I lowered the phone slightly and gave her a polite, slightly frustrated smile.
"It's nothing serious, Aunt Maya. It's just that our return flight was cancelled. Looks like we'll have to stay here for a while and make new arrangements."
Maya's thoughts immediately turned sharp and anxious.
[Flight cancelled…? No… No, this must be SHADOW's doing. They already got what they wanted from the deal. Are they trying to kill her now? They promised they would let me deal with her as I saw fit…]
[I can't leave them alone. If something happens to her or to Dexter… I won't be able to live with that…]
Without hesitation, Maya spoke.
"Dexter, come with us. We're leaving in twenty minutes. Our plane is already waiting on the runway."
Her voice was steady, but I could see the faint tension in her eyes. She was clearly worried that Victoria might refuse.
I asked, pretending to hesitate, my tone polite and slightly uncertain.
