Chapter 266 The Last Stand

Lilith’s voice returned to the screen after a brief moment of silence, her expression now grim and calculated. "Liam," she said firmly, "we need to find a way to get the video from Josh. If we can get our hands on the original footage, we’ll be able to prove it was doctored. It’s the only shot at clearing your name—publicly, legally, and permanently."

Lana’s eyes sharpened as she leaned forward slightly, her tone skeptical. "What about the SWAT officers that we... killed?" she asked, her voice dropping at the last word.

Lilith smirked, just a little, and shook her head. "You think they’re going to hold that against him? Please. That would destroy their credibility. If it gets out that Liam took out an entire elite squad by himself, it’s not just embarrassing—it’s catastrophic. Makes them look weak. Untrained. Reckless."

She shrugged, folding her arms. "They’ll bury that story so deep it’ll never see sunlight."

Vanessa, who had been sitting quietly at the far side of the room with her arms crossed and her boots now off, finally spoke. Her voice was low and thoughtful. "There might be another way to clear Liam’s name."

All eyes turned to her instantly. Lilith raised an eyebrow on the screen. "I’m listening."

Vanessa turned to Liam and Lana and gestured slightly with her hand. "They’re accusing Liam of being the Nightcrawler, right?" Her green eyes flicked between them. "Well... why not catch the real Nightcrawler ourselves?"

There was a moment of stunned silence. Then Lana tilted her head, intrigued.

"Catch the Nightcrawler?" she repeated slowly, processing it. Then she nodded. "If we catch the real one... that would be undeniable proof Liam’s innocent."

Vanessa nodded firmly. "Exactly. We find the real killer, bring them in or expose them to the world, and everything falls apart for whoever’s trying to frame Liam."

Lilith was silent on the screen for a moment, clearly impressed. "That... might actually work," she murmured. "It’s a solid plan."

Then, suddenly, the faint buzz of vibration filled the silence. Lilith’s head snapped to the side as her phone vibrated again, this time more urgently.

She glanced down at it, her expression hardening in an instant. "I have to go," she said sharply, eyes darting back up to the camera. "You three do what needs to be done. Fast."

And with that, she ended the call.

The screen went black.

Liam, Lana, and Vanessa were left blinking at the empty monitor, stunned at the abruptness.

"What the hell was that?" Lana muttered.

"No idea," Vanessa added quietly. "But for Lilith to cut the call like that... something serious must have happened."

Liam stood slowly from where he’d been leaning. The tension in his jaw was subtle, but it was there. He wasn’t the type to ignore his gut instincts, and right now, every fiber in his being was telling him Lilith needed backup.

"She’ll be fine," Lana said after a moment, though it sounded more like she was trying to convince herself.

Liam’s sharp eyes didn’t waver.

"No," he said quietly, "I’m going after her."

Vanessa and Lana turned to him simultaneously.

"Wait, what?" Lana asked. "Where are you going?"

"To Lilith’s base," Liam answered without hesitation. "The look on her face before she cut off... that wasn’t strategy. That was panic."

Vanessa narrowed her eyes. "You sure? She’s not exactly the ’panics easily’ type."

"I’m sure," Liam said flatly. "She needs help. I’m going."

Vanessa sighed and stood from her chair. "Then you’ll need the exit I told you about."

She gestured to a door near the right side of the cave-like chamber. It was almost invisible at first glance, designed to blend seamlessly with the dark concrete wall.

"Beyond that door is a tunnel," she explained. "It runs under my property and leads into the abandoned house next door. It’s only about a twenty-second walk. The place hasn’t been touched in years, but be careful. Check every room before you leave."

Liam nodded. "Understood."

Lana stepped forward. "You sure you don’t want one of us coming with you?"

He shook his head. "No. You both stay here. Look into the Nightcrawler case again. Vanessa—see if there’s anything you might have missed the first time. Recheck evidence, look into surveillance gaps, old witness statements, anything that might’ve been overlooked."

Vanessa and Lana exchanged a glance. They were used to Liam taking charge—but there was a deeper weight in his voice now. This wasn’t just strategy. It was personal.

Lana rolled her eyes dramatically. "Fine, but if you get shot in the ass again, I’m not patching you up."

