The call didn't disconnect. In the silence of the freezing Ginza street, the dry crunch of the phone striking the stone ground echoed through the line with the clarity of shattered glass. Seconds later, the sound of Aibek's heavy breathing was replaced by a dull thud and the distant murmur of the night.
On the other end of the line, in the kitchen of that house, all color drained from Jake's face. His free hand tightened against the edge of the table until his knuckles cracked.
"Bek...? Aibek!" Jake shouted, completely shattering the icy composure he had been trying to maintain.
Taishi and Venka, who were watching the scene from the hallway with gravity painted on their faces, immediately stepped forward.
"What's happening, Jake?" Taishi asked, nervously adjusting his glasses, worried about his pupil who was away from home.
