Static crackles, then voices.
"Overwatch. In position." Asher. A beat of silence, then: "Pigeon's trying to make friends."
"You gonna let him down easy?" Jax.
"Ignoring him. Like I do you."
"Cold, Frost. Cold."
I pull a mug from the cabinet—the blue one she reaches for without looking—and set it next to the machine.
"Vehicle staged on Maple." Jax, still wired. "I'm redlining on caffeine. She shows, I'm on her in three seconds."
"How many energy drinks?" Xander.
"Stopped counting at four. We're in uncharted territory."
"Mobile, three blocks out." Xander. "Say the word and I'm there. Also, Nitro, your heart's gonna explode."
"That's future me's problem."
The coffee machine beeps. I pour, steam rising.
Vanessa's channel comes alive with keyboard clatter. "All systems green. Han's running facial rec, Leia's got traffic cams,and I've had four hours of sleep, so we're all operating at peak efficiency here."
"You had five." Asher.
"The hour between two and three doesn't count when Han kept crashing."
"It counts."
"It doesn't count if I spent it swearing at—"
"Children." Kade's voice cuts through. The chatter dies. "Blade, status?"
Footsteps on the stairs.
"We're up. Standing by."
Angelina rounds the corner into the kitchen, hair wrapped in a towel, robe cinched tight. She moves to the counter, and I slide the mug into her path. Her fingers brush mine as she takes it.
"Briefing?" she asks.
"Starting now."
She carries her coffee to the living room, curls into the corner of the couch with her legs tucked beneath her. Reaches for the legal brief on the side table—props for anyone watching through the windows.
I take the armchair across from her, angled to see both her face and the street through the gap in the curtains.
"Alright." Kade's voice fills the channel. "Let's talk about last night. Asher."
Angelina's eyes flick to mine. I nod once.
"She left the hotel at 23:41." Asher, clipped. "Followed on foot to Embarcadero BART. Summer crowd. Platform packed." A pause. "Lost her."
Angelina's fingers tighten around her mug.
"She could be anywhere between here and Oakland by now." Jax.