[GHOST: BACKUP PREPARED. AWAITING SIGNAL.]
Dread curls in Kane’s stomach. Natural Order still has bodies waiting in the lobby—unarmed.
This isn’t what he wanted. Only a last resort.
Across the room, Athena’s people sit straighter, still grinning.
On his side, Wren’s posture falters. Pixie frowns.
His fingers hover over his wristlink when a message flashes.
[ECHO: DON’T CALL BACKUP YET.]
He looks up to meet Echo’s crinkled eyes. Beside her, Coda reaches into his jacket.
“Trust us,” she mouths silently.
Kane takes a breath and sends a single line to Echo.
[MAKE IT COUNT.]
Echo swivels in her chair. “Hey Athena…if you’re finished monologuing, can Coda borrow you real quick?”
Athena heaves a long sigh. “Look—I was trying to be generous here, give you a chance to end this without risking more lives. But this is getting old.” She crosses her arms, glare swinging to Kane. “You didn’t come here to negotiate. You came here to play games. Just like I thought.”
She stands slowly, her lieutenants rising with her. “So here’s what’s going to happen. You’re walking out of here empty-handed while our order prepares for what comes next.And when Shreveport burns…remember that you chose this.Youchose to end Duke’s legacy with more bloodshed.”
The name sends a pang through Kane. He pivots to Coda and Echo. “This is your chance.”
“Whatchance?” Athena scoffs, moving for the exit. “We’re leaving, Kane. There is—”
Coda rises from her chair.
Near the door, Viper breaks for them. The techie is faster. He withdraws a sleek, rounded device in a chrome casing with coils of pulsing wires curled around the edges.
Every head turns as Coda steps toward Athena.
“What is that?! We said no weapons!” she cries.
Titus and Giselle step in front of her, blocking the path.
Kane stirs in his seat—until Coda pivots on his heels.
He holds out the device in his palm to Viper. “It’s a holoscrambler, designed to strip away any cloaking,” Coda says evenly.
Athena sucks in a breath.
There it is. The glitch. Not a fluke or interference.
But is it enough? Kane’s not sure.
But Coda wouldn’t risk this blind.
“Cloaking?” Charles repeats. “That’s not possible, is it?”
Nora scratches her chin. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“R…right!” Athena points at the scrambler. “That thing’s probably a weapon.”