Yunli's name flashed across Vincent's screen just as the last crumbs of cookies were disappearing from the plate. He wiped his fingers on a napkin, glanced at Oscar, and answered.
"Any update," Yunli said without greeting. Her tone was calm as usual, but Vincent could feel the impatience beneath it. "How far have you gone with the bakery lead?"
Vincent leaned back, recalling everything in order.
"We confirmed the bakery is real, not just a cover. Deliveries have been coming in at odd hours most times on weekends, crates marked as baking ingredients are heavier than they should be. Flour sacks that clink like metal inside. Sugar boxes sealed too tightly. And…" He paused, lowering his voice. " We just saw a dead person walking. Rose is alive."
There was silence on the other end.
Oscar's fingers twitched. Instantly, a faint ripple of darkness spread along the walls of their room. The air thickened. The hum of the hallway vanished. The soundproof cocoon of his shadow ability, Shadow Silence, settled over them, swallowing every stray noise.
Yunli exhaled slowly. "Alive…well you aren't the only one. Already heard rumors of it, I myself saw Klaus one night ago."
Vincent continued. "Workers at the bakery talk about a private delivery tonight. Midnight. Destination code name—AXILE. No idea what that is yet, but it's guarded."
Then he took a pause and tried confirming if he heard right, " you mean you saw Klaus"
Oscar frowned while the other end of the phone remained silent
A third voice joined the call, sharp and urgent.
"Sonia here," she said. "Headquarters sent an update. A dangerous Japanese faction landed in France yesterday. No official names, but they match the pattern of the Black Lantern Syndicate. As you might have heard Rose is alive, and her involvement in this proves that the female black ops are in on this… this operation just became bigger."
Oscar gave a low whistle. "So we're not just dealing with one snake. It's a nest and even one of our own seems to be amongst them."
" Which one of our own. Which rat is that" Sonia asked.
Oscar signaled to Vincent to put the phone on speaker then explained to her what yunli told them since she wasn't willing to talk about Klaus or rather it was something which was supposed to be kept secret.
" Then Miss Athalia is aware" she asked.
Yunli answered as a confirmation.
" It would be best to keep it a secret for now from the siblings, things can be very wrong if we spill a word as I was instructed to not leak the information about him yet"
" Just wanted to lessen the pressure as it's only fair Vincent knows " she added.
Sonia on the other end of the phone sighed in frustration. The mission in which then had already considered to be more difficult is now close to being impossible. They couldn't be so sure if Klaus was a rat or if he even knew about their arrival and had made plans to counter them.
But then again that was most unlikely as their headquarters didn't report anything about them being compromised.
Silence stretched again before Yunli spoke.
"I'll infiltrate," she said. "As one of the party girls. I heard they still follow those strange old customs of entertainment servers being invited to mingle with guests. It's the easiest entry point."
"No." Vincent's reply was immediate.
Sonia agreed. "Absolutely not. Klaus might recognize your face and also rose for sure knows your face. You fought her in our first mission. The moment she sees you, it's over."
Yunli didn't hesitate. "Which is why it has to be me. Think about it. I more cautious and less visible that any of you with your outward characteristics, also, If there's poison involved and I'm sure there will be, the servers will be disposed off. Maybe they're planning to silence witnesses after the banquet. My ability gives me resistance. I'm the only one who can survive that."
Vincent clenched his jaw.
Oscar, still holding Shadow Silence, nodded slowly. "She's right. And I can shadow her route. When the bakery shipment goes out at midnight, I'll slip in with the cargo. Stay hidden until the right moment."
Sonia's voice softened, but the worry didn't leave it. "This is too risky."
"It's the only rational necessity" Yunli said. "We get inside. Confirm Rose's position. Track AXILE. If possible, plant trackers on the Japanese group. Then we decide whether to strike or retreat."
Vincent looked at Oscar. Oscar looked back with a look of assurance.
Finally Vincent said, "Then we prepare properly. No heroics of any kind. If things go wrong, we pull out immediately."
Yunli gave a faint laugh. "Since when do we ever do heroics?"
"Since the last... nevermind" Sonia sighed.
Outside the Shadow Silence barrier, footsteps passed in the hallway, muffled like echoes from another world.
Inside, the plan took shape in silence, and inevitable risks.
Yunli checked the mirror one last time before stepping out.
The woman staring back at her looked nothing like the operative who had argued over the call an hour ago. Her long black hair was now a sharp, wine-red shade, cut to match the description Sonia had sent. A purple coat draped over her shoulders, elegant and understated, the kind worn by hired companions who knew how to smile and disappear.
Sonia had worked fast when she arrived at the hotel—documents forged, schedules copied, the list of serving girls memorized. One of them, a nervous brunette pacing near the service elevator, had been easy to convince.
A quiet exchange of cash and a promise of no trouble giving a little reassurance.
The girl left with relief written on her face, clutching the money like a lifeline and disappeared from sight.
Yunli took her place.
Within the hour, the hallway outside buzzed with chatter and perfume. Laughter floated from door to door as the hired girls gathered, comparing dresses, practicing smiles, whispering about rich clients and strange rumors.
Yunli kept quiet, sticking to he role of being nervous and less of a speaker while she was observing. Counting exits and memorizing faces.
A long black limousine rolled to a stop outside the hotel entrance, its polished surface reflecting the streetlights like liquid glass. The driver stepped out without a word, opening the rear doors.
One by one, the girls climbed in.
Yunli followed, lowering her head just enough to hide her eyes.
Inside the limo, soft music played. Champagne bottles clinked lightly in a cooler. The girls giggled nervously, speculating about the mysterious hosts.
Yunli's fingers brushed the tiny comm device hidden beneath her sleeve.
"Oscar," she whispered softly, careful not to move her lips much. "I'm in."
A faint vibration answered—his signal from somewhere in the shadows, already tracking the route.
As the limousine pulled away, its engine humming smoothly into the night, Yunli watched the hotel lights fade in the tinted glass.
Midnight was approaching.
AXILE waited for it's display of glamour.