The door to Reina's office hissed shut behind him with a final, reinforced click.
Astron didn't glance back.
He adjusted his coat collar once as the corridor lights responded to his presence—soft pulses of white following him down the hall. The Organization's underground base wasn't crowded. It never was. But tonight, it felt particularly still. As if the facility itself was holding its breath.
He walked in silence.
Measured, even steps.
Not rushed. Not slow.
But with each pace, his thoughts moved faster.
The moment she'd approved his solo deployment, the threads in his mind began weaving into place.
He'd be alone.
No eyes. No observers. No teammates.
No false pretense.
That mattered.
Not just for efficiency.
But for secrecy.
Because Reina was sharp—but even she couldn't account for what he carried inside. Not fully. Not yet. And that was exactly the way he needed it to stay.
