Jax didn’t respond immediately after finishing Natasha’s sentence, "They fall apart."

He allowed the words to hang in the air, echoing the exact same conclusion that Nulissa had reached earlier in their conversation.

"Hah," Jax muffled a laugh.

It was just funny to him how despite having different perspectives, Nulissa and Natasha had both eventually arrived at the same conclusion, showing just how readable the Heroes were.

His smirk deepened slightly.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "They will."

The room fell into a brief, thoughtful silence.

Alexi shifted closer to him on the bed, her body naturally leaning into his side, her hand resting lightly against his chest as she looked up at him.

"So... when do we start?" she asked.

There was a hint of anticipation in her voice now. Not nervousness, she had already crossed that line long ago, but something sharper.

Resolve, she had a firm resolve to help Jax in whatever mission he had now and in the future.

Natasha, on the other hand, remained more composed, though her eyes were locked onto Jax with clear interest.

"You’re not the type to wait around once you decide something," she added.

Jax exhaled softly.

"No," he said. "I’m not."

Then he moved.

He pushed himself up from the bed in one smooth motion, the shift in his posture immediate. The relaxed atmosphere from moments ago didn’t vanish completely, but it sharpened.

Alexi blinked, then quickly sat up as well.

"Already?" she asked.

Jax glanced at her.

"Yeah."

His golden eyes flickered faintly.

"We’re not just going after them directly yet."

Natasha tilted her head slightly.

"...Meaning?"

Jax’s smirk returned, slower this time.

"We have a-lot of other things we need to work on before we attack them directly, some of it includes helping our own people and attacking their foundation,"

That got both of their attention.

Alexi frowned slightly.

"The Holy Church?"

"Exactly," Jax said with a nod and Natasha’s eyes narrowed as she saw that

"...You found something."

Jax didn’t answer right away.

Instead, he turned slightly, his gaze drifting toward the window as if he could see far beyond the capital itself.

"I’ve had Sabrina going through a-lot of old reports from before I got here of Demons disappearing, looking for all sorts of patterns," Jax explained.

Alexi’s expression shifted.

"...Missing?"

Jax nodded once.

"They’re not all being killed."

A quiet tension settled into the room. Natasha leaned forward slightly.

"...Captured."

"Yeah." Jax said, and the single word landed heavy.

Alexi’s hand tightened slightly against the sheets.

"Why would they,"

"For information," Natasha cut in calmly. "Experimentation. Leverage."

Her gaze sharpened further.

"Or worse."

Jax didn’t disagree.

"The Church doesn’t operate cleanly," he said. "Not when no one’s watching."

Alexi’s expression hardened now.

"...So what’s the plan?"

Jax turned back toward them.

"We confirm it."

Natasha smirked faintly.

"And if it’s true?"

Jax’s eyes gleamed.

"Then we tear it apart."

Silence followed, but it was a silence of complete agreement from all 3 of them.

Alexi slid off the bed fully now, standing in front of him. There was no trace of the soft, affectionate girl from moments ago.

"I’m coming with you," she said.

Jax looked at her.

"I know."

Natasha raised an eyebrow.

"...And me?"

Jax glanced at her.

"Not this time."

She didn’t look offended.

Just curious.

"Oh?"

"I need you here," he said. "Coordinate with Sabrina. Keep internal flow smooth while we’re gone."

Natasha leaned back slightly, considering that.

"...So this is quiet work."

"Exactly."

A faint smirk returned to her lips.

"Then don’t have too much fun without me."

Jax chuckled.

"No promises."

Alexi stepped closer to him again, her hand finding his arm.

"...Where are we meeting Nulissa?"

"On the outskirts, I just sent her a message to meet us there," Jax said. "She’ll already be moving."

Natasha let out a soft hum.

"...Of course she is."

There was a brief pause.

Then Jax stepped forward.

Alexi barely had time to react before his hand came up, gently tilting her chin toward him as he leaned down and kissed her.

It was brief and when he pulled back, her eyes were already focused again.

"Ready?" he asked.

She nodded immediately.

"Always."

Jax’s gaze flicked once more toward Natasha.

"Keep things steady."

She gave a small salute-like gesture with two fingers.

"Go break something."

His smirk widened.

"Planning to."

And then, space folded around them, the room distorted for a fraction of a second before both Jax and Alexi vanished completely.

***

The air that greeted them next was colder as they stood on a high ridge overlooking a distant expanse of land far from the Demon Capital.

The terrain below was uneven, scattered with ruined structures and dense forest patches. At first glance, it looked abandoned.

But Jax’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"...There."

Alexi followed his gaze.

"...I don’t see anything."

"Exactly."

Her eyes sharpened.

"...Hidden?"

Jax nodded.

"Layered concealment. Light magic... and something else."

Alexi exhaled slowly.

"...That’s not subtle."

"No," Jax said. "It’s meant to be invisible to anyone who isn’t looking for it."

A faint ripple moved through the shadows behind them. Then, a familiar presence emerged.

"Right on time."

Nulissa stepped forward from the darkness itself, her crimson eyes immediately locking onto Jax before briefly shifting to Alexi.

"...So this is the starting point."

Jax nodded.

"You sensed it too?"

"Of course," she replied calmly.

Her gaze drifted toward the hidden area below.

"...They’re careful."

Alexi crossed her arms slightly.

"...What do you think is down there?"

Nulissa’s expression didn’t change.

"...Pain."

Jax nodded as he heard that, his aura shifting to something colder and more authoritative, "Then let’s confirm it," he said.

Nulissa stepped beside him.

"...And if it’s what we think?"

Jax’s smirk returned, but there was no warmth in it this time.

"Then we don’t just confirm it."

His golden eyes gleamed faintly.

"We make an example out of it, and send a message to the Holy Church and the Heroes that they can’t mess with our people without retribution,"