The man stepped in close but stopped just short of crowding him.
He reached out and clasped Malcolm's hand, the grip firm and confident, holding on a second longer than politeness required, like he was grounding himself in the reality of it. His face broke into an unmistakable grin, genuine and almost boyish in its surprise, as if he couldn't quite believe who he was standing in front of.
"Haven't seen you since you went to Langley," he said, shaking their joined hands once. "Just disappeared on everyone."
He released him at last and flicked two fingers downward, casual and assured. "Lower them."
The reaction rippled outward immediately. Men hesitated, glancing between the two, then rifles dipped, hands easing off triggers as tension drained into confusion. The circle loosened without anyone needing to say more.
Iyisha watched it happen, heart still racing, trying to understand how a single word and a single gesture had shifted the ground beneath all of them.
