The war room was alive with tension. Maps were spread across the table, red markers flashing on surveillance screens, and a thick silence hung in the air as Dylan stood at the center, commanding attention.
Jayden stood to his right, arms crossed. Heaven lingered near the back of the room, watching everything unfold, the weight of the situation pressing on her chest.
Dylan's eyes locked on the feed showing Noah, tied to a chair on the rooftop. The wind whipped through the camera, distorting the audio, but the fear in Noah's eyes was clear.
"Activate Unit Six," Dylan ordered sharply.
Jayden turned to him. "That team was disbanded after the Colombia mission."
"Reinstate it. I want eyes on Richard's entire territory. No shadows. No blind spots."
"Yes, boss." Jayden moved out without question.
Heaven stepped forward. "You're going to rescue him… right?"
Dylan didn't turn. "Noah is bait. Richard's not stupid. He wants me to act out of emotion."
"You're not emotional?" she asked quietly.
Dylan finally turned his cold eyes on her. "I can't afford to be."
Heaven stared at him, then softly said, "Michael heard you… when he was sick. He knows you stayed. You cared."
Dylan's mask faltered just a moment.
"Michael's different."
"And what about me?" she whispered.
A beat passed.
"That's what I'm still trying to figure out," he said, then walked past her, leaving her stunned.
---
Meanwhile – Richard's Hideout
Richard circled Noah slowly, a smug grin on his face. "Let's see how far Dylan's loyalty goes."
Noah, bruised but defiant, spat blood onto the floor. "You're not half the man he is."
Richard's smile widened. "And yet I'm the one holding the gun. Interesting, isn't it?"
Elena stood by the window, watching the skyline. "He'll come for him," she said. "He always does."
Richard's expression darkened. "That's the plan."
But behind the smirk was a storm brewing. For all his confidence, Richard knew Dylan too well—and that was the most dangerous part. Dylan didn't strike first. He studied, waited… and when he hit, it was always fatal.
---
Back at the Estate – Midnight
Dylan stood on the balcony, overlooking the garden. The moonlight hit his face just right, casting deep shadows across his features. He held a small photo in his hand—Samantha. Her eyes, her smile, haunted him.
"You can't keep doing this to yourself, Dylan…" he heard her voice in his mind.
"You have to move on."
He closed his eyes, the pain still fresh, but now it felt… different.
He looked up as Heaven stepped onto the balcony beside him. She didn't speak. Neither did he.
But somehow, standing beside her, things didn't feel quite so broken.