Levi was at his desk, buried in a mountain of paperwork, when a knock interrupted the silence. He looked up to see a young woman standing in the doorway—there was something familiar about her, but he couldn't quite place it.
"Can I help you?" he asked, setting his pen down.
"Levi?" the woman said, stepping into the office. "It's me. Silvia."
Recognition flashed across his face. He rose slowly from his seat, stunned. It was Silvia—his little sister. The one he hadn't seen in years. The guilt hit him like a punch to the gut. He'd let his ambition and duty drive a wedge between them.
"Silvia... How you doing, little sis? It's been a while."
"All these years, and you haven't changed a bit," she replied, a hint of a smile curling on her lips as she took a seat.
"I need your help, Levi," she said, her voice trembling. "I'm in trouble."
He sat down, his expression growing serious. "What kind of trouble?"
She took a shaky breath. "Things haven't been good. I got kicked out when I turned eighteen... had to survive on my own. I kept telling myself you'd come for me after your training, but you never did."
"Look I'm sorry things got really hard after you left"
"I can tell it looks really hard from your cushiony desk job."
"Do you think I didn't want to see you, I thought I was giving you a chance at a better life, and then ..... and then Captain Stone died saving this place, I had an obligation to this town."
"What about your obligation to me, did this town care when Mom and Dad died, NO! we were on the streets all the same fighting just to survive another day!"
"I don't want to argue, you're obviously stressed out so tell me what's going on."
"This conversation isn't over,... like I said I had to fend for myself but it was hard eventually I was caught by slave traders they take in homeless girls like me by pretending to be a shelter."
"That's terrible have you tried going to the local officers."
"That's not an option the local division is in their back pocket, They supply them with women for a good time, and in return, They turn a blind eye to it, I've escaped for now but they will track me down.
Silvia's eyes lower in despair.
"They always do, I didn't know who else to turn to and i don't trust the local law enforcement."
Levi's heart ached at the despair in her eyes. "You don't have to worry anymore. I'll handle it. Just tell me where."
"They run auctions in an old warehouse outside the city—every weekend."
Levi stood. "I'll put a team together. You stay here. You're safe now."
"Safety?" Silvia muttered with a bitter chuckle. "I gave up on that idea a long time ago."
As she walked out of his office, Levi sat for a moment, overwhelmed by guilt and resolve. He wouldn't fail her again.
Later, while heading to his quarters, Levi ran into Lily.
"I'm heading to the capital," he said. "I need you to hold down the fort."
"Like hell you are," she replied. "You can't just abandon your post without a damn good reason."
"It's personal."
"Then make me understand. With all due respect."
Levi hesitated. "Slave traders from the capital are after my sister."
Lily's eyes narrowed. "That doesn't make sense. If something like that were happening so close to the city, the officers would've stopped it by now."
"So what, you think my sister's lying?"
"I'm just saying the capital officers pride themselves on their code."
"I grew up on the streets, Lily. I know what men in power are capable of."
She crossed her arms. "Then I'm going with you. Lord knows you'd get lost without someone competent at your side."
"Someone has to protect this town."
"You trained these men. From what I've seen, they're more than capable of dealing with the lowlife thugs that pass through here."
"That's not the point. They need backup if something goes wrong. If their leader's gone—"
"They'll do what you trained them to do. And if you trained them half as hard as you trained me, they'll be just fine." She smirked. "Like you said, I go where you go."
Levi let out a long sigh. "Out of all the lieutenants, they had to assign me one as stubborn as i am."
He turned away, already making plans. "We leave in three hours."
As Levi and Lily boarded the train to the capital, he felt a knot tighten in his chest. He didn't know exactly what they'd be walking into—but he trusted his team to protect the town in his absence. And more than that, he felt a fragile sense of hope.
He had a second chance to be the brother Silvia needed.
He only wished it hadn't come at such a terrible cost.