The safe house was located in a district so quiet it felt uninhabited.
Adrian stepped out of the armored SUV, adjusting the lapels of his charcoal blazer. He was dressed in the clothes Lucian had chosen—expensive, sharp, and restrictive. He felt like a stranger in his own skin. It had been weeks since he'd seen his mother, and the guilt of that absence sat heavy in his stomach.
Lucian stepped out beside him, scanning the perimeter.
Adrian noticed the change immediately. There were new guards stationed at every corner of the property. He knew they were new because they weren't the standard house detail; these were Vanguard Elites, wearing tactical gear and carrying high-grade pulse rifles.
Lucian had upgraded the protection the moment the Council issued their statement. It was a clear signal. She was now a liability. A piece of evidence that needed to be shielded—or suppressed.
They entered the house. The interior was clean, smelling of lemon polish and industrial air filters.
