“If they’ve already moved it, then these three spots are our next best bets,” Enya replied, circling new spots on the global map with precise, deliberate strokes. “New York—strategically positioned near two major Collectives; Antwerp, still reeling from the initial attack, making it a prime target for their next move; and the Himalayas, conveniently close to nearly every Asian Collective.”
She straightened, her posture firm as her attention shifted deliberately from one person to the next. “We either deploy one of our deep undercover Offensives or infiltrate each site ourselves.”
I shook my head. “We won’t risk blowing the covers of our moles. If there had been credible whispers about the Amplifier, we’d already know. We need more than its geographical location; we need insight into their plans for the coming months. Exposing our agents or pulling them out prematurely could jeopardize everything.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“So, we form separate teams to search their camps, one at a time?” Sean interjected, his eagerness evident—like a golden retriever, ready to leap into action at the slightest cue.
As the discussion shifted to tactical planning, my mind drifted back toher.
Emma hadn’t said a word throughout the entire exposition, just sat there—still, composed, detached.Toodetached. Her demeanor was cool, cold even. But stillness like that isn’t peace—it’s a warning. Whatever was brewing beneath the surface, it was waiting for the right moment to erupt—and I was pretty sure it could rip through our thoroughly laid plans if we weren’t careful.
Had I made a mistake, letting her into the fold? Should I have kept her at a distance, shut her out entirely, shielded our plans from her? Or was keeping her close the smarter move, where I could watch her, figure out what she was hiding?
Damn it, I should’ve thought this through before allowing her here. Why the fuck had I agreed? I couldn’t trust her for shit.
But then the reason hit me, sharp and brutal—Alek.
Her son. Maybe mine.
The thought twisted like a knife to the gut, a sickening churn rising in my throat. What the hell would I do if it were true? If I had a son in the future—her son?
And then there was the Amplifier. She’d been put into a coma after the Radicals attacked her people with that cursed thing, yet she fought them and somehow won. She survived, not even knowing about her son. And now that she did…
Maybe that was why she was here. Maybe it was what drove her—the need to fight for him, to make sure he had a future which wouldn’t end in blood. And if it were me, if it were my child…
I’d burn the world to the ground to protect him. And I’d kill anyone who got in my way.
This war wasn’t only mine anymore—it was hers too. A battle against a future so bleak, so twisted, even thinking about it made my skin crawl. And right now, it was a fight against the same people who had nearly killed her—using the very weapon we were about to hunt down.
The Amplifier.
The thing capable of wiping out entire Collectives. And it was likely hidden somewhere in the Human World, a world where every magus could be tracked, where she was the only one who couldn’t.
Which made her an asset, whether I liked it or not.
And as for her motives— there was but one way to find out if I could trust her.
“Agreed,” I said, rough and decisive as I nodded firmly at Enya. “We’ll prioritize these locations and get our people moving for the search. We need to locate the Amplifier before the Radicals either relocate it or, worse, deploy it again.”
I paused, letting the seriousness of my words sink in. “We’ll start our search at Emile’s site, Camp B, inside the Metasphere. I’ll form a small unit to do the first sweep—Sean, Emma, and myself.”
Emma’s gaze snapped to mine, and for the first time that evening, a flicker of real emotion crossed her face. She wasn’t alone; the whole table was staring at me in shock.
Sean was the only one ballsy enough to voice his doubts. “Uh, boss? You’re seriously thinking of including an outsider on a mission this dangerous?”
I narrowed my eyes and tilted my head slightly, silently daring him to challenge my decision.
“Because that’s just brilliant,” Sean added quickly, his courage shrinking faster than his dick staring at its own reflection. The rest of the table nodded in reluctant agreement with palpable unease.
“Great, then it’s settled,” I said, shoving my chair back and standing up. I strode over to the door and flung it open. “You’re all dismissed, except for Sean and Emma.”
The group shuffled out, their low mutters of skepticism trailing behind them—grumbling about my decision to bring in an unknown agent, who had tried to kill them last time she’d met with them.
But they didn’t know what I knew. No one knew about my possible connection to Alek. Not even Sean. And I was keeping it that way until I could figure out what her deal was.
The door slammed shut behind them, leaving us three in the room.
