"What's the progress?" Jacob questioned the tech guy.

The tech guy, who was busy digging in new tracks, moved his head in denial without deviating his eyes off the screen, "Nothing yet." turning towards Jacob, "They are way too efficient at hiding."

"How long?" Jacob mused, "Will they stay strong? They have to falter."

A week later; The Claros residence;

Jereff walked inside Jackson's room, to see him pacing the perimeter of the floor, with a frustration visible in his face.

"What has gotten into you? Do you know, you have been pacing since you came back?"

"I feel like, my joints are f*cking stuck." Jackson replied and shook his head, "I can't keep lying on the bed anymore."

"Yeah, now that your doctor is not here."

"Don't bring that up, for god sake."

Jereff studied through his annoyance and snickered making Jackson stop in his place and pass him a dead pan, "Funny, yeah?" he huffed, "I need some fresh air."

"Don't even try." Jereff chuckled. 

Jackson peered at him and crossed his hands across his chest, "Try me!"

" Jack!" seizing the playfulness, "You are not going out of your room for 2 days. Don't make it harder for us."

"Jeff!"

"No! Try anything, you want. I am not letting you out of this room."

"I'll die, if I stay inside this room, a day more." he pleaded.

"No, you wont. Stop being dramatic. Take some rest."

Jackson plunged down his shoulders silently accepting his defeat in front of his brother's strictness. Jereff nodded to himself and left the room.

Outside the Claros residence;

Nick made his way out of the radar, cautiously while the phone in his pocket kept furiously buzzing.

He received the call and hissed, "Cut me some slacks! You almost got me caught."

"I don't really entertain that tone, brother."

"Get to the point."

"How's your boss?"

"Worried much?"

"About you? yes I am, because, the day's not far away, that when I twist your neck."

A shiver ran down his spine. The voice of the stranger beyond the phone was scary enough and death threats added to them could make anyone falter off their courage. He closed his eyes and composed himself before he continued, "What do you want to know?"

"Now you are talking" the smile in his face was reflecting off his tone, "Where is he?"

"The doctor has prescribed a 2 days rest."

"Jackson and bedrest?"

"That's on the elder Claros."

"That's where their countdown starts."

"Let me tell you. Other than the so mentioned weakness, Jackson Claros is perfectly fine to kill 10 people at once."

The man on the other side of the phone chuckled, "Not for long, brother. Not for long."

Nick disconnected the call and sighed in relief. But, as soon as he turned around, he froze.

"Who was that?" Jackson asked suspiciously.

Failing to find a word, he kept gaping at him, slightly rubbing his palm and hoping that some miracle hits his way and save him from getting caught.

"You were talking about us." he continued.

"Jack, I was..."

"I want the truth."

"Jack, I....." slowly he pulled out the gun from his waist and pointed it towards Jackson in no time. While, Nick was struggling to put up his defense, Jackson stood their with a stoic expression pasted over his face. As, the seconds passed, Jackson kept standing in his place while the gun started to tremble in his hands.

A smirk quirked up Jackson's lips, "Impressive! I was waiting for your dumb move."

A bead of sweat tricked down Nick's hairline.

Jackson stood a step forward compelling him to take a step back. 

In no time, Jackson raised up his hand and placed a hard punch at his jaw, making him loose balance. As, the gun faltered off it's aim, Jackson held the barrel and pulled it away from his hand, leaving him bare handed and vulnerable standing near Jackson.

Another punch, and Nick tumbled down on the floor.

Jackson towered over him as he winced his face and kept groaning, "It seems Corvett did not just drain you of your loyalty, "Pointing the gun straight to his forehead, "But also your wit and reflexes. You should have made a better choice."

"JACK! NO!"

*BANG!!*

Nick's groaning was enough to set off the alarm inside Jereff's head. Without wasting another minute he rushed out of the door and stood aghast after seeing Jackson pointing his gun at Nick. He called out but it was too late.

The gunshot made the Hawks alert. They rushed outside the gate and froze in his place, failing to find a better explanation tot eh situation.

Jackson turned around and Nick kept lying dead, bathed in his own blood.

Jereff looked at the Nick and shifted his gaze towards Jackson. "Why did you do that? the terror in his voice was clear.

"I lost two of my men." Jackson replied in a dead voice as he made his way inside the house.

"Why the hell did you kill him?" he turned towards the Hawks, "Treatment" he ordered, "Fast!"

"That won't be necessary. I killed the rat."

Jereff fell silent while he kept studying through Jackson, rechecking if he is at all in his senses. Jackson stood near him, "I am sound and no I am not kidding."

"Nick was the one?" his voice turned soft.

Jackson nodded and ordered his men, "Get the mess out of here."

Everyone standing behind Jereff hung their head low and nodded in assent. Jackson glanced at Jereff's trepidated form and walked inside.

An hour later, Jackson called for a meeting with the remaining people in the Hawks. As, summoned, they walked inside his room one by one.

Jackson stood facing the window, a defeat hidden in his dead look.

On sensing everyone's presence inside the room, he turned towards them and a light pang hit his heart. Two people gone in just a span of two months. One with loyalty and one with a shift.

Taking in a deep breath, he started, "I know you have lot of questions in your mind and most probably many of you might be hating me at this point." he walked towards the table where Jereff was seated supporting his forehead with his fist, "But there should not be any mercy for a traitor.

Jackson studied through their mixed emotions and continued, "I know it is hard to belief. The ship wreckage, the missing shipments, the attack would have never happened if they had the information. Sensitive information on the internal operations oft he Hawks to be exact. Jereff and I knew, their was a rat within us. But, today things happened near me. It was Nick the whole time.

Jereff shook his head in dismay, "It is hard to believe indeed. He was here since day one and he decided to turn his back.

"He decided to get sold."