He still hadn't had time to process what happened in Zeno's room, and he wasn't in a hurry to think about it, because he didn't want to know the answers.

Zeno snapped out of his dream state and quickly climbed down the stairs. He went ahead and joined the front line, standing near the guard he remembered as Jasper.

"Come here," Sebastian ordered indifferently, using his head to gesture to Zeno to come and stand beside him.

 Zeno walked over and stood beside Sebastian, ignoring the stares that were directed his way.

"You all already him. He's my bodyguard. He'll train with you from now on," Sebastian announced.

"Yes, boss!" The guards echoed.

Butler Nicole suddenly came and whispered something into Sebastian's ear and then left.

"Now, a threat has been issued by one of our rivals, and we don't take threats lightly," Sebastian slowly walked along in front of his guards, looking each in the eyes.

He put his hand in his army-green pants and paused, regarding their reactions with an icy cold glare.

"An intel tells me that one of you has been providing insider information to them," Sebastian's voice turned icy as he spoke, his guards cowered as he walked past them, returning to his position in front of them.

"You know very well how I handle snitches," Sebastian said, fixing his hard gaze on Zeno's side profile.

Zeno held himself from scoffing; of course, he would suspect him at the mention of every bad thing. He wasn't surprised.

"Three of you will be joining Zeno to go undercover and find out what we're dealing with," Sebastian said formidably.

Zeno was shocked to hear what Sebastian had just said. Under what?

He doesn't even know the first thing about spying on someone from a distance! Now he had to go undercover, like, being there and mingling with the real enemy.

Could his life get any worse with Sebastian by his side?

"Ida, Jasper, Cody," Sebastian called out.

"Yes, boss!" The three guards answered uniformly.

"Prepare to leave tomorrow morning," Sebastian said and fished out his sunglasses from his pocket, elegantly fixing it on his face.

"Yes, boss," The guards replied again.

"You already know, if you're caught..." Sebastian paused.

"We go down alone!" All the guards echoed their response at once.

"Good," Sebastian nodded coldly, turned and superciliously walked away.

Zeno sighed as Sebastian walked away from him. One problem was gone; now he had to find a way not to go for that life-threatening undercover shit.

Since Sebastian thought he was the all-mighty and invincible, why didn't he go himself and find out whatever information he needed to know?

"Hey, man," Someone walked up to Zeno and stood before him.

"Hey," Zeno replied.

He immediately noticed that most of the guards had dispersed, heading over to that house on the other side of the large compound.

Only the three guys who Sebastian had called out earlier were left.

"I'm Ida, that's Jasper and Cody," Ida introduced, pointing to the two guys beside them.

Zeno looked from Cody to Jasper, pausing when he saw Jasper.

He knew him.

He was the tall guy whom he had kicked first when he was kidnapped, and he was the person who had led him into the mansion and untied his hands. He couldn't forget that face and height.

"Zeno," He simply replied, not wanting to be friendly with any of them.

"We look forward to working with you, Zeno," Ida said.

Zeno managed a little nod and went to walk away.

"The gym's that way," Cody called out to Zeno who was heading in a different direction.

"Right," Zeno turned and headed back in the same direction the guards had previously gone.

He reached in front of the second building and stood, not knowing which way to go and he didn't want to talk to those people who helped kidnap him.

"Come on, let's go," Cody came from behind and grabbed Zeno's arm, leading him into the building.

Zeno wanted to complain but didn't, because, in the end, Cody was just trying to help him around.

He looked back and saw Ida and Jasper following them behind; he noticed that Jasper was the tallest amongst them, Ida was average, while Cody could be considered almost short from his angle as he looked down upon the center of Cody's head.

"This place is almost like a hotel, look," Cody pointed Zeno to the left, "That's our loaded cafeteria. To the right are two doors; one's an elevator that carries everyone up to their respective floors and rooms, while the other is more like an emergency unit... You know?" Cody said gingerly.

