“I’ve been chasing ghosts,” Ghost said, voice tight. “Data points. Cap looked around the table. “Then this changes.”
He planted his hands on the wood. “We stop reacting. We go hunting.”
A low murmur of agreement rolled through the room.
“No solo moves,” Cap continued. “No ego bullshit. We do this clean, coordinated, and final.”
His gaze landed on me. “You’re not running blind anymore.”
“I wasn’t,” I said.
“You were close,” he replied.
Fair.
Cap turned to Scout. “You rest. You heal. You debrief with Ghost.”
Scout nodded. “I want back in.”
Cap didn’t hesitate. “You’ll get there.”
Ghost hadn’t moved.
I watched him carefully now. The way his shoulders were locked tight. The way his eyes were distant, calculating, cold in a way I hadn’t seen before.
“Ghost,” Cap said.
Ghost looked up. “They used her name,” he said again.
“Yes.”
“They kept records,” Ghost said. “Lists. Faces.”
“Yes.”
Ghost nodded slowly. “Then they left a trail.”
Something sharp lit behind his eyes.
“I’ll find it,” he said. “All of it.”
Cap held his gaze. “We do this together.”
Ghost inclined his head. “Always.”
The bell rang again.
Church ended.
But none of us moved right away.
Scout exhaled, slumping slightly as the adrenaline drained. Ranger clapped a hand on his shoulder. Brutus muttered something about food. Doc stepped in, already telling Scout he was pushing his luck.
I stayed seated for a moment longer, hands braced on the table.
The war wasn’t over.
It had just sharpened.
