Angel hurried to the driver's seat, her pulse still hammering in her chest. Lyra climbed into the back, refusing to take her eyes off Xavier as he slid into the passenger seat, the mahogany box balanced on his lap. The faint hum of the car filled the silence for a few seconds before Angel finally spoke, "What the hell happened in there? That noise… it sounded like a damn warzone."
Xavier didn't answer right away. He brushed some dust from his jacket, eyes distant, before finally saying, "Victor wasn't going to be much of use to me anymore." He glanced out the window as the car started moving. "So I disposed of him."
Angel's grip on the wheel tightened. "Disposed of him?"
He looked at her, calm, almost casual. "Yeah. He made his choice when he pointed a gun at me." His tone carried no regret, only that cold steadiness that came whenever he decided something was final. "I got what I came for."
Lyra's hands trembled on her knees, her voice cracking slightly. "And… the shooting?"