Zeno was immediately reminded of Thomas back at the boxing arena; he thought he would be free from chirpers, but I guess he was wrong.

Cody here was even worse.

"Emergency unit?" Zeno asked, wanting to know the kind of emergency they got into that they had to dedicate a hall to it.

"Ah, like a mini hospital, you know, when you're injured and dying-"

"Enough, Cody," Jasper's voice sounded from behind.

"Let go," Cody led Zeno ahead.

Zeno followed Cody through a short passage and reached the last door that was right at the center that adjoined the walls.

"And this... Is the gym," Cody said and pressed a green button beside the steel door.

Zeno watched as the door slickly slid open, reviewing a heavily equipped gym.

"What the fuck!" Zeno said in disbelief.

What were these people training for? Why did they have all sorts of weights and machines in this gym? Were they assassins?

Zeno suddenly stopped his thoughts. Maybe they were.

He thought back to the guy Mr. Orion was calling about his Nana and concluded that they were indeed assassins.

"Come on," Cody ushered him in.

"What do you want to do today? Train Leg?" Cody asked seriously.

Zeno looked at him like he was crazy. Why would he do a leg day today of all days when they were sending him to an undercover job the next day? So he wouldn't be able to escape when he's caught?

"Of course not, that was a stupid question, so tell me, what-" 

"Go practice, Cody," Jasper came forward and stood between Cody and Zeno, subtly nudging Cody away.

Ida grabbed Cody's arm and dragged him away.

"I heard you're a boxer?" Jasper asked in a quiet tone.

"Mm," Zeno replied, looking around the gym, instead of Jasper.

Jasper chuckled lightly, "Hey, I know you dislike me, but I was just following orders, I couldn't go against my boss," Jasper explained.

He knew Zeno was angry at him for the kidnap incident. But he couldn't have disobeyed orders, there would've been grave consequences.

"Yeah, I know," Zeno replied and sighed.

He knew all along that Jasper was just following orders, just like he was now doing, but he still couldn't be friends with someone who kidnapped him, he felt wronged.

"Okay, You don't have to like me, but we need to talk to each other since we'll be working together from now. Come," Jasper said.

Zeno reluctantly followed him, walking past people who were deadlifting, doing cardio, stretching, and different types of workouts.

Zeno noticed that the walls of the gym were all covered in thick black grapes, from the roof to the floor.

They reached the end of the wall and Zeno watched as Jasper took a small remote from the top of the small table that was near the wall. 

He was shocked and immensely impressed when Jasper pressed a button and the drapes parted to review a very beautiful and calming sight behind the glass walls.

"Wow," Zeno smirked.

"Come on," Jasper said and walked toward the glass door.

The door slid open and Zeno breathed in the fresh air that rushed into the air-conditioned room.

He couldn't remember when last he felt this kind of calm and refreshed by just staring at a beautiful view.

"Let's go," Jasper said.

Zeno followed Jasper into the most beautiful arboretum he'd ever seen in his life. He never pegged Sebastian as someone who loved and conserved nature.

Zeno was awed by the multiple-colored trees and well-trimmed flowers. The place was heaven amidst the ugly and dark nature of the mafia world they lived in.

"Over there is the archery, that side is just for chilling beside the river..." Jasper pointed Zeno to his left.

Zeno hadn't even noticed the streaming river and the benches that were placed beside it under huge trees.

He loved this place already.

"And to your left...is your area," Jasper announced.

Zeno detected a hint of a smile in Jasper's voice, he wondered what could be making the mean guard smile. He decided to turn and see what Jasper was showing him. And, when he did, he was left speechless and excited.

Zeno couldn't believe his eyes. He walked toward the black punching bag that was hung around a very strong sturdy-looking branch.

He ran his hand over the very smooth and heavy leather material.

"Want to practice?" Jasper asked behind him.

"Yeah," Zeno chuckled.