The office was quiet.
Still.
Shadows stretched across the walls.
Books lined the shelves.
Orders, reports, maps—neatly stacked.
Izana leaned against the edge of the desk.
Arms crossed.
Feet planted.
Steady.
Dante stood near the window.
Hands behind his back.
Watching the garden below.
"…Kairo."
"…Seen last night."
The words settled.
Heavy.
Unmoving.
"…Where?"
"…Near the docks."
A pause.
"…Alone?"
"…No. Two others."
Izana's jaw tightened.
Barely visible.
But there.
"…He's moving."
"…Yes."
Silence pressed in.
Tight.
Controlled.
Izana's thoughts flickered—
Not to the docks.
Not to Kairo.
To her.
Leah.
The last time he saw her—
On the bed.
Tired.
Soft.
Looking at him like she didn't want him to leave.
His chest tightened.
Just slightly.
"…We can't act tonight."
"…Not yet."
"…He's testing."
"…Watching."
"…Waiting."
"…Like always."
Izana exhaled slowly.
Measured.
"…Then we wait."
"…We watch."
"…And we prepare."
"…Exactly."
A breeze shifted the curtains.
Light moved across the floor.
Izana's fingers brushed the desk.
Slow.
Grounding.
Her hand had felt warm that morning.
Soft.
Holding onto him.
Telling him to go anyway.
His jaw tightened again.
"…He knows we're aware?"
"…No."
"…If he did…"
"…He'd move differently."
"…Right."
A pause.
Longer this time.
Izana's gaze dropped slightly.
Unfocused for a second.
She said she would be fine.
She always said that.
Even when she wasn't.
A quiet breath left him.
"…She's still in the medical corridor."
Dante's voice—low.
Careful.
Izana didn't look up immediately.
"…I know."
"…You left before—."
"…I know."
The words cut short.
Not harsh.
Just… final.
Silence followed.
He hadn't heard anything yet.
No message.
No call.
Nothing.
And that made it worse.
"…She'll be fine."
"…For now."
Izana's hand stilled against the desk.
"…I don't like not knowing."
"…You'll know soon."
"…Not soon enough."
A pause.
His thoughts pressed again—
Her lying there.
Quiet.
Alone.
Waiting.
And he wasn't there.
His chest tightened again.
Stronger this time.
"…He's reckless."
"…Yes."
"…Dangerous."
"…Always."
"…We survived him."
"…Barely."
Silence.
Thick.
Unmoving.
"…This time is different."
"…Yes."
"…He won't make the same mistake twice."
"…Neither will we."
Izana straightened slightly.
Focus returning.
Sharp.
Controlled.
"…We don't move tonight."
"…No."
"…We gather everything first."
"…Every detail."
"…Every movement."
"…Every contact."
"…Nothing missed."
"…Nothing."
The clock ticked softly.
Each second stretching longer than it should.
Izana's gaze flicked briefly toward the door.
Just once.
Then back.
Controlled.
But the thought lingered.
Still there.
Still pulling.
"…She told you to go."
Dante's voice again.
Quiet.
Not pushing.
Just stating.
Izana didn't respond immediately.
"…She always does."
Soft.
Almost to himself.
A pause.
"…Even when she shouldn't."
His fingers curled slightly.
"…She trusts you."
"…I know."
"…Then trust her."
Silence.
Long.
Heavy.
Izana's jaw flexed.
"…I do."
A breath.
"…I just don't like it."
"…You don't have to like it."
"…No."
The room settled again.
Still.
Quiet.
Focused.
"…Kairo will move again."
"…Yes."
"…Soon."
"…Likely."
"…We need eyes on everything."
"…Already in motion."
"…Good."
"…No gaps."
"…None."
Izana nodded once.
Sharp.
Decisive.
But his thoughts didn't stay there.
They drifted again.
Back to her.
Her voice—soft.
"It's okay."
The way she had smiled at him.
Even when she looked exhausted.