Liam smirked and turned toward the door. "Deal."

Vanessa reached the panel beside the door and tapped a few commands into the sleek keypad. With a soft mechanical hum, the door slid open, revealing a narrow, dimly lit tunnel that stretched ahead into darkness.

"Once you exit into the house," she warned again, "don’t just walk out blindly. If anyone’s watching the area, they might have the house under surveillance too."

"I’ll be careful," Liam assured her. "Lock the place down behind me."

Vanessa nodded, fingers already hovering over the lock sequence as Liam stepped through the door. The moment he disappeared inside, the metal door slid shut behind him with a quiet click, sealing the chamber once again.

Back inside the vigilante cave, Lana turned toward Vanessa and crossed her arms.

"You think he’s gonna be okay?"

Vanessa leaned against the wall, eyes watching the now-closed door. "It’s Liam."

That was all she needed to say.

——

The old rusty door groaned as Liam pushed it open with his shoulder, the creak echoing eerily through the tunnel behind him. He stepped into the dark, dust-laden stairwell, moving up each step carefully. Cobwebs clung to the walls like old ghosts, and every few steps, a piece of plaster crumbled beneath his boots.

Finally, he reached the top and emerged into the abandoned house.

It was worse than he thought.

Water dripped from exposed and rusted pipes, creating small puddles across the uneven floorboards. His boots crunched loudly over broken glass scattered everywhere. Chipped walls, collapsed furniture, and the faint smell of rot filled the air like decay itself had taken residence.

But Liam didn’t pause. He kept his movements quiet and calculated, weaving through the decayed living room until he reached the broken window that faced the front of the house.

He tilted his head, squinting through the gaps in the shattered glass.

Vanessa had been right.

There were two cars across the street—unmarked, ordinary at first glance—but he could see the faint outlines of armed men crouched low behind bushes, another pretending to be a jogger, even one blending in among a group of civilians as a street vendor.

They were watching the house. Waiting. Patient.

No doubt waiting for Vanessa—or him to come back.

But Liam wasn’t stupid enough to walk out the front door. He pivoted silently and made his way to the back of the house. As he stepped out, he was greeted by thick, lush trees—a wooded strip that backed the property.

Perfect.

He stepped out into the open space, the cool morning wind brushing against his face. Then he closed his eyes.

A low hum resonated from deep within him.

Then—whoosh!—his wings burst from his back with force, wide and glowing faintly white, nearly ethereal. He wove them once, the air rushing beneath him, lifting dust and leaves as he shot into the sky.

He cut through the air with speed, trees blurring beneath him, the wind howling past his ears. The city spread below like a map, glowing with life, and in less than five minutes, he reached Lilith’s penthouse.

He slowed as he hovered above the top floors, then descended gently onto the large balcony outside. It was glass-walled with sleek, minimalistic railings—spacious enough to pace, or fight, or land from the sky if you happened to be Liam.

His boots touched down without a sound.

He peered through the clear sliding glass door into her sitting room.

Empty.

No signs of struggle. No signs of blood or chaos. It looked pristine and eerily quiet. Liam took one last glance behind him, then unlocked the door and slipped inside.

The room smelled like Lilith—fresh and cold, a mix of vanilla, and faint citrus.

Then he heard a door open.

From the hallway, Lilith emerged in her usual storm of presence. She was wearing a tight, tactical black combat suit—tailored perfectly to her body, built for movement, agility, and battle. Her golden-blonde hair was being pulled back swiftly into a tight ponytail as she walked out, clearly in a rush. Her boots clicked once against the polished floor before she stopped and looked up.

Her feline-like eyes widened slightly in shock. "How do you always know how to show up like this?" she asked, incredulous.

Liam parted his lips to reply, but before he could speak, Lilith held up a hand to cut him off, walking briskly past him to grab something from the counter.

"There’s no time," she said firmly, grabbing her holster and strapping it to her side. "I need you."

Liam’s brows furrowed slightly. "What’s going on?"

But Lilith didn’t even look back. She was already walking toward the weapons rack that was usually hidden behind one of the decorative walls.

"I’ll explain everything on the way," she said over her shoulder.