Carlos smiled faintly as he said, "Shall we begin?"
The group sat around the long obsidian table, still reeling from Alexia's cryptic departure. Her words echoed in the minds of everyone present — that the wristwatches they all wore weren't just elegant accessories but tactical lifelines. A gift... and a warning.
Carlos rose slowly, the faint hum of the ceiling lights casting a cold hue on his expression. Though calm, he moved like a man born into chaos — precise, unreadable, always with that ever-gentle smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Alexia won't be joining us on the ground," he said, clasping his hands behind his back. "She'll monitor us remotely through the watches. Think of her as the eye in the sky."
The team exchanged glances. Rin tapped her fingers on the table, restless as always. Near sat with his arms crossed, his small frame wrapped in black — those deep eye-bags making him look like a haunted doll. Shim slouched, barely fitting into his chair, silent but hulking like a statue made of steel. Mahiru looked ahead with poise, serene but alert. Triyon was already half-asleep in his seat, earbuds in, hoodie up.
And then, there was Elarion — quiet, unassuming, but with that strange look in his eyes. Like he was trying to remember what it felt like to live. Not long ago, he had met Ayase. Her light-hearted warmth had stirred something in him — not love, perhaps — but a kind of escape. A reminder that even fleeting moments could make a soul smile. But Ayase was now gone — dead in the correct timeline. And her absence brought Elarion to this room, this mission.
Carlos continued. "We'll infiltrate Yui's birthday gala at Jo's private estate tonight. Our target: a briefcase holding physical documents. That case contains blackmail material, accounts of trafficking, movement records—everything we need to bring down Tiger-X."
He tapped the table. A digital map projected.
"Elarion, Rin, and I will be inside as employees of Tiger-X, already assigned to the catering and tech teams for the event. That gives us cover. Near — you'll be inside too, as a hidden element. Shim, you'll handle backup and brute interference if needed. Triyon, you'll operate from the van outside. You're in charge of security loops and comms."
Mahiru raised a brow. "And me?"
Carlos smiled. "You'll be our overwatch. Balcony position. Eyes on every target."
Mahiru nodded gracefully.
The plan was risky, but the roles were clear.
Outside, the world kept turning — but for this team, the clock had already started ticking.
Time Skip – Night of the Gala
Carlos adjusted the cuff of his blazer as he stepped into the ballroom of Jo's estate. The glittering chandeliers swung gently overhead, casting golden light across marble floors and polished wine glasses. The guests were sharks in designer suits and velvet gowns, their smiles too wide, their laughter too sharp.
From his earpiece came Near's whisper.
"Target in sight. Assistant has the briefcase. Confirmed red seal."
Carlos's gaze zeroed in. The man in the gray suit, walking calmly beside Yui — Jo's youngest daughter. She was radiant in her birthday gown, flanked by guards and greed.
"Proceed with the tail. Mahiru—eyes on the assistant?"
"Visual confirmed," Mahiru whispered from above. "He's heading toward the east wing. Vault room is two doors down."
"Triyon," Carlos said calmly, "divert the hallway cameras. Prep blackout for Wing B."
In the parked surveillance van, Triyon yawned into the mic.
"Already on it. Looping feed… now. You've got ninety seconds before reboot."
"Rin, Elarion—status?"
"Cake table," Rin replied cheerfully. "I look incredible. Elarion's brooding near the champagne."
"Standing by," Elarion murmured.
Alexia's voice crackled softly through Carlos's earpiece.
"Heart rates stable. Elarion's just above resting. Rin's spiked. Must be the sugar."
Carlos smirked faintly. "Copy that."
He could see her in his mind — Alexia, seated in a luxury Shiong vehicle blocks away, sipping tea as she monitored every movement on a tablet. She wouldn't step into the fire, but she'd be the one guiding them through it.
Then — static.
Near's voice came, sharp.
"Two guards. Unexpected. Target panicked. One down. Assistant retreating!"
Carlos's eyes flicked to the crowd.
The assistant burst back into the ballroom, breathless and sweating, clutching the silver briefcase.
"Mahiru, keep eyes on. Triyon — extend loop. Rin — distraction, now!"
"On it!"
Rin launched her drink tray into a champagne tower. Glass exploded across the marble. Screams rang out. Chaos bloomed like a flower.
The assistant flinched, hesitated—
And Elarion moved.
Carlos's eyes widened. "Elarion—no!"
But he was already gone.
Elarion darted through the confusion, dodging flailing limbs and tipped wine glasses. The assistant turned, drew a pistol—
Too slow.
Elarion tackled him beneath the dessert table, slamming into cake stands and splintering wood. Plates shattered.
The briefcase slid across the floor.
Carlos was already moving, hand under his jacket for the tranq gun.
But the assistant landed a vicious elbow. Elarion staggered, blood trickling from his temple. Still, he grabbed the gun and twisted it free.
Then—a gunshot.
The crowd screamed louder. Security guards scrambled. Carlos fired his tranquilizer—
Missed.
Elarion dropped to one knee, gasping, but still clutching the briefcase with both hands. Near lunged out of the shadows, disarmed the assistant, and drove a needle into his neck.
The man collapsed.
Carlos reached them seconds later, kneeling beside Elarion.
His breath was shallow.
"Elarion—!"
"He's losing blood," Mahiru reported calmly. "Pressure's dropping."
"Alexia, patch me into medical feed," Carlos barked.
"Already done," Alexia replied coolly. "But he's out cold. He won't last long."
Carlos looked down at the young man in his arms, his watch blinking erratically.
All around them, the party was in chaos.
And Elarion's eyes slipped shut.