"I'm not—"
"You are. I can see it in your face. Every time you look at me, you're seeing me on the ground. Bleeding out." I tug him closer. "I'm here, Jagger. I'm not going anywhere."
He leans down, presses his forehead against mine. We breathe together for a moment, sharing air, sharing space.
"I thought I lost you," he whispers.
"You didn't."
"I thought—"
"You didn't." I kiss his lips before pulling away. "I'm too stubborn to die. You should know that by now."
A commotion from downstairs interrupts whatever he was about to say. Voices. Jinx's, raised in something between excitement and alarm. Then footsteps, rapid on the old wooden stairs.
The door bursts open. Jinx stands in the frame, holding an envelope.
"You need to see this," he says. "Both of you. Now."
"What is it?"
"Courier just arrived. Asked for Jagger by name. Left this and disappeared before anyone could ask questions." He holds up the envelope. It's heavy cream paper, expensive, sealed with red wax. "There's a crest on the seal. Ring a bell?"
He turns it so we can see. The wax bears an impression I don't recognize, but Jagger clearly does. His whole body goes rigid.
"Bonaccorso," he says.
"Give that man a prize." Jinx crosses to the bed, hands over the envelope. "Figured you'd want to open it. Given your history with the man."
Jagger takes the envelope like it might explode. He studies the seal for a moment, then breaks it with his thumb. Inside is a single sheet of paper, folded around something thicker. He unfolds it, reads silently, and his expression shifts through several phases I can't interpret.
"What does it say?" I ask.
He hands me the letter.
The handwriting is elegant, precise, the kind that comes from expensive education and careful practice. I read:
Harrison—
I know you told me to stay out of Kreiss's affairs. I also know you're not actually in a position to give me orders, so I hope you'll forgive my disregard for your advice.
Enclosed you'll find everything Werner Kreiss kept in his private vault. Financial records, correspondence, asset manifests, and most importantly, a complete list of every Custodian who authorized funding for Project Omega. Names, dates, amounts.
Consider this repayment for the warning you delivered so kindly. You told me to back off. I didn't. But I also didn't leave you empty-handed. The information you need is now in your hands, obtained at no cost to you or yours.
Werner Kreiss will not be troubling anyone further. His affairs have been... settled.
Use the documents wisely. Expose those who built this program. Tear down everything they created. I look forward to watching from a comfortable distance.
I’d also look into moving safehouses. You weren’t difficult to find with a little motivation.
We're even.
— A.B.
I look up from the letter. "A.B. Aurelio Bonaccorso."
Jagger’s face is crunched together, but all I see is the thick stack of papers that fell out with theletter. "Is that...?"
