By dawn, mistrust had rooted among them like rust on iron.
Hollis paced the length of the safehouse, jaw clenched. "He knows everything we do, every word spoken. Someone's telling him. Someone here."
Selene's eyes narrowed. "Convenient, isn't it? The soldier of the Crown, suddenly ready to blame others."
"Say that again," Hollis growled, fists tightening.
"Enough," Elric snapped. His cane struck the floor with sharp authority. "Paranoia is precisely what he wants. But Hollis… is there something you haven't told us?"
Hollis hesitated. Too long. His silence was damning.
Finally, he admitted, "He… spoke to me. Once. During the war. Promised me machines could end bloodshed forever. No more soldiers. No more corpses. I didn't believe him. But I listened."
Selene spat at the ground. "Traitor."
"I never betrayed you," Hollis thundered back. "I never gave him anything. But… part of me wonders if he's right."
The room fell cold. Evangeline looked at Elric with wide eyes. Selene's shadow stretched like claws across the floor. And in the silence, Elric realized the Phantom Engineer had not needed spies among them.
He had already planted doubt deep within their hearts.