"Judge Castellano." Her voice is soft, measured. "I wasn't expecting you."
"I wasn't expecting to be here."
The corner of her mouth twitches.
Kade hangs back by the door. Damian takes the wall. This is my conversation now.
I take the chair across from her.
Up close, she looks worse than she did on the feeds. Pale green eyes red-rimmed, skin stretched tight over her cheekbones. Her hands tremble where they're folded, a constant fine tremor she can't seem to control.
"You know why we're here," I say.
"To tell me what you've decided."
"To offer you a choice."
Her hands still. She presses them flat against her thighs, steadying them by force.
"You can walk out today. We won't stop you." I let that sit. "But you know what happens. Your handler finds out you've been compromised. You know what happens to compromised assets."
She doesn't flinch. She's had eight days to think about this.
"What's the other option?"
"You stay. Work with us. Your expertise, your knowledge, your cooperation." I hold her gaze. "In exchange, we keep you safe."
"Protected." The word comes out hollow. "By the people whose colleagues I murdered."
"Some of them, yes."
She looks down at her hands. The tremor is back, visible against her thighs.
"I stopped counting." Her eyes stay on her hands. "After the first ten."
"I know. Damian told us."
She nods. Of course he did.
"Why would you help me? After everything I've done."
"Because I understand being handed a script and told it was the truth."
Victoria's hands press harder against her thighs.
"I understand making choices you can't take back because someone convinced you there was no other way." I hold her gaze. "It doesn't make you innocent. Doesn't erase the bodies. But it makes you human. And humans can choose differently."
Her hands are shaking again. One tear tracks down her cheek. She doesn't wipe it away.
"What do you need me to do?"
"For now? Rest. Eat. Let Remy check your medical status." I stand. "We'll figure out the rest."
Her shoulders drop.
I turn toward the door.
"Judge Castellano."