Lahat ng Kabanata ng LUCAN VALE: THE GHOST ASSASSIN: Kabanata 201 - Kabanata 210

Nina consulted her tablet briefly. "No, sir. They vanished completely after breaching containment at Sector Gamma. No financial activity, no known contacts activated, no electronic footprints. Our profiles suggested Jagua might seek out old contacts in Sim's, but surveillance found nothing. Klaus is even more elusive. It's as if they disappeared."A dismissive sound escaped Kairos. He waved a hand like he was swatting a fly, supreme confidence that almost turned into arrogance. "Cowards. They reacted on emotion, on misplaced loyalty to a dead man who meddled where he shouldn't. They're probably halfway across the world by now, hiding under false names in some forgotten corner. Panicked animals." He shook his head slowly, radiating absolute control. "I’ve led this Syndicate for many years, and I have played a crucial role in turning it, into the global power it is today. To be challenged by those two, children I practically raised alongside Lucan, is insulting but ultimately insignific

"Hey," he said, stopping a few feet away."Hey," she replied, a small smile touching her lips. She patted the empty space beside her on the bench. Jason sank onto the bench beside her. It felt surprisingly natural, as if they'd done this a hundred times before instead of just discovering this new dynamic between them. "I'm surprised you weren't at Smith Royale when I called.""I was actually just about to start getting ready." She said, glancing at her forgotten tablet. "Had a meeting scheduled for later this afternoon.""What a workaholic," he joked, then he took her hand in his. "Sorry for making you late." "I don't mind. Grandmother can handle everything," she responded, her fingers curling around him. "She still works a lot for her age. Sometimes I think she has more energy than I do."They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the only sounds between them the rustle of leaves and distant birdsong.It was nothing like the charged quiet they usually shared, no tension, no unsp

Through the window, Jason saw the hangars painted to blend with the trees, the reinforced fences around the perimeter, the faint gleam of automated defense systems tucked among the branches. Security here was absolute, it was like the military. Nothing got in or out without permission. The place was designed to keep the world out, but Jason suddenly wondered if it was also meant to keep secrets locked inside.The jet touched down smoothly, rolling toward a hangar set apart from the main operations building. As the engines wound down, the boarding ramp lowered with a soft hiss. Jason stood and grabbed his go-bag."Wait here, Silas," he said. "Keep the engines running. I won't be long."Silas appeared in the cockpit doorway, his face blank but clearly frustrated by the mechanical failure. "Yes, sir. I'll coordinate with maintenance."Jason stepped out onto the tarmac. Two guards in black tactical gear stood near the ramp, their faces hidden behind visors. They recognized him immediatel

Jason crossed the space between them and pulled Kairos into a hug they'd shared countless times before. This should've felt like home but didn't. It felt like hugging a dummy or a statue, a performance of closeness with nothing underneath. But when Jason pulled back his smile was wide, still performing. "Good to see you.""You too, son." Kairos gripped his shoulder with eyes searching Jason's face like he actually cared. "Though I wasn't expecting you." He glanced at Nina. "Thank you, that'll be all. Make sure Silas gets our best diagnostics team.""Yes, Master." Nina shot Jason one last unreadable look before slipping out, and the door hissed shut behind her, leaving them alone.Kairos gestured toward the sitting area as Jason sank into the chair across from him and watched him pour two glasses of orange whiskey from the bottle he always kept close. "Come, sit. Tell me, how's Velmora treating you? Any complications?""Nothing major," Jason said as he took the glass and sipped, letti

He took another sip of whiskey before keeping his tone casual, almost like an afterthought. "Speaking of the mission, it's strange how everything traces back to this... uh... Cael...thorn? family." In order to not make Kairos suspicious of him looking into the Caelthorns, Jason deliberately stumbled over the name and pronounced it slightly wrong as if it were just some unfamiliar historical footnote he'd recently learned. "The last map piece was in their old mansion, the dagger itself is apparently hidden on their private island... Just seems like a weird coincidence, doesn't it?" He watched Kairos carefully over the rim of his glass while maintaining steady eye contact and looking for any hint or hesitation, or guilt. For a half a second something crossed Kairos's eyes and his hand paused almost imperceptibly mid-air as he lifted his glass for another sip. He took the drink casually while trying not to show anything, but at the end of the day he was only human and not perfec