“And?”
A pause.
“They’re alive, Ronan.”
The words hit harder than any bullet.
“Not altogether, I don’t think. We’re not sure about that yet.” Aaron continues. “Separate chambers. Shackled. Underground. No contact with each other.”
I close my eyes.
My command.
My men.
Alive.
Being dismantled.
Lena’s hand tightens in my shirt. She heard every word.
She looks up at me — not afraid.
Ready.
“We’re not waiting, are we?” she asks quietly.
“No,” I say.
Her jaw sets. “Good. Because I’m coming.”
I don’t argue.
I pull her into my arms, holding her tight as the ocean crashes behind us.
Six months of peace.
Six months of love.
And now the reckoning comes.
But this time?
I don’t walk into the dark alone.
25
Ronan
Location: Outer Banks, North Carolina
Late Night
The house is quiet.
No comms crackling.
No weapons within arm’s reach.
