Page 31 of Closer Than You Think
The room around me falls away as my gaze hardens into steel. In my mind's eye, I see her face, the curve of her smile, the light in her eyes. That light will not be extinguished, not while I draw breath. A hunger for vengeance coils within me, tight and ready to strike, but it's controlled, honed by years of discipline.
I seize my phone from the cold surface of the conference table. My fingers move with military precision over the screen, rallying my inner circle—the few men in this merciless world I trust implicitly. They are extensions of my own determination, each skilled in their own right, essential pieces in the game of survival we're about to play.
“Alan, Cain, Jet, Blake,” I speak into the encrypted line, my voice a blade cutting through silence. “Emergency meeting. Now.”
The responses are terse, immediate. They understand the stakes; they feel the urgency that crackles through my command. We are bound by more than duty; we're bound by a brotherhood forged in shadows, and now, we must emergeto cast our net around Hallie, to shield her from the predators circling.
“Understood, Silas,” Alan's gruff voice comes first, solid as bedrock. The others follow suit, brief affirmations that echo my own relentless drive. Together, we'll plot the downfall of our adversaries, dismantle their plans until nothing but ashes remain.
I end the call, my jaw set in grim anticipation. The Syndicate may be formidable, but they haven't reckoned with the storm they've summoned. They've made it personal, and for that, they'll pay dearly.
The door to the conference room clicks shut, the sound a punctuation mark to the silence that stretches taut between us. I stand at the head of the table, my team arrayed before me like knights ready to march into an unseen war. My eyes scan each face—Alan’s resolve, Cain’s serenity, Jet’s quiet intensity, Blake’s unwavering focus. They're more than comrades; they are extensions of my own will to protect what is mine. And I’m the same to them.
“Listen up,” I growl, the words vibrating with authority. “We've got less than two days to intercept the Syndicate's plans for Hallie. Every second counts.”
“Silas wants to take her before they do,” Cain explains. “But if the Syndicate finds out, we lose all hope we have of figuring out who wants her and why. We’re grabbing her, but it’s gotta be covert and it has to be right before they move in. If we’re too early, we lose our chance to get them. If we’re too late, well . . . ” He lets his voice trail off, not wanting to say the words out loud.
“I already have the apartment next to hers set up for ops. But we need a way to get her out of the building. There are only two exits, and both are exposed.”
“That won’t be a problem. We’ve planned around worse,” Jet says with a nod.
Blake looks me in the eye. “Yeah, Si. We got this. You know we do.”
I lean forward, palms flat against the cold surface of the table, feeling the texture bite into my skin. “No leaks, no mistakes. Absolute secrecy is crucial.” The shadows in the room seem to gather and thicken with the weight of my command.
“Silas,” Alan nods, his voice gruff as gravel. “You have our word. We'll lock this down.”
I nod.
“Jet, you're on tech surveillance. I want eyes everywhere—satellites, street cams, inside their lines if possible.” My gaze flicks to the silent figure at the far end.
“Consider it done,” Jet replies, his fingers already dancing over his tablet, orchestrating a digital symphony of espionage.
“Blake, hit the streets. Your contacts—use them. I need to know every breath the Syndicate takes.”
“Got it. They won’t make a move without us knowing,” Blake assures, his tone steady as the hand I know rests on his concealed weapon.
“And Cain,” I turn to the calmest among us, the strategist, “keep digging. Any scrap of intel could be the key to breaking their grip.”
“Understood,” he says, and there's steel wrapped in his composure.
“I know you were worried about my connection with Hallie?—”
“Si, stop.” Alan looks at the others. “We get it now.”
A chorus of affirmations meets his statement, each one a testament to their loyalty, an echo of the oath we've all silently sworn.
Protecting Hallie isn't just an objective; it's personal, a mission etched into my bones. And my team is with me. No other words or explanation necessary.
“Get to it then,” I command, releasing them to their tasks. Alone now, I feel the adrenaline coursing through me, the beast of my past prowling beneath my skin, ready for the hunt.
For Hallie, I'll become the darkness itself. For her, I'll tear apart the earth. And heaven help those who stand in my way.
Sixteen
Hallie
The crisp evening air drifts through the open window, carrying with it the faint hum of Alcott City's night life as I sit at the kitchen table grading papers. My red pen glides across the pages, leaving trails of corrections and encouragements. A soft sigh escapes my lips. I glance at my watch - 10:47 pm. Where does the time go?
