Back at the compound, Rafel was restless.
He wasn't used to silence from August. She had been his most promising recruit-sharp, composed, unpredictable. He had started watching her not just as an asset, but as something more dangerous: a mirror. But now that he found out August had been building her own army gave him sleepless nights.. What if there's more.. For a 5 year old she's deadly...he couldn't bring himself to tell his gang what she had done.. I mean she's only 5.
Rafel had grown up in chaos. Orphaned young, pulled into crime by necessity, he had clawed his way into leadership through brute force and charm. But August unnerved him. She didn't need to shout to be heard. She didn't need violence to command loyalty.
She reminded him of who he could've been—if he'd had control.
So he waited. And when August finally called that night, he answered immediately.
—
One thing about August she quickly gets over her anger, but she never forgets. She knew Rafel can't be trusted no more, so she wasn't going to give off real information about her new family.
Infact she had a plan. She did not need Rafel anymore, she's going solo - one boss.. Meant one command. She was going to cut him off slowly.
His death will be a calculated one... Painful and quick... To show him what happens when you underestimate a brilliant kid. The slow and painful one will be for her uncle... I mean he deserves the finer things in life... Right.
"let me contact him" August said to herself
It was already late. Evelyne and Mark were asleep. August sat in the walk-in closet, whispering into the burner phone.
"hie," she said.
Rafel's voice was low. "You've been quiet."
"I needed time. They trust me now, but we do things my way.. You dont harm anyone nor take me."
"What do you have?".
August listed details: security codes, routines, Evelyne's sister's schedule, Mark's business trips. But she also added a warning.
"Don't move yet. There's a girl- Evelyne's niece. She's sharp. She watches everything. She's my babysitter lately."
Rafel paused. "You're protecting her?"
"I'm protecting the plan," August replied. "If you move too soon, everything collapses."
Rafel chuckled. "You sound like me."
"No," August said. "I sound like someone who's going to replace you."
Silence.
Then laughter.
"You think you can run this?"
"I already am," August said, and hung up.
He doesn't know what's coming his way..poor big guy..
—
After the phone call , Rafel's interest in August shifted. He decided to begin sending her direct messages of the operations they were handling , bypassing the handlers. He asked for her opinions on placements, on strategy. He started calling her "Ghost Queen."
But August didn't want his admiration. She wanted his infrastructure.
She was going to use his trust to reroute resources, to protect her ghosts, to sabotage risky missions. She will feed him just enough success to keep him loyal-and just enough failure to keep him distracted.
She was building something bigger than Rafel could imagine.
And when the time comes, she wouldn't overthrow him with violence.
She would make him obsolete.