Chapter 5 #3
“I’m sorry,” Nova continued, her voice steady despite the tension in her posture, “if it came across that this wasn’t a priority. It is.”
Aniyah inhaled. “Me too,” she said, sitting up straighter. “It won’t happen again.”
Ezra leaned back in her chair, the movement smooth and deliberate, her hands coming together in a loose clasp in front of her, making a triangle with her pointer fingers.
The tension that had been hanging over the call didn’t disappear, but it shifted, softening just enough to let everyone breathe again.
She gave a small nod, acknowledging the exchange without lingering on it.
“Calix and Riot are right,” she said, her voice steady. “You’ve both had to adjust to new situations, and that takes time.”
On the other side of the call, Aniyah’s shoulders eased slightly, her posture no longer quite as rigid. Nova mirrored it in her own way, sitting a little straighter but no longer braced for impact. The reprimand had passed, and Ezra—true to form—was already moving on.
“I appreciate the effort you’ll make going forward,” she continued, her gaze steady between them. “To ensure the Syndicate remains your priority.”
And just like that, it was done.
Ezra shifted in her seat, posture sharpening again as she redirected the conversation. “Now,” she said, turning her attention to Nova, “I’d like an update on the locations from the cave. Have you learned anything?”
Nova adjusted immediately. The remnants of earlier tension slipped away as she settled into her role, shoulders squared, hands folding neatly before her.
When she spoke, her tone carried a practiced clarity, her gaze fixed forward as if she were presenting to a room rather than a projection of her siblings.
She walked us through each location she had investigated, her hands occasionally lifting to mark distances or indicate structural similarities.
As she spoke, her expression stayed composed, but there were small tells.
The way her fingers pressed together, the brief pause before certain details, all that hinted at the frustration beneath the surface.
“The sites all matched the original cave,” she explained. “Same structure. Same signs of occupation.”
She paused briefly, then continued.
“But they were cleared out.”
A faint shift moved across the call. Aniyah leaned forward, her brows drawing together. Riot’s gaze sharpened, focusing more intently on Nova. Ezra remained still, her attention unwavering.
“There were remnants,” Nova added, her voice tightening just a fraction. “Equipment. A few files. Some computers left behind. But nothing substantial.”
Her lips pressed together at the end of it, the restraint clear.
“Not enough to determine who they are or what they’re planning.”
The silence that followed stretched just long enough to settle uncomfortably.
My hand tightened against the desk, the wood beneath my palm creaking softly under the pressure. In the quiet, the sound carried more than I intended, drawing a few brief glances before they returned to the discussion.
I didn’t like it.
Didn’t like the gaps. The missing pieces. The way everything pointed to something bigger without giving us anything solid to grab onto.
“Thank you, Nova,” Ezra said, her tone unchanged, as if the lack of answers didn’t bother her at all. “Continue searching the remaining sites. Gather anything you can and send it to me for an in-depth review.”
Nova nodded immediately, her hand lifting to her chest in a formal gesture before she dipped her head. “Understood.”
Ezra’s gaze shifted again.
“Calix.”
I leaned forward, dragging my hands down my face before looking back up at her. The motion left my hair slightly disheveled, but I didn’t bother fixing it.
“Where are we with the fae artifact?” she asked. “Have you reached Syris?”
I exhaled slowly, leaning back in my chair as one hand curled against the armrest.
“I’ve tried,” I said. “I’ve got people searching across the country, but nothing just yet.”
My gaze drifted off for a second before snapping back.
“You know how they are,” I added, jaw tightening. “They show up when they feel like it.”
My fingers curled tighter, nails pressing into my palm as my frustration edged through.
“It’s fine,” she said, her eyes softening just a smidge. “There’s no use getting worked up over that.”
Her expression remained composed, but there was a faint familiarity in her tone.
“Our grandfathers have always been… a little different.” She wasn’t wrong. With each year, our grandfathers were getting crazier, not giving a shit what they said in front of anyone.
“Maybe it’s because they’re so old.”
The voice came quiet, almost hesitant.
Every head turned.
Riot sat frozen for half a second after the words left her mouth, as if she hadn’t meant for them to. Her eyes darted between us, her brows slowly pulling together as realization set in.
Aniyah leaned forward abruptly, laughter spilling out as she slapped her hand against the desk. “Oh shit, Ri! You talk? That’s wild!”
Nova turned her head, pressing her lips together as her shoulders shook slightly, clearly trying not to laugh. “You better not say that in front of them,” she added, her voice tight with restraint. “Especially Tata and Papu.”
Aniyah’s laughter picked up again at that, the image alone enough to carry it.
Riot crossed her arms tightly, her posture closing in on itself as she sank back in her chair. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and she looked away from the group.
“I’m not stupid,” she muttered.
The tension that had been building cracked just enough to let the moment pass.
I leaned forward again, resting my forearms on the desk as I pulled the conversation back on track.
“They’ll show up eventually,” I said. “Until then, I’ve started testing.”
The shift was immediate. Nova straightened again. Aniyah’s amusement faded. Riot’s focus snapped back.
Ezra leaned forward slightly, her attention locking in.
“It’s slow,” I continued. “The thing reacts unpredictably.”
I flexed my hand subtly, the memory of the cut still fresh.
“If I handle it wrong, it could kill me.”
The room stilled.
Aniyah’s posture tightened again, her earlier humor gone. Nova’s hands stilled completely. Riot’s gaze sharpened, tracking every word.
Ezra didn’t raise her voice, but the urgency came through clearly.
“Which is exactly why you need to be extra careful,” she said. “The last thing we need is our older brother and weapons manufacturer to die in the middle of some unknown war.”
I narrowed my eyes slightly, watching her.
She loves you, Calix. I reminded myself. She didn't just say your worth was only tied to your job. She would never think that… right?
Her left eye twitched, and I leaned back slowly, a faint smile pulling at the corner of my mouth as I settled into the chair. She did care about me more than what she led on.
I was going to consider that a win.
“All I know right now,” I continued, shifting back into focus, “is that it can kill a supe with very little effort.”
The weight of that sat heavy across the call.
“I’ve been testing environmental responses,” I added. “Most external factors don’t trigger anything.” I paused, letting the next part land. “But when a supe gets close, it reacts.”
Riot tilted her head slightly, her attention sharpening further.
“I think it’s responding to the magic in our DNA,” I said. “But I still need to confirm that.”
“If you need subjects,” Riot said, her voice steady again, “I can provide them.”
I gave her a short nod. No one asked what kind of people she meant. They were already heads on her chopping block. If they could be used to help us out, the better.
Ezra let the silence sit for a moment before stepping back in.
“Good,” she said, her tone firm but controlled. “This is something we need to understand as fast as possible. I want it to be our ace in the hole.”
Her fingers flew across her keyboard as her mind worked a hundred miles a minute.
“Whatever you need, you’ll have it. Right now, your work is the priority.”
I nodded once.
“You got it, E.” I could feel the weight in my chest grow heavier.
Great. No pressure at all.