Ethan and Elena rushed into the Strategy Department, still catching their breath.

  Ming stood at the briefing table. General Marcus beside him, arms crossed, expression grim.

  "Sit," Marcus said.

  They sat.

  Marcus pulled up a photo on the display screen. A young woman. Early twenties. Long dark brown hair. Pale skin. Elegant.

  "Emergency request from France. Government-level priority." Marcus tapped the screen. "Our mission is to protect this woman. Codename: Princess. She's the daughter of a noble family."

  Ethan stared at the photo. "Protect her from what?"

  "Unknown threats. Possibly REAPER." Marcus swiped to the next slide—a map of the city's largest shopping mall. "Tomorrow, she'll be attending a public event at this mall. High-profile. The Mayor will be there. Celebrities. Influencers. Crowds."

  Elena's voice was flat. Disbelieving. "We only have today to prepare? That's ridiculous."

  Marcus didn't flinch. "We don't choose our missions. The French government only discovered she was Awakened a few hours ago. They determined Harvest assistance was necessary. She doesn't know we'll be there."

  Ming spoke up. "Given the scale and risk, can we request two additional Harvest members?"

  Marcus nodded. "Already arranged. They're overseas. They'll meet you at the mall tomorrow."

  "Understood."

  Marcus straightened. "This is Ming's team. Dismissed."

  Thirty minutes later, they were in the car.

  Ming handed Ethan and Elena small earpieces. "Put these in. They'll help us communicate. Especially in an emergency."

  Ethan fitted his. "Range?"

  "Half a kilometer. Clear signal."

  Elena adjusted hers. "Where are we going?"

  "The mall. We're surveilling today. Staying at a hotel nearby tonight."

  The drive was quiet.

  The mall was massive.

  Five floors. Two wings—east and west. A grand center atrium dominated the ground level, where the event stage was already being assembled.

  Ming handed them printed blueprints. "Memorize these. Emergency exits. Blind spots. Chokepoints."

  They spent hours walking the layout. Ethan counted exits. Elena studied sightlines. Ming noted security camera placements.

  By evening, Ethan's feet ached.

  Back at the hotel, they gathered in Ming's room.

  Cookie lay on the floor, head down, tail still.

  Ming frowned. "Cookie?"

  The dog didn't move.

  Ming checked his watch. "We haven't eaten since this morning."

  Ethan blinked. "Oh. Shit."

  Elena rubbed her temples. "No wonder I have a headache."

  Ming stood. "Low morale affects performance. Let's wrap this up and get dinner. Hotel sky bar. But no heavy drinking."

  Cookie's tail thumped.

  Ethan grinned. "She understood that."

  The sky bar was quiet. Soft lighting. City view stretching beyond the windows.

  They ordered food—nothing fancy, just fuel—and a round of drinks.

  Elena sat beside Cookie, scratching behind the dog's ears. Cookie leaned into her hand, eyes half-closed.

  Ethan pulled out the Nikon.

  Click.

  Elena looked up sharply. "Why did you bring that?"

  Ethan lowered the camera, smiling. "It's been a long time since I last saw you smile."

  Elena opened her mouth. Closed it.

  Ming spoke up. "We should take a photo together."

  Elena sighed. "Seriously?"

  "Yes."

  She gave up. Turned to the man at the next table. "Excuse me. Could you take a photo for us?"

  The man smiled. "Of course."

  They gathered. Ethan on one side. Ming on the other. Elena in the middle with Cookie at her feet.

  Click.

  The man handed the camera back. "Nice group."

  Elena glanced at the screen.

  All of them were smiling. Even Cookie's tongue lolled out in what looked like a grin.

  "Thank you," Elena said quietly.

  The man nodded and returned to his table.

  They stayed for another hour. Talking. Laughing. Lighter than they'd been in weeks.

  Then Ming checked his watch. "Time to rest. Tomorrow's going to be long."

  The next morning, one hour before the Princess's arrival.

  They stood in the mall's service corridor, earpieces in.

  Ming pulled up the blueprint on his tablet. "Roles. Ethan and Elena, you're on Princess protection. Stay close but not obvious. I'll rendezvous with the arriving Harvest member."

  Ethan raised a hand. "I have a suggestion."

  Ming looked up.

  "Let Elena handle surveillance on the upper floors. She can take photos of anyone suspicious—faces, positions, movements."

  Ming frowned. "Why split up?"

