Beyond the mission

sure, voice low and dry. "Rel

'd just yelled. Her face turned crimson. "I-I'm sorry! I di

impressed. "Weird enough to

iding the heat rushing to her cheeks. "

light smirk bu

iffed the air-and paused. Her eyes wid

ffering. "Courtesy of Brandon. He begged me to deliver it. H

ck to sleep. Or cry some more. Whatever you do

he turned to leave t

the floor again-we don't need a corpse before the mission ev

ile. "Let me guess... Brando

his shoulder. "No. That one was all me fini

walk out, her hea

exit," she muttere

ce, then stepped out, glancing around the dimly lit plane. That's when she spotted Brandon, subtly mo

time," Brandon tease

lumping into the seat beside him. Her head gently fell

then relaxed. "Guess I'll get some sle

deep within Saint Lucian's dark networks, a

ated. "You're about to hav

ry commander stiffened. "Who

Rank assassins are on their way to y

"What are you

lips curling into a wicked

e. The

? You mean-

nce to erase him from existence," the voic

e cut a

ndow, watching the storm cl

the voice murmured in the darkness. "I

ARGET ZONE. ET

and signaled everyone to gather. He didn't raise his voice-he

plan, the group slowly scattered to prepare.

chaos? The unexpected? And why does it feel like I'm ju

she calle

rned,

goes south... shouldn

n her for a second long

is a

ed. "Then wh

enough to need it," he said

ke a slap. "Y

could follow. "Relax, he's not serious... mostly."

ed toward the screens showing a grainy sur

d looks just like Jason. If Jason

"Let's hope he doesn

ing across a snow-bitten runway hidden deep in a for

near the m

The mission had

ow crunched under their boots as the team stepped off the plane, their

"Stay sharp," he muttered without looking back. "No un

trap of his rifle. "Creepy place.

rves, even she wasn't sure. Her eyes locked on the distant silhouette of

, let out a low chuckle.

s. "Try not to stab anyo

king point while the others circled wide to flank. The snow muffled

fingers brushed against her concealed blade. She stole a

d without

cut through the

a snow-dusted boulder just as bullets ripped

e them, gritting his teeth.

owing. "Snipers. Two at least. South

s. "They're already set up. Either we walked into a trap, o

ason aske

ack. "Oh, don't worry

witched. "Of

ged Daphne.

ah. Just wondering how we're adoptin

"You don't. You survive the g

the snow with terrifying precision. Brandon followed,

rd with quiet efficiency. His eyes gleamed in the dim corridor as he w

one wall near the back entrance. Her breath hitched as J

't look

. Don't slo

er eyes, heart po

lipped inside. The r

ove, velvet drapes swaying slightly from broken windows,

ed. Daphne stayed close, gripping the dagger Brandon had given he

"East wing's clear. Howl's somewhere up ahead.

en we corner them

oed through the ha

ed, "That soun

th a deadly calm,

a corner-a

nto the room-a

alone on an ornate table beneath a shaft of light. I

His eyes narrowed. They think this

one cautious

ped through the si

ic

ound. Th

g. Panels slid open. Auto-turret

ind a pillar as bullets tore through the air. Sparks expl

lutching his rifle. "Why i

! We found some artifact-but

at

ice-unbothered and

ndering how long it'd take. S

d. "Think he'll

yes fixed on the turret blinking overhead. "We

racing. Her eyes flicked to the artifact.

-cli

wer cu

ing wen

le

ind, the faint hum

he backup kicked in. The turrets hung

y, eyes sweeping the

quad regrouped at th

ike he owned the place. "You're we

t wouldn't have happened if you

deadly. "And you-stepping into an obvious trap?

eyes to the flo

eaning against a pillar. "To

ignore

iley. "You picked anyth

apparently, the kid's not here. There's a safe hou

ment. Processin

ke, voice l

efore they realize we

llowed with

golden artifact fli

he trees as Jason and his squad crouched behind a snow-covered wall. T

"We move in quiet. Split up, sweep

tay out of sight. If anyone comes or anything feels off

ping her dagger, li

upstairs. Brandon, you're wi

precision, melting into

Daphne. His unreadable expression flickered into something bar

ered window overlooking the front path. Snowflakes dri

ings weren

a guard without hesitation, catching the body befo

ied coldly

oved like a shadow upstairs, already disabling sensors and mapping guard rotations. Howl, of c

ble. Liam sat stiffly at one side, isolated from the rest. His stepmother and stepsister sat to t

Liam's hand

t through the quiet like a bl

g with his words. "Oh, I-uh-I'm

u speak. If you can't even hold your father's g

d, forcing hi

nd leaned into the father's

. "Hmm. I see. Wra

ked over, concern

with some staff. It's being

"I think I'll head to bed n

r said without

ard his room, the air felt.

thing-a foot stickin

shed

. Still breathin

d clamped around hi

ice right beside him-l

him, grinning like a devil, his golden

to pull away, but

ldn't want to wake the

nt had

aggering through the blood‑streaked hallway

A

burying itself into Howl's s

he voice behind h

them, gun still smoking. "Thought I'd get a look at

on his lips-unnatural, fluid. His

," he whispered, voice

this guy even human? I knew I h

rifles raised. Howl dropped to one knee-c

said, voice lik

d: "Liam! G

ar cracking his face. Howl

-

y. Snow drifted around her like ghost smoke. Figures approached-, no unif

Jason's co

r the shortwa

r: "You think sh

idn't h

think w

e flat.

ow-four shadows surrounding two. J

ins," h

l hold th

otion-blade flashed, first attacke

f the chaos erupting just rooms away. The tension was thick

're unde

AC

ped like a stone, eyes wide in shock. Standing behind him was Brandon, crouched l

red, brushing invisible

ly at the table - Liam's father frozen in disb

boots silent. His gaze sw

ce cold. "Looks like I

h eerie grace. "Guess I'll che

hat, he vanishe

y cracked th

rged in seconds l

o go now-before

of his shock. "R-Right.

nd. "Wait-what about Liam?! M

- not by the way they moved. Their black, close-fitted combat suits were mar

a curved dagger at her side. The other, a l

poke, cool

con Unit. Your son is a priority

hed, but she nodded. "Pl

a curt nod. "

use around them rumbled faintly - dist

me was ru