“He’s going to trade lives for narrative.”
That lands.
Hard.
Because I’ve seen men like that.
Not killers.
Architects.
Men who don’t just want destruction—
They want the world to understand it.
I look back at Lark.
“He wants you to choose,” I say.
“Yes.”
“And he thinks you will.”
Her voice is quiet.
“He knows I will.”
That’s the problem.
That’s the entire problem.
Because she’s right.
She will choose.
And whatever choice she makes…
It’s going to cost her something she can’t get back.
I lean forward, decision already made.
“Then we don’t let him control the board.”
Ronan’s mouth tilts slightly. Not quite a smile.
“Good,” he says. “Because he thinks he already does.”
70
Aaron
Location: En Route — Portugal
Time: Night
Enough waiting.
Enough reacting.
