Never Judge

"What exactly is she doing in my home city?" Al asked as he looked unfazed by the news of an unknown agent residing in his city.

"She was part of a gift." Yu Zimo explained. "From my Uncle to your father."

All of a sudden, Al burst out laughing and shaking his head. 

"When was the last time you spoke to her?" He asked as he tried to catch his breath and calm himself back down.

"Before she left." Yu Zimo said as he tilted his head to the side, confused by Al's reaction. "She told me that Uncle was sending her and a few other female agents to work for your father. She asked me to do everything to take her son away from his father."

"And you only acted now?" Angelo asked, injecting himself in the conversation.

"There wasn't an opportunity to do so before this." Yu Zimo said a little bit too defensively. "You have no idea how badly I've wanted to take Nikolai away from Ilya, but I couldn't. If I simply took him Ilya could charge me for kidnapping."

"Wait!" Al said as he stood, making both men stop arguing. "Shut up for a few minutes the both of you." 

Angelo and Yu Zimo looked at each other and didn't utter another word after Al had spoken. 

"Let's settle things one dilemma at a time." Al told them.

He sat back down and sighed, he took a drink from his glass before putting it back down and gesturing for Yu Zimo to refill it.

"Ren and her unit don't work for my father." He declared, much to Yu Zimo's surprise, causing him to spill the drink on the table. 

"Shocker, no?" Al chuckled as he watched Yu Zimo wipe the table. 

"She didn't know where she was headed?" Yu Zimo asked.

"No, she didn't but don't worry it wasn't anywhere bad." Al chuckled. "She's part of a group that now calls themselves that Valkiries." 

"Shit." Angelo cursed under his breath, making Al grin.

Of course Angelo knew the Valkiries were, his sister aspired to be one of them. As a matter of fact most female members of the underworld wanted to be one. 

"I'm guessing the Valkiries are a big deal." Yu Zimo inferred based on Angelo's reaction.

Al nodded and smiled.

"The Valkiries are an elite all female group, their existence isn't a secre, but their identities are." Al explained. 

"What do they do?" Yu Zimo asked, curious about what his friend and lover was up to now.

"Anything, everything." Angelo chuckled.

"They work for the most demanding bosses around." Al added as he laughed and shook his head. "My mom and aunts."

Yu Zimo was surprised to hear this. 

All this time he was under the impression that Ren had been working in the underworld for Raymund Lawrence and his organization. 

"The Valkiries were a gift from Aunt Camilla to my Aunts and my mom." Al continued to explain. "I'm pretty sure I've met Ren, and I can tell you she is healthy and safe."

He could see as a look of relief crossed Yu Zimo's face. He was glad to bring at least this to his new friend. 

"Now, on to the next matter." Al said as he decided that the matter of Ren could be put to rest. "Why didn't you simply take the boy? Uncle Guan Ming is influential enough to protect you and based on what you have told me you are skilled enough."

"It's because of Ilya Palvov." Yu Zimo hissed.

"How can a man that's been leeching off of you be so threatening?" Angelo asked. "He literally needs you to put a roof over his head."

"Ilya Palvov was not always as pathetic as he is now." Yu Zimo spat. "There is a reason why we ended up the way we did, it's because Ilya was once influential enough to draw out our enemies."

"Ilya used to work for Uncle Ming?" Al asked as he tried to piece together the puzzle in his head. 

"No, but Ren and I managed to manipulate him enough that he could draw people out for us. That's why Ren was at that bar that night." Yu Zimo said as he balled his hands into fists. "Ilya was being difficult and normally Ren was more effective when it came to influencing him."

"Ilya had a thing for her?" Angelo asked, curious as to the methods that both Ren and Zimo had used on Ilya Palvov.

"He was in love with her the moment he laid his eyes on her." Yu Zimo answered bitterly.

It was clear to Al and Angelo that Zimo had been suffering for years just being near Ilya. His hate for the man was beyond anything they expected or could predict.

It was a far cry from how calm and collected he had been earlier in the day.

Something about Ilya Pavlov and Ren triggered him. 

"We acted desperately, we rushed things that's why I had to use Ren that night." Zimo admitted. "Over the years he was only able to maintain his popularity and influence because of Ren, without her he would have fallen much sooner."

Al nodded as he slowly understood the situation.

"His supporters slowly vanished, but I was caught off guard when a few years back he seemed to be gaining influence once more." Yu Zimo explained.

"Colin Jao." Al declared. 

"Yes, that is about the time I believe he started working for Colin Jao." Zimo said as he nodded in agreement. "Things have been getting better and more lucrative for him, just a month ago he informed me that he was looking for a new place for him and Nikolai."

"So we picked the child up in time." Angelo said with a victorious smile on his lips.

"The timing of your arrival couldn't be better." Yu Zimo said as he smiled at the two men. 

"What do you plan on doing to Ilya Pavlov?" Al asked as he leaned forward. 

"I believe he is behind Ren's drugging that night." Yu Zimo bravely declared.

Al looked to Angelo and Angelo simply nodded back. They had both come to the same conclusion as well.

"I have evidence that points towards Ilya Pavlov drugging her, but due to the fact that he had a backer I couldn't use it so easily." Zimo said as he took out a folder and handed it to Angelo.

The other man quickly read through it and smiled.

"It's airtight." He confirmed. 

"Is that enough to use agains Ilya?" Yu Zimo asked.

"We'll get your revenge, I promise." Al said as he finished the contents of his glass.