Zayden leaned in, and the scanner kicked into action.
"Scan complete. Match: Cypher V. Access granted."
With a hiss, the locks clicked open, and the door slid wide.
What was inside was totally unexpected for a guy who claimed he wanted peace, a fully equipped underground base. It was stark and silent, all military-grade stuff. Maps scattered around, weapons neatly stored, and a bloodstained steel chair bolted to the center of the concrete floor.
Leo shoved the man into the chair.
The guy groaned and tried to get up, but Leo slammed him back down.
Click. The cuffs locked into place.
Zayden stepped back, arms crossed, while Leo moved in closer, rolling up his sleeves.
"Let's get something straight," Leo said, keeping his voice low and steady. "I'm not a soldier anymore. I don't follow rules, and there's no line I won't cross."
The man flinched.
Leo raised an eyebrow. "Who sent you?"
"I don't know," the man wheezed. "They… they called me. Told me to find the girl and keep tabs on her. That's all I know."
"Liar."
Leo's fist landed hard and fast, no anger or hesitation in it.
The man's head snapped back, and he spat out blood. "I swear, there were different voices.
They kept changing. Robotic and altered. Burner phones. I don't know their names, and I didn't see their faces."
"You want me to believe someone gave you a hit job through a burner and a voice changer, and you just went along with it?"
"They paid well."
Leo yanked him forward by the collar. "And you don't even ask who you're killing?"
"No," the guy whispered. "They just gave me cash. Coordinates. Told me to follow her until she was alone. Said someone would finish it if I messed up."
Zayden's face darkened.
Leo leaned in. "So what's the drop point? Where do you report back?"
"There isn't one!" he shouted. "I destroy the phones after every call. That's all I do! I don't know who they are!"
Leo released him roughly and turned to Zayden. "He's just a puppet."
Zayden clenched his jaw. "Then we need to find out who's pulling the strings."
Leo replied, "No, it's not just about the one pulling the strings; we need to find out about the girl, too. What if she really did something wrong? What if it's something big? We have to figure this out quickly before she knows who we really are and has a chance to run away."
"Yeah, you're right," Zayden agreed.
Leo suggested, "You should ask her. Maybe she'll tell you something, or maybe she'll lie.
Either way, we'll find out the truth. You know better than I do how to tell if someone is lying; you're an expert in that."
Zayden gave him a mischievous yet dangerous look.
Zayden stepped out from behind the disguised door and closed it quietly. The crunch of his boots on the muddy ground and the pine needles made the forest go still, calm, and concealed.
But inside, he felt anything but hidden.
The cold air bit at his jaw as he walked around the side of the cabin. Leo's words and his own echoed in his mind, the adrenaline from the earlier interrogation still fresh:
"He's a puppet."
"Then we find the hand pulling the strings."
"No, it's not just about the one pulling the strings; we need to find out about the girl, too. What if she really did something wrong? What if it's something big? We have to figure this out quickly before she knows who we really are and has a chance to run away."
"Yeah, you're right."
"You should ask her. Maybe she'll tell you something, or maybe she'll lie. Either way, we'll find out the truth. You know better than I do how to tell if someone is lying; you're an expert in that."
The hand… Whoever was reaching into their quiet lives was pulling both him and Zeynep back into the flames.
As he got closer to the cabin door, he stopped.
Zeynep was sitting on the stairs outside, looking completely worn out. She had her arms wrapped around herself, curled up tight with her knees pulled in. Her pajamas were a mess, dirty from everything that had just happened, and her hair was a tangled mess with bits of leaves stuck in it. The hoodie he'd given her that morning was now all crumpled and grimy, a far cry from how it started.
She looked so small, like she was trying to disappear. And she was definitely exhausted, not fragile, just totally drained.
He took a moment to catch his breath, trying to shake off the weight of the moment. She didn't even glance up as he walked by, completely absorbed in whatever she was doing.
He stepped into the cabin quietly, making his way down the hallway. When he opened the low drawer, he ran his hand along the edge of the cabinet, feeling the cool wood beneath his fingers.
Inside, he spotted a soft, cute sweater folded neatly, just sitting there. Alongside it, a pair of pajamas was also neatly stacked, as if they were just waiting for someone to pick them up again. A familiar scent of lavender wafted up as he brushed his fingers over the fabric, instantly bringing back memories.
It hit him hard that this was his sister's outfit. It felt so personal and filled with a mix of warmth and sadness. After picking up the sweater and closing the drawer gently, he turned to head back outside.
At first, Zeynep was totally oblivious, caught up in her own thoughts. But as he stepped right in front of her, she finally noticed him, her eyes widening as he held out the dress like it was something special.
She blinked, surprised.
"For you," he said softly.
She frowned. "What is it?"
He didn't answer that. Instead, he said, "You've had a long day. Go freshen up. The water heater's still working, and the shower's clean. Take your time."