Finding Mayhem

by Layla Frost

I lifted my chin and continued what I was doing. A few minutes after he left, I gave up on the technological puzzle. Taking out my tools, I made quick work of gathering everything before disabling and removing the panel. It wouldn’t take Glitch long to get to the bottom of it. Then a few of my brothers would be back that night to set things right—preferably in the middle of his fancy-ass party. I made my way to the front door when the sound of glass crunched behind me. In a blink, my piece was in my hand, and I turned. Aiming it at a terrified housekeeper. Around her early twenties, she was too young to look so jaded and wary and terrified. She inched forward and opened her mouth before hesitating. Felt like shit about it, but I was too tired and impatient to wait her out. “Let’s go.” Her brows shot up. After a long moment, she admitted, “I cannot leave. I’m illegal.” Her heavy accent was Ukrainian. Maybe Polish. “Don’t give a damn, we’ll figure it out. You have anything you need to grab?” We did not have the time to pack her belongings. And even if we did, I didn’t have the energy to unload yet another moving van. But I wasn’t heartless. I wouldn’t make her leave behind family pictures or mementos or whatever shit normal people had. She just shook her head, already heading for the door. Decision made. I gave her my helmet and helped her onto the bike behind me before taking off for the gate. The closed gate. “Oh no,” she cried loudly. Defeated. But it was connected to our...