[System Countdown: 18 Hours Until Scheduled Betrayal.]
[Deviation Warning: Target is no longer being set up for betrayal. System will intervene if deviation persists.]
The rain came in sheets, hammering the mansion's glass walls like a warning.
Liora couldn't sleep. She sat on the edge of Nikolai's bed, the storm's glow painting her in flashes of silver and shadow. Beside her, he was still, chest rising and falling in an even rhythm too still for a man who lived in constant danger.
That was when she felt it
The shift in the air.
Her heart slammed.
Footsteps. Silent, precise, deadly.
She slid from the bed, bare feet hitting the cold floor. Her hand went instinctively for the knife she kept hidden under the nightstand.
The door eased open without a sound.
Agent M slipped in like a phantom, dressed in black, gun in hand. His eyes found the bed immediately.
Liora moved before she thought. She stepped into his path, the knife flashing in her grip.
"Move," he hissed.
"No." Her voice was low, but firm.
His jaw tightened. "This is your last chance to finish the job. One pull of the trigger, and it's over.
"He's asleep,she whispered. "He doesn't even know you're here.
"Exactly, Agent M said, raising the gun. "Clean. Painless.
She lunged, knocking his arm upward. The shot went off, the sound muffled by the storm, but the bullet buried itself into the ceiling.
Nikolai woke instantly. In one fluid motion, he rolled from bed, the bedside pistol already in his hand.
Who the fuck is that? His voice was raw, furious then turned to ice when he saw the intruder. "Who the hell"
"Run!" Liora shouted.
But Nikolai didn't run. He aimed and fired. Agent M dove behind the heavy desk, returning fire. The room exploded in gunshots and splintering wood.
"Who is he?" Nikolai shouted, dragging Liora behind the bed for cover.
Her throat felt like it was closing. "FBI Agent M.
His eyes sharpened. "And you know him?
Lightning lit the room, catching every angle of his face rage, betrayal, and something far worse: hurt.
"I can explain" she began.
Later." His voice was pure command. "Stay down.
But she didn't stay down. She grabbed his spare pistol from the drawer, checked the magazine, and slid to the other side of the bed.
The storm outside roared. So did her pulse.
Agent M shouted from behind the desk. "He's a killer, Liora! Twelve bodies. My brother's one of them
"Not tonight,she called back. "Not by your hand.
You think he'll spare you? When he finds out what you really are
"Shut up!" she snapped.
Nikolai's voice cut in, sharp. "What you really are?"
She couldn't look at him. Not now.
The fight moved fast. Nikolai kicked the desk over, forcing Agent M into the open. Liora's instincts took over she fired twice, one shot grazing Agent M's arm.
He staggered, swore, but managed to disappear through the balcony doors, vanishing into the rain.
Silence fell.
Liora stood there, chest heaving, pistol still in her grip.
Nikolai walked toward her slowly. Not like a predator this time like a man holding something fragile. His bare chest was streaked with sweat .
"You saved me, he said.
She met his eyes, her voice trembling. "Of course I did.
He stepped closer, until the space between them was just enough for the truth to fit. "You knew him. You knew he was coming.
"Yes," she whispered.
"Why didn't you tell me?
Because I was supposed to let him kill you. Because the System told me to. Because I think I love you.
But she only said, "Because I wasn't sure who I'd be saving.
His gaze searched hers like he could peel the layers back and read the truth. For a terrifying second, she thought he saw everything.
Finally, he cupped her face. "Then remember this, Alessia. You're mine. And anyone who comes for me… comes for you, too.
Her heart twisted.
[Affection Level: 64%. Trust: 50%. Emotional Bond Critical.]
[System Alert: Deviation Level Unacceptable. Forced Intervention in Progress.]
The System's cold voice slid into her mind:
[New Event: Target Removal Sequence Accelerated. An external assassin will attempt the kill within 6 hours.]
She froze.
Because the next attempt wouldn't come from Agent M.
It would come from someone inside the mansion.