"Can I ask you something?"

"G'head."

"Um, well, why are you doing this? N-not that I mind of course. I am very grateful, and curious."

"It's simple really. I need a professional thief's help, you are one. And I don't have the money to pay you, so I figured I'd help you out and you help me and then were square."

"No no I get that."

"Then what don't you get?"

"Why the hell you'd risk breaking me out of here. If they see you, they will shoot you before asking questions."

He gave a short laugh as he undid the last of the ropes, "They are the least of my worries. And now you're free and thus indebted to me."

He stood up and shook his head, "You're insane."

"Nope, I'm Riley." He smiled as alarms began to blare. "A contract killer. Nice to meet you Jack. So, shall we run for our lives?"

Jack didn't get to respond as Riley grabbed his wrist and and pulled him along as they began to run. The blaring alarm rattled him and the shouting and yelling kept him moving. He had a basic understanding of what was happening- scratch that- he had no clue what was happening. The guy who called himself Riley took a sharp turn to the left and pulled Jack through a door and into a stairwell.

Here Riley finally released Jack and swung his bag off his back and from it he took out a handgun, and handed it to Jack. Jack took it carefully and held unsure what to do with the weapon.

"I'm guessing you've never used one before," Riley sighed putting his backpack on, a gun in his own hands.

"I don't kill," Jack told him. "I'll use a knife now and then, but that's just a part of my tool kit."

Riley stepped forward and grabbed Jack's hands and repositioned then so he held the gun correctly, "At least pretend you know what you're doing. The safety is off, so just point and shoot. And don't get surprised by the recoil. That gun is more powerful than it looks. I know a guy. Now let's go." He hurriedly led the way up the stairs and Jack followed behind.

Riley led the way up two flights of stairs before they came out on the roof, which was oddly empty. Jack scanned the area confused as to why this they hadn't been found yet. This seemed almost easy.

Riley took a step toward the edge of the roof and looked down over the edge and when he did Jack silently raised the gun and pointed it at him, "Who are you really?"

Riley turned around looking surprised, "I thought you said you didn't know how to use that? And I told you my name is Riley and I'm a-"

"Cut the bullshit," Jack told him. "No one is following us. Those people kept an eye on me for days, and they magically leave and you show up, and now the only clue that things are wrong here is the alarm. So who are you really and what do you want?"

Riley didn't respond at first and Jack watched as Riley's eyes searched his before he lowered his gun to the floor and kicked it toward Jack. Jack didn't move to pick it up, he didn't know what else this guy had.

"My name is Riley," Riley started. "Am I contract killer though? That's to be debated. As for why I am here, it is to get you out of here. And as for why no one is coming after us it's because I told them not to."

Jack's eyes narrowed and he tightened his grip on the gun, "What are you talking about?"

Riley smiled, "My full name is Riley Elias Simmons-Chaney. Aka, I'm the son of the guy who runs this place."

Jack paused, but he didn't let his grip on the gun waver, "If you are who you say why are you doing this?"

"Because I need a thief," Riley responded simply. "I've been tracking your work. And I wanted you, so I asked my father for you. He supplied, but I didn't expect you to turn down our offer. So, I decided that me breaking you out would suffice."

Jack lowered his gun, "Well bring me back, because I'm still not going to help you."

"And why not?"

"Because I don't go that far. I-"

"You contradict yourself," Riley cut in. "You steal from those who wronged you out of spite and revenge. Yet those I want you to steal things that are worse, and you won't help? I have found basically everything there is to know about you Jack. I am a fan of your work for the most part, I most definitely preferred it when you killed though."

"I never-"

Riley gave a smile and put his thumbs in his pockets, "You personally no, but your old partner did. And you never stopped him."

Jack opened his mouth but bit back a retort. He took a deep breath to calm his emotions but even so his hands, and the gun still in them, shook. "I am not going to help you."

Riley shook his head and tsked a few times, "Do you really still care about your family that much? After everything they did to you?"

"Shut up," Jack hissed resisting the urge to shoot him. "Look, you can either take me back or kill me. But I won't do that to my family."

Riley gave a sigh and crossed his arms, "I see you won't be swayed. I guess there is nothing stopping your half-sister from being adopted now."

Jack's eyes widened and he saw Riley smirk, "Oh you didn't hear?" Riley asked innocently putting his thumbs in his pockets once more, "Your stepmother is pregnant with a little girl, and there is talk of letting the Withers raise her so she will take over both as you were supposed to do. Of course this means they will be stricter on her than you because they can't have another Royal run away can they?"

Jack's mouth opened, but he couldn't force the words to come. He took a deep breath and let it out glaring at Riley. "I am going to kill you personally when this is over, and your pitiful country will fall with you."

Riley gave a smirk and a mock bow, "May the best prince win."