Chapter 21: Mission Briefing

Lord Mendez turned his back to her, each step toward the mahogany desk deliberate, as though weighed down by the gravity of what was about to be revealed. The room was silent save for the distant ticking of an antique clock on the wall. Mendez opened a drawer with a quiet click and drew out a thin, black folder—unmarked and bound tightly with a red string that gleamed faintly in the warm, amber light of the study.

He placed it gently on the desk, like a relic or a weapon, and then looked over his shoulder at Avyanna. His gaze was sharp, calculating.

“What I’m about to show you is confidential,” he said, his voice low and precise. “Only three people in this entire organization know about this operation. Now, you’ll be the fourth.”

Avyanna didn’t flinch. Her boots clicked softly against the tiled floor as she walked forward. She untied the red string with the careful precision of someone who’d handled classified intel before—but her hands, usually steady, lingered for a second too long.