I HEARD HIM SAY " DADDY"
“Before anyone gets hurt.”
He studied me, and for the briefest moment, I thought I saw hesitation. But it was fleeting. He smiled again, slow, deliberate, a predator savoring the hunt.
“You are brave, Elena,” he said softly. “But bravery… bravery can be foolish.”
“I am not brave,” I replied evenly. “I am prepared. And preparation wins when bravery fails.”
He regarded me for a long, tense moment. Then, finally, he backed away. Not completely, but enough to indicate a temporary retreat. “This is not over,” he said quietly, more to himself than to me.