"Wait by the elevator. I'll be ten minutes, tops." I cupped his face, made him look at me. "I've worked here for five years. I know every corner, every exit. If something feels wrong, I'll come straight back."
The war in his eyes was painful to watch. Protectiveness fighting practicality. Need battling logic. "Ten minutes," he finally said. "Not a second longer."
"Deal." I kissed him—quick, reassuring—and headed for the stairs.
The pharmacy storage room was exactly as I'd left it. Rows of metal shelving, fluorescent lights humming overhead, the faint chemical smell of disinfectant. I moved efficiently, filling my bag with everything we'd need—chest seals, hemostatic gauze, IV catheters, bags of saline. My hands knew this work. My mind could wander.
Which is probably why I didn't notice her until she spoke. "Kai Nakamura. I was wondering when you'd show up."
I spun, hand going to the tactical pen in my pocket.
She stood in the doorway, blocking the exit. Mid-forties, immaculate in a way that screamed money and power. Tailored charcoal suit, not a wrinkle in sight. Dark hair pulled back in a severe bun. Manicured nails, subtle makeup, pearl earrings that probably cost more than my annual salary.
She was beautiful, in a cold, calculated way. The kind of face you'd trust on a news broadcast or a campaign poster. The kind of face that could smile while signing your death warrant. FBI badge clipped to her belt. Gun holstered at her hip.
Michelle Chen.
"There's no need for weapons." Her voice was pleasant, professional. Like we were colleagues meeting in a conference room. "I'm just here to talk."
"How did you get in here?"
"I'm a federal agent." She smiled—a small, satisfied curve that didn't reach her eyes. "I go where I need to go."
My heart was pounding, but I kept my voice steady. "What do you want?"
"Straight to business. I appreciate that." She stepped further into the room, heels clicking against linoleum. "I want to offer you a way out, Kai. A chance to walk away from this mess before it buries you."
"I'm listening."
"No, you're not. You're calculating escape routes and wondering if you can reach your boyfriend before I stop you." She tilted her head, studying me like a specimen. "He's waiting by the elevator, isn't he? Loyal. I respect that. But loyalty won't stop a bullet."
The casual mention of Axel made my blood run cold.
"Here's the situation," she continued. "You've gotten tangled up with some dangerous people. Not the Phoenixes—they're mostly harmless. A nuisance, but manageable." She waved a dismissive hand. "I'm talking about Tyler."
"My brother."
"Your foster brother. Who's been playing a very dangerous game for a very long time." Something flickered in her expression—annoyance, maybe. "He's gathered evidence. Made recordings. Built a case that could cause significant problems for certain people."
"People like you."
"People like everyone." She moved closer, and I had to fight not to step back. "Do you know what happens when federal investigations go sideways, Kai? Evidence gets lost. Witnessesrecant. Accidents happen." Another smile, colder than the first. "Your grandmother died of natural causes, didn't she? Heart failure?"
The words hit me like a physical blow. "She was seventy-two," Chen continued, conversational. "Living alone. Fragile health. It would have been so easy for something to go wrong. A fall. A medication mix-up. These things happen to elderly women all the time."
"You—" I couldn't finish. Couldn't breathe.
"I didn't touch her." Chen's tone was almost gentle. "I'm merely illustrating a point. Bad things happen to people who get involved in matters beyond their understanding. You're a nurse. You should know that better than anyone."
"What do you want from me?!" My patience had started to crack.
"I want you to walk away. Leave the Phoenixes. Convince Tyler to destroy his evidence and disappear. In exchange, I'll lift the kill order and let you live your quiet little life." She reached into her pocket, produced a card. "Think about it. You have until tomorrow night."
She held out the card. I didn't take it. "My grandmother raised me to be brave," I said. My voice was steadier than I expected. "She survived things you couldn't imagine. Came to this country with nothing and built a life. You think I'm going to let someone like you scare me into running?"
Something shifted in her expression. The pleasant mask slipped, just for a second, revealing something reptilian underneath.
"Your grandmother also told you stories about Japan, didn't she? About honor and sacrifice?" Chen set the card on the shelf beside me. "She forgot to mention that the brave ones always die first. It's the cowards who grow old."
