“You kissed her.”
Silence.
He waits.
I say nothing.
Lazarus exhales. “You know what happens when we care.”
“She’s not my priority,” I snap.
“You sure about that?”
“She’s ajob.”
My voice rings hollow in the empty room.
Even I can hear it.
Lazarus doesn’t say anything for a while. When he does, his voice has gone soft. Too soft.
“Tugun’s not alone.”
I stiffen. “What?”
“Intercepted comms suggest Big Otto’s involved. Something coordinated. A two-pronged approach.”
My mind shifts gears instantly. “Intel?”
“Not much. Otto’s keeping things tight. But if he’s backing Tugun, it’s not just personal. It’s strategic.”
I clench my fists.
If Otto’s in this, it’s not just a hit.
It’s a message.
And I know exactly who that message is for.
“I’ll handle it,” I say.
Lazarus sighs. “You better. Because if you fall for her and she dies?—”
“I won’t let that happen.”
He pauses.
“Don’t get sloppy, Voltar.”
I end the call.
The silence feels louder after he’s gone.
I stand there, surrounded by destroyed training gear, feathers drifting like snowfall.
And I whisper to the empty room?—
“Let them try.”
