I pause.
“It’s a map of what happens next.”
There it is.
The truth lands.
Her breath catches over the line—and for a split second, the room feels smaller. Tighter.
“They’re not hunting you because you know what they did,” I continue.
I look at the screen—then past it.
“They’re hunting you because you built something that can see what they’re going to do next.”
Silence.
Heavy. Real.
And somewhere, miles away, I know Aaron just stepped closer to her.
Because I would.
“That’s not a leak,” I say quietly.
“That’s a threat.”
And that’s when the war stops being theoretical.
13
Ronan
Location: Mobile Command — En Route
Time: Night
It starts with three alarms that should never go off together.
Digital intrusion.
Asset distress.
And a third—quieter, sharper—
Predictive deviation spike.
“That’s not a coincidence,” I mutter.
My screens flare red, reflections cutting across the inside of the vehicle as we move. The world outside is dark, but in here—it’s war.
“Talk to me,” Aaron says in my ear.
“They just launched a coordinated strike,” I reply. “And they were waiting for her to move.”
“I didn’t move her.”
“No,” I say grimly. “They moved the world.”
