Right. The future. The thing we’d been too busy surviving to discuss.
I told her about Dresner first, how he’d escaped before Hellhound could lock down the facility. The man always had contingencies.
Her features hardened. “Where is he now?”
“Unknown. He’ll go to ground. Regroup. But he’s exposed now.”
I explained about Maeve. How she’d been investigating Oblivion for months. How her post on the dark web had already gone viral, exposing the conditioning, the operatives, the entire operation. Governments launching investigations. Interpol getting involved.
“She’s been fighting for you this whole time.”
My windpipe constricted. “Yeah. She has.”
I told her about the Geneva data, how it would tie Dresner personally to CuraNova, destroy his legitimate facade. How my sister finally had the ammunition to shatter his public image and force him into hiding.
“The chip.” My palm went unconsciously to my neck. “Havoc knows a surgeon. No questions. Someone who specializes in staying under the radar. Three, maybe four days.”
Clare’s gaze tracked the movement. Her professional mask slipped into place for a heartbeat, nurse mode assessing, cataloging. Then it softened again.
“I’m not seeing Maeve while I’m carrying Dresner’s hardware. Won’t do it.”
“Good.” Her tone was absolute. “We get that thing out, send it for forensic analysis. Give your sister one more piece of evidence.”
Then I told her about Hellhound and Havoc.
Her expression shifted. Worry creeping in around the edges.
“Hellhound’s going back undercover. That’s dangerous.”
“He knows what he’s doing.”
“And Havoc? Hunting Dresner’s money alone?”
My jaw worked slightly.
“They’ll be fine.”
Quiet fell. Clare stared into her mug like she could find answers there.
“I hope they stay safe. They helped us so much.”
My fingers tightened on hers without conscious thought.
“You’re worried about them.”
Clare glanced up. Caught something in my tone. “Of course I am. They risked everything for us.”
I groaned. No polite response came to mind.
Clare’s soft laugh caught me off guard. “Are you jealous?”
I turned away. My jaw working.
“No. Maybe. I don’t know.”
The admission tasted like failure.
Clare was observing me. I could feel her attention even without meeting it.
