"I didn't say she was an enemy. And don't tell me that she is."
He ran his hand over his chin, brushing away invisible dust, and turned to Flash.
"She warned us," he reminded quietly, his voice firm but with a stubborn note.
"She told us to leave."
"Because at that moment it aligned with her interests," Flash replied instantly, finally turning in his chair.
His eyes narrowed, his gaze sharpening.
"A dead man in the hall is a bad sign. A living Ethan will be much more convenient."
Ethan turned sharply toward him, the muscles in his neck tensing, his fists clenching.
"Are you serious right now?"
Bruno took a step between them.
"Easy," he said softly, his voice low and soothing, like the distant rumble of thunder.
Flash finally turned fully, the chair creaking beneath him.
"I'm always serious when it comes to survival," he replied, removing his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose. Exhaustion showed on his face; the wrinkles around his eyes deepened.
"Look at the bigger picture," he continued, putting his glasses back on.
"She got what she wanted. An alliance with Gerard. Public legitimacy. International attention,and us in the process."
"People who can strike at the system from the inside."
Ethan frowned deeper, his brows knitting into a single line.
"We don't answer to her."
"Not yet," Flash said calmly, leaning back.
"But she knows who you are. She knows what you're capable of. And she knows you're emotionally involved."
Those words hung heavier than all the others.
Bullet quietly snorted and moved back to Ethan's side, as if choosing her allegiance. Her small body pressed against his leg, her tail twitching nervously.
Bruno sighed deeply, with visible relief, his shoulders dropping.
"Are you suggesting she might use him?"
Flash shrugged, the motion light, but there was steel in his eyes.
"I'm suggesting that any leader uses their resources."
"I'm not a resource," Ethan said quietly, his voice dropping lower, laced with anger.
"Not to you," Flash replied, leaning forward.
"To them,yes."
The silence grew sharp and prickly.
Outside, the first real ray of sunlight pierced through the narrow window. It touched the concrete wall, leaving a golden stripe on it, as if reminding them that the night had finally ended.
Ethan stepped closer to the table and leaned on it with his palms.
"Fine. Let's assume you're right. Let's assume she'll do it. What do you suggest? Hide forever?"
Flash shook his head slowly, thinking it over.
"No. I suggest keeping our distance."
"How much distance?" Ethan leaned closer, his eyes narrowing.
"As far from her as possible."
Flash began counting on his fingers, methodically, as if listing points of a plan.
"First, no personal meetings without a full perimeter check.
Second, no spontaneous decisions because of her.
Third, if she starts acting against our principles, we don't hesitate."
"Even if that means war?" Bruno asked, stepping closer, his voice growing quieter.
Flash looked at him directly, eye to eye.
"We're already living in her shadow. War is just a matter of time."
Ethan clenched his jaw so tightly that the muscles stood out.
"You're too cold."
"And you're too involved," Flash replied calmly, not breaking eye contact.
The words were spoken without anger. And that made them hurt even more.
Bruno nodded slowly, rolling his neck.
"And there's the disagreement."
He looked at Ethan.
"You see a person in her," Bruno said.
Then at Flash.
"And you see a threat."
Flash gave a slight smirk, the corner of his mouth twitching upward.
"I see consequences."
Ethan ran a hand over his face,a tired, disappointed gesture.
"And what if she really wants to change everything?"
"Then I'll be the first to admit it," Flash replied, leaning back in his chair.
"But I'll admit it based on actions, not on the way she looked at you during a dance."
Those words stung.
Ethan said nothing, but his gaze hardened, his eyes narrowing, his lips pressing into a thin line.
A new notification flashed on the screen: international clans were demanding a meeting with Anna within twenty-four hours.
Flash nodded toward the screen, briefly pointing with his index finger.
"There's her first test."
Bruno walked over to the coffee maker, poured three mugs,steam rose in thin streams, spreading a bitter aroma.
"We can't fall apart from within," he said, handing out the cups.
"We already have enough enemies."
Ethan took the mug but didn't drink, simply holding it in his hands and staring into the dark liquid.
"I'm not blind, Flash."
"I know," Flash said, adjusting his hat.
"And if she turns against us… I'll see it."
Flash looked at him carefully, his gaze long and piercing.
"The main thing is that you see it before it's too late."
Bullet settled between them on the table, her tail slowly swaying, as if the little creature was trying to balance the tension.
The news had long gone silent.
Flash muted the sound with a light tap of his finger on the panel, and now the images ran in silence as he tried to catch every piece of news.
But the anxiety hadn't left with them. It seemed to have settled in the air of the shelter, clinging to the concrete walls covered with a layer of dust and a web of cracks, in the folds of the clothes soaked with sweat, and in the breathing of the three men, which was still too uneven.
Ethan stood by the narrow window,a slit in the concrete,through which the gray sky over the industrial zone was visible. Dawn had already taken hold. It painted the roofs of the abandoned warehouses in a pale steel color.
Ethan leaned on the windowsill with his palms.
"We can't stay here," he said at last, his voice quiet.