Chapter 104 The masquerade.

Words : 1108 Updated : Sep 23rd, 2025

Cleo held his hand against her face, her expression softening as her fingers intertwined with his. "So you're telling me... that was really you?" She asked, her voice steady now, her concern giving way to curiosity. Rex nodded, a faint smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. "Well, yeah. If it wasn't me, then who else would it be?" He teased her, though his tone carried a hint of self-awareness. Cleo sighed, rolling her eyes but keeping her hand on his. "You don't make it easy to understand you sometimes, you know that?" Rex chuckled, the sound low and warm . "Let's not dwell on it right now, alright? I'll make it up to you later. But first..." His tone shifted slightly, becoming more serious as he gazed into her eyes. "Why didn't you step in to help the twins earlier? You could've stopped all of this before it started." Cleo arched an eyebrow at the sudden shift in topic. "Because they weren't in any real danger," she explained simply. " The Phantom units were with them the entire time, cloaked and ready to intervene if anything went wrong. I wanted them to gain some combat experience, but I didn't expect you to show up the way you did." Rex tilted his head, processing her answer. "Oh, I see. So you were letting them have a little trial by fire." He smirked, shaking his head. "I guess that's fair. But next time, maybe give me a heads-up so I don't storm in thinking the world's ending." "I'll keep that in mind," Cleo replied, her lips curving into a faint smile. She was starting to relax, the oppressive tension from earlier now feeling like a distant memory. Rex leaned back slightly, running a hand through his wet hair as a thoughtful expression crossed his face. "You know, it's funny... I had a weird dream before all of this. There was this woman in white. She looked so real, but I knew something was off." Cleo's smile faltered, her eyebrows furrowing slightly. "What woman?" she asked, her voice tinged with suspicion. "Well... " Rex trailed off, scratching the back of his head. "The thing is..." He hesitated, unsure of how to explain it. Cleo, however, wasn't about to let it slide. Her golden eyes narrowed slightly as she waited for him to elaborate, her fingers tightening around his hand. "Don't you dare leave me hanging, Rex," she said firmly, her curiosity and concern blending into one. "Alright, alright," Rex said, raising his hands defensively with a sheepish grin. " I'll tell you. But first, can we just enjoy this moment? You don't often jump into the water with me, you know." Cleo sighed but allowed herself to relax, leaning against him as the water lapped gently around them. " Fine. But don't think for a second; I'll forget about this." "Fancy. So, we're crashing a party to get what we need, huh? I like it." Rex, however, crossed his arms with a skeptical look. "Yeah, it's a decent plan and all, but there's just one little problem." He gestured toward himself. "Have you seen me? I'm a damn giant. If I walk into that party, and everyone's going to notice me instantly. Hell, I'll probably scare half the guests before we even make it to the mayor." Cleo's expression didn't change. "You're not the one attending, Rex," she said simply. "Carlos will be accompanying me instead. Your size alone would compromise the mission." Rex froze, his eyes narrowing as he turned to look at Carlos. " Oh, is that so?" His voice was low and laced with mock menace. Carlos shrugged, grinning as he leaned back in his chair. "Don't get your boxers in a twist, pretty guy. It's just a party." Rex jabbed two fingers at his eyes, then pointed them directly at Carlos, repeating the motion several times. "D on't you even think about touching her. No dances. No sneaky moves. Nothing. I'll be watching, Carlos." Carlos burst out laughing, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Relax, man! I have codes. You think I'd lay a finger on your girl? Come on, Rex. I wouldn't touch her if my life depended on it." His grin widened mischievously. " Well, unless she touched me first." Rex's glare darkened, his golden eyes narrowing dangerously. "Alright, alright! I'm joking!" Carlos said quickly, still laughing. " You know I'd never do that; calm your pretty face." Cleo sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Enough, you two. We don't have time for this nonsense. Focus on the mission." She turned her gaze to Carlos. "I'll brief you on the details later. For now, just be prepared to play your role. The success of this operation depends on subtlety, which means no unnecessary theatrics." "Got it, boss, " Carlos said, giving her a playful salute. Rex muttered something under his breath, clearly not thrilled with the arrangement, but he let it go for now. The team had a mission to focus on, and as much as he hated the thought of Carlos attending the party with Cleo, he knew she was more than capable of handling herself. Still, as he leaned back in his chair, Rex couldn't help but let his mind wander. The memory of the lady in white lingered in the back of his thoughts, her words faint but persistent. If this was all a scam, then why does it still feel like a warning? On the night of the grand masquerade, Cleo and Carlos stood at the gates of the mayor's huge mansion, a behemoth of luxury and arrogance. The building loomed against the moonlight, its towering spires trying too hard to intimidate but failing miserably. Cleo smirked, thinking how even the underground palace she had built from scraps had more soul than this bloated monstrosity. The defenses here? Laughable. It was almost insulting. The duo walked toward the main entrance, their steps slow and deliberate, the kind that turned heads even in a crowd of masked strangers. At the door, several guards checked invitations, each one looking bored out of their minds as they waved guests through. It wasn't just security that was sloppy; it was lifeless. Carlos, ever the professional, had his earpiece buzzing with updates from their inside man, but something cracked through the line that wasn't part of the plan. "Pffff," someone snorted, barely containing laughter.

Chapter 104 The masquerade.

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