Night
Pearl Villa
The villa was quiet.
Most of the lights had already been turned off.
Miles stood alone near the large window of his room.
The city lights of Star Harbor glittered in the distance.
But his eyes were cold.
Far colder than they had been in a long time.
His phone was pressed against his ear.
Darius' voice came from the other side.
"Leader."
"We have confirmed it."
Miles remained silent.
His gaze slowly narrowed.
Darius continued.
"Xin is indeed alive."
For several seconds, the room remained completely silent.
A dangerous silence.
Then Miles slowly closed his eyes.
"So..."
"It was him all along."
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
"I cannot believe our confrontation that day led to all of this."
A bitter smile appeared on his face.
"I should have personally killed him."
"Instead of leaving him to die."
The memory of that burning building flashed through his mind.
The collapsing structure.
The flames.
The certainty that no human could survive.
