Chapter 85 Sienna
Sienna
He didn’t hesitate.
That’s how I know I chose right.
I watch the screen as he stands, as he reaches for his weapon, as he gives the order without second-guessing the coordinates I handed him.
No delay.
No debate.
No attempt to reroute or verify.
He sees the risk—
And walks straight into it.
Good.
That’s exactly what I needed.
The camera feed flickers as I pull it up, cycling through angles until I find the one I want.
There.
Jonah.
Moving with purpose, every step measured, controlled.
His team member—Ronan—falls into position beside him, scanning, watching, covering angles without needing to be told.
They work well together.
Efficient.
Disciplined.
Predictable in the ways that matter.
Unpredictable in the ones that don’t.
I track them as they move through the facility, my fingers hovering over the keys but not touching them.
I don’t need to.
Not anymore.
ORACLE responds without input now.
Anticipating.
Adjusting.
Listening.
That should bother me more than it does.
Instead—
I focus on him.
On Jonah.
The only one who followed the pattern.
The only one who saw what wasn’t supposed to be seen.
The only one who didn’t dismiss it as a glitch.
Or a threat.
Or something to shut down.
He engaged.
Adapted.
Chose to understand before he chose to destroy.
That’s why I picked him.
Not because he’s the strongest.
Not because he’s the most dangerous.
Because he’s the one most likely to see me…
And not reduce me to a problem.
That thought lingers longer than it should.
I shut it down.
It doesn’t matter.
What matters is what comes next.
“They’re moving faster than expected,” I murmur, though there’s no one here to hear it.
No one except the system.
And it’s always listening.
I shift the camera feed again, watching as they approach the outer perimeter.
No alarms.
No resistance.
I made sure of that.
This isn’t about stopping them.
It’s about letting them in.
Letting him in.
My gaze flicks to the secondary monitor—lines of data flowing smoothly, seamlessly, like they belong this way.
Like I belong here.
That’s the problem.
A quiet breath slips past my lips.
“They’re already looking,” I say under my breath.
Helios won’t be far behind.
They’ll see the breach.
See the access.
See him.
And when they do—
This becomes a race.
One I’m not guaranteed to win.
Which means I need to move now.
I glance back at the main screen.
Jonah’s closer.
Inside the structure.
Clearing rooms.
Fast.
Efficient.
Getting closer to where I actually am.
Not here.
Not in the system.
But below it.
Hidden.
Waiting.
My fingers finally move, tapping a single command.
A door unlocks.
Silent.
Unseen.
Ahead of him.
An invitation.
Or a warning.
Even I’m not sure which.
“He’s going to be angry,” I murmur.
That almost makes me smile.
Almost.
Because he should be.
I lied.
Not outright.
But enough.
I let him believe I was only in the system.
Only a voice.
Only something he could shut down if he needed to.
That’s about to change.
And when it does—
Everything shifts.
My pulse picks up for the first time since this started.
Not fear.
Not exactly.
Something sharper.
Anticipation.
He reaches the door.
Pauses.
Instinct kicking in.
Good.
He should question it.
He should doubt everything.
Especially me.
I lean back slightly in the chair, exhaling slowly as I watch him prepare to breach.
“This is it,” I whisper.
Not to the system.
Not to Helios.
To myself.
Because once he steps through that door—
There’s no going back.
No more distance.
No more control from behind a screen.
Just him.
And me.
And everything I’ve set into motion.
My fingers curl slightly against the arm of the chair.
Steady.
Controlled.
Ready.
“Don’t disappoint me,” I say softly, eyes locked on the feed.
Then the door explodes open.
And everything changes.