Silence lingered in the interrogation room.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
The phone remained held inches from Izana's face.
The faint sound of Leah's breathing echoed through the speaker.
The agents watched him carefully.
Waiting.
Izana's chest rose and fell slowly.
He forced his breathing to steady.
He could not show weakness.
Not now.
Not in front of them.
Leah spoke again.
Soft.
Uncertain.
"Iz… Izana?"
Her voice trembled slightly.
A pause followed.
Then Izana finally answered.
"I'm here."
The words were quiet.
Controlled.
But hearing his voice again made Leah exhale sharply on the other end of the line.
"I've been trying to reach you for hours," she said quickly. "Dante said you never came back from the meeting. What's going on? Where are you?"
Dante knew exactly why he never returned.
Izana's gaze shifted briefly toward the agents standing nearby.
Watching.
Listening.
Recording every word.
"That's not important," he said calmly.
The first agent leaned closer, listening carefully.
Leah hesitated.
"That's not important?" she repeated softly.
"No," Izana said. "Listen carefully."
His tone changed slightly.
Sharpened.
Leah immediately understood.
Her breathing steadied.
"…Alright," she said quietly.
The second agent smirked.
"Here we go," he whispered to his partner.
Izana spoke again.
Slow.
Deliberate.
"I need you to prepare something."
Leah didn't interrupt.
The room felt even quieter now.
The agents leaned in.
Pens ready.
"Get the Blackridge warehouse ready."
The words hung in the air.
For a split second, Leah froze.
Her heart skipped.
Blackridge.
The code.
Years ago Izana had explained it to her.
If he ever said those words…
It meant he had been captured.
And everything had to begin.
The emergency plan.
The rescue plan.
The war plan.
But Leah didn't react.
Not outwardly.
"…Blackridge?" she repeated slowly.
Izana didn't blink.
"Yes."
The first agent immediately began writing something down.
The second agent's eyes gleamed.
"A warehouse," he muttered under his breath.
Leah forced her voice to stay calm.
"You want it prepared now?"
"Yes."
Izana's tone remained steady.
"Everything."
The agents exchanged a quick glance.
One of them leaned toward the other.
"Write that down," he whispered.
Leah continued carefully.
"What about the usual staff?"
"Only the trusted ones," Izana replied.
"Security?"
"Double it."
The second agent's smile widened.
"This is perfect," he murmured quietly.
Leah's fingers tightened around her phone.
But her voice stayed controlled.
"Understood."
Izana shifted slightly in the chair.
The ropes dug deeper into his wrists.
He ignored the pain.
"Make sure everything looks normal," he continued.
"Normal?" Leah asked.
"Yes."
"No unusual activity."
The agents nodded to themselves.
"He's trying to keep it hidden," the first agent whispered.
Leah spoke again.
"What about the shipment schedule?"
"Leave it as it is."
Another note written down.
The agents were practically vibrating with interest now.
They believed they were listening to the inner workings of Izana's criminal network.
But they didn't understand.
Every word had another meaning.
Another layer.
Leah understood all of it.
Izana continued.
"Only people who know the protocol should be there."
Protocol.
Another code word.
Leah nodded silently.
"…Alright."
A pause followed.
Leah's voice softened slightly.
"Iz… are you hurt?"
Izana didn't answer immediately.
The agents watched his face closely.
"…Nothing serious," he said eventually.
Leah didn't believe him.
She could hear the strain in his breathing.
But she didn't push further.
"I'll handle everything here," she said quietly.
Izana closed his eyes briefly.
Good.
She understood.
The first agent chuckled.
"Loyal girlfriend."
The second agent shrugged.
"Or partner."
Leah continued speaking.
"Dante is here," she added carefully. "He's been looking for you."
Izana's eyes opened again.
"Good," he said.
"Tell him the same thing."
"The Blackridge warehouse."
Leah repeated the words slowly.
"Yes."
The agents were nearly grinning now.
"This is incredible," one whispered.
"We just got the location of one of his operations."
Izana spoke again.
"Make sure the perimeter is secure."
Leah nodded.
"I will."
"And Leah."
His voice softened just slightly.
"Don't trust anyone new."
Her chest tightened.
"…I won't."
The room fell silent again.
The agents watched the exchange like predators.
They believed Izana had started breaking.
They believed he was slipping.
But they were wrong.
Leah spoke again quietly.
"When will you come back?"
Izana looked directly at the agents.
Then back toward the phone.
"Soon."
The answer was simple.
But Leah understood the real meaning.
Soon meant:
Be ready.
Very ready.
She exhaled slowly.
"…Okay."
Izana continued.
"Repeat the instructions."
The first agent's eyebrows lifted.
"Interesting," he murmured.
Leah didn't hesitate.
"Prepare the Blackridge warehouse."
"Only trusted personnel."
"Double security."
"Everything stays normal."
Izana nodded slightly.
"Good."
The agents looked satisfied.
They believed they had just confirmed everything.
Leah hesitated one last time.
"Iz…"
"Yes?"
"…be careful."
Another pause.
Izana's voice dropped slightly.
"You too."
The first agent reached forward.
"That's enough."
He pulled the phone away.
The call ended.
The screen went dark.
Silence returned to the interrogation room.
The second agent laughed quietly.
"Well," he said.
"That was productive."
The first agent slipped the phone into his pocket.
"Very productive."
He looked down at Izana.
"You see?"
He tapped his notebook.
"All we had to do was mention her."
Izana didn't respond.
The agent continued.
"Blackridge warehouse."
"Interesting place."
His partner chuckled.
"We'll be paying it a visit very soon."
Izana slowly leaned back against the chair.
The ropes creaked slightly.
His expression remained calm.
Unbothered.
The agents turned toward the door.
Still discussing their notes.
Still congratulating themselves.
The heavy metal door opened.
CLANG.
They stepped outside.
The door slammed shut behind them.
Darkness returned.
The room fell silent again.
Izana lowered his head slightly.
Then slowly…
A faint smile appeared.
They believed Blackridge was a warehouse.
A building.
A location.
They had no idea.
Blackridge wasn't an active place.
It was an abandoned warehouse.
It was a signal.
And now…
The signal had been sent.