Exalibar stood frozen, the warmth of Chloe's hands over his eyes He could feel her presence, the familiar scent of her perfume, and the unsettling reality of her being in this secret briefing room.
"Chloe,"
"Yes, dear?"
He reached up and gently pulled her hands away, turning to face her. Her purple eyes met his, sparkling with a mix of amusement and unshakable resolve.
"Why," Exalibar asked, his gaze boring into hers, "are you here?"
"That's classified," she said, a sly smile playing on her lips, payback for the days before.
The pieces clicked into place in Exalibar's mind with a sickening finality. "Chloe… is this why you asked to borrow my car this morning?"
She had the decency to look slightly sheepish. "Well…"
Sky, who had been watching the exchange with a raised eyebrow, cut in. "Wait, she asked for the car?"
"Well, yeah, she said she wanted to visit a friend on the other side of the city."
"She lied," Sky stated, the observation hanging in the air.
"Your petty relationship issues later, guys," Ethan interjected, his voice dripping with condescension or maybe just maybe what Exalibar took as the slightest sign of jealousy. He gestured around the room, where Jack, Aisha, and Dylan had now also filed in, looking like they'd already been briefed and were ready for business. "Right now, we have more urgent matters at hand."
Valery, who had been patiently observing the drama, nodded. "Yes, Ethan is right. I took the opportunity to brief the rest of the team beforehand." Her expression was serious, but lacked the grim finality of a kill order. "This is your first official assignment. Consider it a research mission."
Exalibar's eyes narrowed. "Research, you say…"
"Along those lines, yes," Valery confirmed. "What Lekratia did was monstrous, but the data they gathered on neurological mana manipulation… it's unprecedented. In the right hands, that knowledge could revolutionize medical science. It could give us a deeper understanding of the brain, leading to cures for countless conditions." She sighed, a flicker of genuine disappointment crossing her face. "Unfortunately, all of it was either moved or destroyed after the embassy incident. What I need you all to do now is to take a vacation."
Exalibar let out a short, humorless laugh. "And here I thought you brought us here to work. Let me guess… a vacation to the lion's den itself."
Ethan smirked. "Guess the nepo baby has a brain after all."
Exalibar's jaw tightened. I just need one chance to silence this asshole for good. He kept his voice level. "So, I'm assuming we're going as soon as we reach semester break?"
"Actually, you leave tomorrow," Valery stated, "You have all been officially exempted from your remaining classes and final exams." She held up a hand to forestall any protest. "Don't worry, they aren't of any use to you anymore anyway. You will head to the Lekratian capital under the cover of a student cultural exchange. Once there, your objective is to find any and all information regarding this research. You can use any methods you deem necessary, but you are not to be discovered. The cover must hold at all costs, lest you cause an international incident that we cannot contain."
She looked at each of them, her gaze solemn. "Best of luck, and Godspeed on your journey."