Chapter 81 : The Challenge
"You're still here, sir," Commander Bismarck said as he approached the figure standing quietly on the balcony.
Mayor Duncan stood with a porcelain cup in his hand, his back straight, his eyes fixed on the city stretching far below. The evening wind carried the scent of the sea, sweeping through his hair as the lights of Atlas City shimmered like stars scattered across stone.
He turned slightly, catching sight of Bismarck from the corner of his eye, then looked forward again. "I still am, Bismarck," he said softly. "I still am."
Bismarck stopped beside him, folding his arms behind his back, his boots clicking sharply against the marble floor. "And Khan?" he asked, his tone casual but his words deliberate.
Mayor Duncan paused, the silence between them thick. He took a slow sip from his cup before answering. "I haven't heard from him… yet."
