****
The city sparkled beyond the glass walls of Kael Voss's office, but inside, it felt like a fortified stronghold—rebuilt after the attack by Veyra. The reinforced glass gleamed with an invisible barrier, while the server racks hummed ominously in the background. Kael had stripped the space of any comfort; it was all about precision, defense, and control.
Ezra Kane stood near the holographic display, watching the blue-green patterns pulse rhythmically. His arm throbbed, his jacket was worn, but the guilt within him was far more painful than any physical injury. Nico's name haunted him—once a close friend, now a traitor—and the memory of how nearly he'd considered betraying Kael left him feeling exposed.
A soft alert broke the server's low hum. Luka's hologram suddenly appeared, his cybernetic eye narrowing. "We've got a breach in the sublevel," he stated flatly.
Ezra felt a jolt of panic, but Kael remained unphased. Instead, a cold, knowing smile crept across his face.
"I told you he'd show up. I've had my eye on him for a while," Kael said, tapping a control on his desk. Security feeds lit up in mid-air, revealing Nico Chen stealthily slipping through the shadows and attaching a sleek device to a junction box.
Ezra's heart raced. "That's—"
"A decoy," Kael interjected. "He thinks it's going to blind Luka, but the feed he's watching is just a loop."
Ezra blinked in disbelief. "You knew?"
Kael's gaze flicked to him—sharp yet unwavering. "I always know."
Before Ezra could respond, the glass rattled violently as a drone crashed against the window, its laser charging with a piercing screech. Kael reacted instantly, pushing Ezra down as the defense grid activated, absorbing the beam in a burst of light.
"Luka, disable it," Kael commanded.
The AI replied with cool efficiency. "Countermeasures activated."
A shimmer flowed from the ceiling as Kael's drones deployed, sleek machines swooping down like steel hawks. They intercepted the intruder mid-flight, metal on metal clashing with a shower of sparks, the wreckage scattering hot embers across the pristine floor.
Ezra scrambled to his feet, heart racing. Kael stood tall, dusting off his sleeve, his eyes fixed on the security feed where Nico looked bewildered at his useless device.
Leaning closer to the holographic display, Kael's voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "Did you think you could take what's mine?"
Ezra felt a chill at the cold authority in his tone—equal parts fear and admiration.
The drone wreckage smoldered on the carpet, but one thought consumed Ezra's mind: Kael hadn't just protected his empire tonight; he had also defended him.