Pidge watched silently as Sven walked down the hallway. "Bastard." he muttered, "Cold, heartless bastard. I can't wait until you pay for your crimes." Anyone looking at him now could see how much he hated Sven. During the course of his stay here, he had seen more than enough of Sven's cruelty towards Keith. It made him sick.

Pidge took a deep breath. "It's almost over. Don't lose it yet." He couldn't blow his cover now. Not after all of this time. He had keep up the act just a little bit longer. He stepped out of his hiding place. He looked in the direction Sven had gone, then walked off in the opposite direction.

Lance had trouble picking his jaw off the floor after Lotor's little annoucement. "You know who the assassins are?"

Lotor smirked. "Let's just say I have some inside information on the assassins. It's only a matter of time before we catch them."

"How did you manage it?" Lance's shock was plain on his face. Lotor had a lead on who the assassins were? All the other teams sent out to discover the identity of this group had either found nothing or been found dead. "Or is it just another one of your little jokes?"

Lotor's smirk got wider. "No joke. A little birdy told me."

"You know I'm getting sick of you and this bird crap. Can't you give me a straight answer?"

"A straight answer?" Lotor walked over to where Lance was sitting. He put a hand on either side of Lance's head. Then he leaned forward. "I think I can fake it."

"You know that wasn't what I meant."

Lotor sighed and straightened up. "I know but we still have to wait for Allura. She needs to know the plan as well."

Someone cleared their throat, causing Lance and Lotor to turn around. Allura stood in the doorway. "You don't have to wait long I'm here now." She floated gracefully into the room and settled down in a chair near Lance. "I do so love this weather." She adjusted her skirts and looked up at Lotor. "Whatever do you wish to talk about that requires my pressence?"

"We have a lead on the assassins."

A change came over Allura. The vacant expression in her eyes cleared. Her postured changed from demure to alert and calculating. It was almost a scary sight. "You know who the assassins are?"

"Almost."

Lance stared at Allura. Every time she did that it surprised him. He had to ask. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"One minute I'm wondering if you have enough brain cells to remember to breathe, the next minute your mind going faster than most computers."

"Practice." Allura turned her head and tossed her hair over one shoulder. "If you act like you're completely brain dead, people tend to believe you're harmless."

Lance blinked. "Oh." So that's how she got the reputation of being one of the best. And here I was thinking she'd slept her way to the top. You just couldn't tell with some people. He turned his attention back to what Lotor was saying.

"We just need a little more evidence before we can put them away. We'll be attending a little party in a few weeks. Our assassins will be there."

Sven laughed silently to himself. He couldn't believe how stupid these Alliance people were. They actually believe they could catch him. As if he would allow himself to be caught easily. He knew all about the plans of the newest group they had sent after them. He even knew about the little spy they had planted in his group. How stupid did they think he was?

It didn't matter. Sven planned to use their own plans against them. They were in for a surprise. "What irony. Instead of the cat catching the mouse, the mouse catches the cat." Nothing and no one would stop him.

The door opened. "Sven?" He turned and saw Keith standing in the doorway. Tendrils of damp hair clung to his face. The rest lay aginst the neck of the robe he was wearing. Sven guessed Keith had just come fresh from the shower.

Sven raised an eyebrow and gave Keith a little smile. It was time for one of his sweet and kind moments. He still had a use for Keith and needed to keep him under control. He was essential to Sven's plans. He held out a hand to Keith. "Was there something you wanted?"

Keith headed towards Sven, like a moth to a flame. Unlike a moth he did not die on contact, instead his own destruction was far slower and worse. "Do you have to have this party?"

"Is that all pet? There's nothing to worry about. I'll be careful. I always am."

"I don't want to lose you. What would I do without you?"

Sven smiled into Keith's hair, rubbing his back."Nothing will happen to me so don't worry." He had to keep up the charade for now. Soon I'll be rid of you. Your usefulness to me is coming to an end.

Lance walked up the door of Lotor's room. He could hear him talking to someone. Maybe this has something to do with the assassins he thought. He leaned against the door to hear what was being said better.

"Are you sure? There's no mistake?"

"Of course I'm sure. I don't make mistakes." Whoever Lotor was talking to sounded like they were annoyed Lotor was even asking the question. "I've been watching these people for a long time. I know what I'm talking about."

Lance could hear Lotor pacing in the room. "This changes things. You realize what you're asking me to do don't you?"

"I know but he doesn't deserve to go down with the others. He's not a killer. He's just confused."

Lotor sighed. "I'll do my best. My influence can only go so far."

"That's all I ask."

"Lance loves that painting you brought here. I keep catching him staring at it all the time."

"I'm glad. It was one of Keith's favorites. It broke his heart when the bastard made him destroy his painting that one time. I managed to sneak it out before the others were set on fire."

"How sad, he's quite the artist."

"It is sad isn't it?"

Lance backed away from the door before he did anything to give his pressence away. He walked away quickly. Of course he was curious about the identity of Lotor's informant but another concern was in his head right now. He knew the identity of the mysterious artist who had done the painting he admired. The same person was involved with the group of assassins he was hunting. Who was just as guilty as they were, no matter what Lotor's informant said.

He made his way downstairs and walked into the room holding the painting. He stopped before the painting he had spent many hours admiring, wondering the name of the person who could make something so beautiful. Now Lance had a name. "Keith."

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