"Are you stupid? Why didn't you fight back? You're Grand Order! You're supposed to have secret-agent skills or something. Are you a fake?" Evah's glare burned into him, trembling with fear and frustration.
Erion didn't answer right away. His gaze lingered on the men as they exited the warehouse. Only when the door clanged shut did he finally move. He lowered himself onto the cold floor, a meter away from her. He leaned against the wall, his blue eyes catching the dying orange light of the sunset.
"I could take them down," he said quietly, "but it might cost your life."
Evah blinked at him, stunned. His calm tone made it sound like a fact, not an excuse.
"And stop watching so many fantasy shows." He let out a dry breath. "Secret agent, huh?" It sounded like a mock to her.
His attention never wavered from the locked door. He was still, but every sense was sharp, his mind already five steps ahead.
Evah hugged Erion's jacket tighter and glanced back at Yuka. The girl hadn't stirred, her light-brown hair dirty and matted, bruises staining her pale skin. This is my fault… The words echoed, merciless, in her head.
"What should we do now?" Her voice cracked.
"Rest." His reply was soft, but unyielding. Even as he spoke, his hand slipped inside his jacket. A small device, sleek like a car key, glinted in his palm. His fingers moved swiftly over it, sending encrypted signals through the air.
Not a phone. Not a simple tracker. Only the Grand Covenant Order could read what he was transmitting. The Decipher division would be on the other end, breaking apart the codes, rerouting signals, making sure no one else could intercept.
Beneath his jacket, the cold weight of a loaded gun pressed against his side. His insurance, if things went wrong.
"For real? We're about to die here, and you want me to rest?" Evah's panic spiked.
Erion finally looked at her, irritation flickering across his features. I'm busy keeping us alive, and all you do is question me?
"I'm the Grand Order's Major General," he said flatly. "Everyone follows my orders. For the last time—listen. If you don't want us both dead, you'll do as I say."
Evah's chest tightened, surprised for the chance of tone. She looked down, forcing herself to steady her breathing. "...Okay."
"I'll keep watch. Don't worry." His voice dropped to a murmur, almost gentle.
Her eyes darted to him, then she shifted, Yuka's unconscious form lying between them, then back to Erion—calm, sharp, unreadable. He looked familiar, the thought lingered, a curious sense of déjà vu tugging at her.
He didn't notice her staring. His mind was already elsewhere. Every second, every shadow was a piece of the puzzle. Two hours to infiltrate, one hour to position, thirty minutes for adjustments. All accounted for.
The twilight fading into night was his ally. Perfect cover.
But there could be no leaks. If this goes public, it's over. Months of investigation—gone. The Perigo Cube operation compromised. If the police or media sniff this out, jurisdiction will collapse on me from all sides.
He clenched his jaw. I can't afford to let this out.
Minutes passed. The warehouse sank into silence. When he glanced back, Evah had drifted off, her lashes damp from crying.
His gaze lingered on her a moment longer than he meant to. How did you get here? How did you breach my system? A dead phone trace?
His thoughts sharpened again, calculating. If you're not an asset… you'll become a liability.