ciel’s body refused to respond—until he heard a woman’s voice nearby, soft yet urgent. That voice pulled him back, igniting a spark of life within him. Maybe this was the help his body had been waiting for. A mouth-to-mouth resuscitation from a woman wasn’t bad at all…