Chapter 14 · The Devil's Invitation

"Sit. Now," Councilor Vane didn't look up from his desk. He didn't have to. The two guards at the door were already shifting their weight, hands hovering over the hilts of their shock-batons.

Jax didn't sit. He leaned against the mahogany doorframe, arms crossed, eyes scanning the opulent office. It smelled like old money, expensive tobacco, and the kind of power that could erase a street rat like him with a single signature. Beside him, Elise was stiff, her posture a perfect, military line of tension. She wasn't looking at the Councilor; she was looking at Jax, her eyes screaming at him to shut up and obey.

"I'm not here for a lecture on manners, Councilor," Jax said, his voice scraping the silence. "I'm here for the cure. You know what we're dealing with. This gear in my chest isn't just a trinket—it's a leash."

Councilor Vane finally looked up. His eyes were cold, clinical, and entirely unimpressed. He leaned back, the leather of his chair creaking. "A leash is exactly what it is, boy. A very expensive, very rare leash. You're lucky you're still breathing.