Chapter 46 Jase
Jase
Idon’t move right away.
Don’t react.
Don’t stare.
Rule one—never tip your hand.
But every instinct I’ve got is locked on him now.
The new guy.
Standing near the back window like he belongs there.
Like he’s always been there.
Except he hasn’t.
And in our world… that matters.
A lot.
Mila’s hand brushes mine again—subtle, quick.
She feels it too.
Of course she does.
“Stay here,” I murmur under my breath.
She doesn’t like that.
I feel it in the slight tension in her fingers.
But she nods anyway.
Because she trusts me.
Yeah… that matters too.
I step away from her, keeping my pace even, controlled, like I’ve got nowhere urgent to be.
Like I’m not tracking every movement in the room.
Ethan stands near the table, eyes on the device, Jonah beside him going over something low and technical.
Ronan is just off to the side.
Quiet.
Watching everything.
Always watching.
Perfect.
Exactly who I need.
I close the distance and stop just short of them.
“Got a second?” I say.
Ethan glances up.
Takes one look at my face—
And something in his expression shifts.
He knows.
“Talk,” he says.
I don’t look toward the guy.
Not yet.
“Our team roster changed recently?” I ask.
Ronan’s eyes flick to mine.
Sharp.
Immediate.
“No.”
One word.
Flat.
Certain.
Yeah.
Thought so.
Ethan’s posture tightens just slightly.
“Why?”
I tilt my head just enough.
Not obvious.
Just enough.
“Because we’ve got one too many bodies in this room.”
Silence.
Not loud.
Not dramatic.
The dangerous kind.
Ronan doesn’t turn his head.
Doesn’t look.
But I see it—
That subtle shift in his stance.
Weight adjusting.
Ready.
Ethan exhales slowly.
“Description.”
“Male. Mid-thirties. Standing like he’s not worried about being here,” I say. “Back window.”
Jonah’s fingers still over the keyboard.
But I notice—
He stops typing.
Cal, across the room, shifts just slightly.
Like a ripple just passed through the team.
Ethan finally moves.
Casual.
Too casual.
He glances toward the back window.
Just a quick look.
Then back to me.
“Yeah,” he says quietly. “That’s a problem. We thought he was with you.”
Ronan steps forward half a pace.
Voice low.
Controlled.
“Name?”
I shake my head.
“Don’t have one.”
Ronan’s jaw tightens slightly.
Ethan rolls his shoulders once.
Decision made.
“Alright,” he says under his breath. “We don’t spook him.”
Too late for that, I think.
But I don’t say it.
“Jonah,” Ethan adds quietly, “lock the doors.”
“Already done,” Jonah replies.
Of course he has.
“Cal,” Ethan continues, “shift right. Quiet.”
Cal doesn’t answer.
He just moves.
Like a shadow repositioning.
Ronan steps past me.
Smooth.
Unhurried.
But there’s nothing relaxed about him.
Nothing at all.
I fall in just behind him.
“Let’s go meet our guest,” Ethan says.
We move together.
Three of us.
Not rushing.
Not aggressive.
But closing the distance in a way that doesn’t leave room for escape.
The guy doesn’t move.
Doesn’t flinch.
Doesn’t even pretend to be surprised when we stop a few feet away.
Up close—
He’s worse.
Too calm.
Eyes steady.
No nerves.
No tells.
That’s not normal.
That’s trained.
Ethan folds his arms loosely.
“Alright,” he says, almost conversational. “Let’s try this again.”
The man says nothing.
Just watches.
Ronan steps slightly to the side, cutting off the angle to the window.
Smart.
Very smart.
“What unit?” Ethan asks.
No answer.
My patience thins.
Fast.
“You deaf?” I mutter.
The guy’s gaze flicks to me.
And there it is.
That flicker.
Recognition.
Not of me.
Of something else.
Something he didn’t expect.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Ronan doesn’t miss it.
His voice drops.
“You’re not Delta Five.”
Finally—
The man smiles.
Not big.
Not obvious.
But enough.
“No,” he says calmly.
Yeah.
That’s what I thought.
The room tightens instantly.
I feel Mila behind me now.
Close.
Exactly where she should be.
Weapons don’t raise.
Not yet.
But we’re one breath away.
“Then you’ve got about three seconds,” Ethan says quietly, “to explain why you’re standing in my operation.”
The man tilts his head slightly.
Like he’s considering how much to say.
Or how much we’re worth.
Then—
“I’m the reason your channel got through.”
Everything stills.
That lands.
Hard.
Ethan’s eyes sharpen.
Ronan doesn’t move at all.
I feel Mila’s presence behind me shift—
Focused.
Locked in.
“Careful,” I say.
The man’s gaze flicks between us.
Me.
Ethan.
Ronan.
Then—
Mila.
And something in his expression changes.
Subtle.
But there.
Interest.
Yeah.
I really don’t like that.
“You’re sitting on something bigger than you think,” he continues calmly. “And if I wasn’t in the system when that signal hit—”
His eyes flick briefly toward the device.
“It would’ve been buried before it ever reached the President.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Ethan steps closer.
Just enough to make it clear—
We are in charge here.
“Name,” Ethan says again.
This time—
The man answers.
“Daniel Voss.”
Ronan’s eyes narrow slightly.
Ethan doesn’t react.
Not outwardly.
“Affiliation,” Ethan presses.
A pause.
Then—
The faintest hint of a smile.
“Let’s just say…” Daniel says, “I work in the part of the system that cleans up messes like this.”
My jaw tightens.
Yeah.
That doesn’t make me feel better.
Not even close.
Behind me, Mila’s voice cuts in.
Sharp.
Unwavering.
“Or creates them.”
Daniel’s gaze shifts to her again.
And this time—
He doesn’t hide the interest.
“Maybe,” he says.
That’s it.
I step forward.
Just enough to put myself between them.
“Try that answer again,” I say quietly.
The air snaps tight.
Ronan shifts.
Ethan watches.
No one interrupts.
Because we’re right on the edge now.
Daniel studies me for a long second.
Then—
Something in his expression changes.
Not softer.
Not friendly.
Just… clearer.
“I’m on your side,” he says.
I don’t blink.
Don’t move.
Don’t buy it.
“Prove it.”