Chaos had begun to settle over Cradle's Tokyo HQ. Reports and frantic voices echoed through the halls as the highest-ranking operatives scrambled to assess the fallout from Spire's reckless attack.
In her private office, Commander Akio Kurzawa stood alone. The city stretched out beneath her, lights glittering like fallen stars, but there was no beauty in her expression. Her hands were clenched behind her back, shoulders tense, as she replayed his words over and over in her mind.
"You bastard… Count your days, Reiden Vale," she whispered through gritted teeth. "Because when you fall from heaven, I'll be the one to drag you down into hell."
She forced herself to inhale, to keep her emotions caged. If she lost her composure now, everything could spiral further out of control. Siren's capture had already become a political nightmare, and Akio knew, no, she felt, that the situation was about to get worse.