Even when she didn't look okay.
His chest tightened again.
He pushed it down.
Controlled.
Always controlled.
"…We wait."
"…We wait."
"…And when he moves—."
"…We end it."
Silence followed.
Not uncertain.
Not hesitant.
Certain.
Final.
Izana's gaze shifted once more.
Toward the door.
Longer this time.
A fraction longer.
"…You should go to her after this."
Dante's voice—quiet.
Careful.
Izana didn't answer right away.
"…I will."
A pause.
"…As soon as this is done."
"…Good."
The air felt heavier now.
Not just from Kairo.
From everything.
From the timing.
From the distance.
From not knowing.
"…She hasn't called."
Quiet.
More to himself than anything.
"…No."
"…That means she's okay."
A pause.
"…Or she doesn't want to worry you."
Izana's jaw tightened again.
"…She would call."
"…Would she?"
Silence.
Sharp.
Izana didn't answer.
Because he wasn't sure.
And that was worse.
"…Finish this," Dante said quietly.
"…Then go."
A pause.
Izana nodded once.
Slow.
Controlled.
"…We stay ready."
"…Always."
"…No mistakes."
"…None."
The office fell silent again.
Still.
Unmoving.
But beneath it—
Tension.
Waiting.
Pressure building.
Kairo was out there.
Moving.
Planning.
Watching.
And Leah—
Somewhere else.
Not here.
Not with him.
And that mattered more.
Izana's fingers tapped lightly against the desk.
Once.
Twice.
Then stilled.
"…We finish this."
"…Then I go to her."
A quiet nod from Dante.
The only answer needed.
And the silence returned.
But this time—
It wasn't just strategy.
It wasn't just Kairo.
It was the space between knowing
and not knowing.
And Izana didn't like that space.
Not at all.
He pushed off the desk.
Sudden.
Decisive.
Dante's gaze shifted.
"…You're leaving."
Not a question.
Izana didn't hesitate.
"…I'm done waiting."
A pause.
"…We're not acting on Kairo."
"…No."
"…Then go."
A small nod.
That was all.
Izana turned.
The door opened.
Closed behind him.
Footsteps echoed through the hallway.
Faster.
Sharper.
The mansion stretched around him.
Long corridors.
Quiet walls.
Too quiet.
Too still.
The medical corridor came into view.
White.
Bright.
Silent.
He stepped inside.
Empty.
The waiting area untouched.
No movement.
No sound.
His gaze sharpened instantly.
"…Where is she."
A nurse looked up.
Startled.
"…She—."
Too slow.
"…Where is she."
Lower now.
Controlled.
But not calm.
"…She was here earlier," the nurse said quickly.
"…Was."
The word cut.
"…Where is she now."
A pause.
"…The doctor discharged her."
Silence.
A beat.
"…Discharged."
Flat.
"…Yes."
"…Why."
"…He said she needed rest."
Izana's jaw tightened.
"…And?"
"…She went back to her room."
The tension shifted.
Not gone.
But different.
Sharper.
Focused.
Alive.
A breath left him.
Not relief.
Not fully.
But close.
She wasn't here.
Because she didn't need to be.
Because she was resting.
Because she was…
Fine.
"…Alone?"
"…Yes."
Another pause.
Shorter this time.
But heavier.
He turned immediately.
Already moving.
Faster now.
No hesitation.
The corridor stretched ahead.
His steps echoed.
Controlled—
but urgent.
She went back alone.
Didn't call him.
Didn't wait.
Just like before.
Always telling him it was okay.
Even when it wasn't.
His chest tightened again.
But now—
There was direction.
A destination.
Her.
The hallway blurred slightly as he moved.
Past doors.
Past staff.
Past everything.
Nothing mattered.
Just getting back.
Just seeing her.
Just knowing.
His hand tightened briefly at his side.
Then relaxed.
Then tightened again.
"…Li."
Soft.
Barely there.
But real.
And this time—
He didn't stop.