The grandeur of the Vane Estate's upper floors felt like a fever dream compared to the cold reality of the armory. Tucked behind a hidden panel in Caspian's private study, the room was a temple to modern warfare. Rows of kinetic rifles, sleek pulse-pistols, and experimental sonic grenades lined the walls, illuminated by a low, amber floor-lighting that cast long, jagged shadows against the floor.
Caspian stood at a central workbench, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, meticulously cleaning the internal housing of a heavy-duty sniper rifle. He moved with a meditative focus, the click and slide of metal components the only sound in the room.
Linnea stood near the suit-racks, checking the integrity of a tactical vest. The midnight velvet gown had been discarded, replaced by a dark, flexible composite armor that felt like a second skin. She felt Caspian's eyes on her long before he spoke.
"You handle that weapon like you were born with it," Caspian remarked, his voice a low vibration in the small space. He didn't look up from his work. "Most women would be asking where the safety is. You've already checked the power cell and recalibrated the sights."
Linnea paused, a combat knife in her hand. "In the world I come from, Caspian, being 'pretty' only keeps people's attention long enough for you to find their weak spot. Survival isn't a hobby. It's an instinct."
Caspian set the rifle down and turned toward her. The amber light caught the hard angles of his face, making him look less like a General and more like a predator. He walked over to her, his presence closing the distance until she could feel the heat radiating from him.
"Julian is still upstairs, scouring the Council's logs," Caspian said, reaching out to adjust the strap on her shoulder. His fingers lingered against the collar of her suit. "He's convinced you're the one who triggered the pulse. He thinks this is a grand performance to earn my trust so you can kill me when the lights go out."
Linnea looked up at him, her gaze unwavering. "And what do you think, Caspian? You're the one who handed me a loaded gun."
Caspian's hand moved from her shoulder to her neck, his thumb tracing the line of her jaw with a possessive, slow pressure. "I think you're a wildfire, Linnea. I could try to put you out, or I could let you burn down everyone who stands in our way. I've spent my life surrounded by soldiers who follow orders. I've never had someone who could keep up with me."
He leaned down, his forehead resting against hers. For a moment, the tension wasn't about the impending attack or the secrets between them. It was a raw, magnetic pull—the collision of two people who had spent their lives in the cold, finally finding a spark.
"If you betray me tonight," Caspian whispered, his voice a dangerous rasp, "I won't just kill you. I'll make sure the world forgets 'The Ghost' ever existed."
"And if I save you?" Linnea challenged, her hand rising to rest on his chest, feeling the steady, powerful thrum of his heart.
"Then I might just have to find new ways to spoil you," he replied, his lips inches from hers.
The moment was shattered by a sharp, high-pitched whine that echoed through the estate. Suddenly, the amber lights flickered and died. The hum of the ventilation system cut out, leaving a haunting, heavy silence.
The backup red-alert lighting kicked in, bathing the armory in a crimson, strobing glare.
"The external grid just went dark," Julian's voice crackled through their earpieces, sounding urgent. "The internal sensors are being bypassed. They've cut the hardlines. We're blind, Commander."
Caspian snapped back into command mode instantly. He grabbed his rifle from the bench and checked the charge on his sidearm. "Linnea, stay behind me. Julian, what's the perimeter status?"
"Multiple heat signatures detected in the cedar grove," Julian replied. "They're using stealth-camo. They aren't just assassins; they're a tactical hit squad. And Caspian... they're using Federation-issue gear."
Linnea checked her pulse-pistol, the weight of it comforting. "They're here for the drive," she said, looking at Caspian through the red gloom. "The data I swiped in the study. They don't want the Council to be exposed."
"Then let's give them a proper welcome," Caspian said, a dark, lethal grin appearing on his face. He reached out, grabbing Linnea's hand and squeezing it once—a silent pact. "Welcome to the family, Linnea. Let's see if you're as good at hunting as you are at hiding."
The heavy blast doors of the armory hissed open, revealing the darkened hallway of the mansion. The hunt had officially begun.