  "Because Merlin's seen my face. Yours too. And Cookie's. But not Elena's." Ethan glanced at his sister. "If we stick together, we're exposed immediately. This way, we have an advantage."

  Ming studied him. Then nodded slowly. "You've thought this through."

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  "I'm learning from the best."

  Ming almost smiled. "Fine. Approved."

  Elena crossed her arms. "What about the other Harvest member? When do they arrive?"

  "Late. They're still en route. We'll adapt."

  Ming's earpiece crackled. "Princess has entered the building. Two bodyguards with her."

  Ming straightened. "Mission starts now. Stay in contact. Ethan—fifteen meters max from the target. Elena—surveillance and intel. Move."

  Ethan blended into the crowd.

  The Princess moved through the mall's main corridor, flanked by her bodyguards. She smiled politely at fans. Signed autographs. Played the part perfectly.

  Ethan kept his distance. Fourteen meters. Eyes scanning.

  Elena's voice crackled in his ear. "Third floor. west wing. All clear so far."

  "Copy," Ethan murmured.

  Ming's voice cut in. "Just met our backup. Introducing now."

  A new voice. Calm. Confident. "Hi, everyone. I'm Ma Chao, age twenty-five. Combat specialist. Adept with spears. Nice to meet you all."

  Ethan smiled. "Good to have you—"

  BOOM.

  The explosion ripped through the east wing.

  The alarm screamed.

  Ethan's ears rang. He steadied himself, hand going to his sidearm.

  Elena's voice, sharp: "What the hell was that?"

  Ming's voice cut through the chaos. "Stay calm. That was a distraction. Stay focused. Watch for REAPER."

  "Ma Chao," Ming continued, "check the east wing. Find out what happened."

  "On it."

  Ming's voice again. "Cookie and I are moving to backup Ethan and Elena."

  The crowd panicked.

  People screamed. Ran. Shoved toward exits.

  The Princess's bodyguards grabbed her arms, steering her toward the back corridor. The Mayor appeared, gesturing urgently.

  Ethan followed in the shadows. "Target moving to the back exit. I'm trailing."

  Elena's voice: "Wait. I see someone."

  "Where?"

  "Upper floor. Fourth level. East side. He's too calm. And he's avoiding cameras."

  Ethan's pulse spiked. "Can you get a photo?"

  "Already on it."

  Elena raised the Nikon. Zoomed. Focused.

  The man reached for his hood—

  Click.

  His face. Clear. Sharp.

  Then his head turned.

  Directly toward her.

  Elena ducked behind a pillar, breath caught.

  Merlin's eyes swept the area. Narrowed.

  Then he pulled his hood up and disappeared into the crowd.

  Elena exhaled shakily. "Got his face."

  Ming's voice: "Well done. Now assist with crowd evacuation. Reduce casualties."

  "Copy."

  Ming and Cookie moved through the lower floor, heading toward Ethan's position.

  Ma Chao's voice crackled in. "East wing secure. Casualties confirmed. Wounded being treated by mall security."

  Ming: "Meet us at the center atrium."

  The Princess reached the back exit.

  Her bodyguards pushed the door open.

  Fresh air. Sunlight.

  Safety.

  Except—

  Three men stood waiting.

  Black clothes. Masks. Guns raised.

  REAPER.

  The Princess froze.

  Her bodyguards reached for their weapons—

  The Mayor stepped forward.

  "Wait."

  The bodyguards hesitated.

  The Mayor walked toward the REAPER operators. Calmly. Casually.

  He smiled.

  "Kill them."

  The bodyguards reacted instantly.

  One grabbed the Princess, yanking her backward. The other raised his weapon.

  Gunfire erupted.

  The bodyguard on the left jerked—chest shot—and collapsed.

  The remaining bodyguard fired back. Three rounds. Clean. Precise.

  One REAPER operator dropped, blood pooling beneath him.

  Then the bodyguard's head snapped back.

  He crumpled.

  Dead before he hit the ground.

  The Mayor stepped forward calmly, taking the gun from the nearest REAPER operator. He raised it. Aimed at the Princess.

  "I'll make it quick this time."

  A shadow moved.

  Ethan lunged from the corridor, grabbing the Princess's wrist. "Follow me!"

  He yanked her back through the door just as the gunshot cracked behind them.

  The bullet punched into the doorframe. Wood splintered.

  Ethan didn't stop. "Move! Now!"

  The Princess stumbled, then ran.

  Behind them, the Mayor's voice roared. "What are you waiting for? Kill them!"

  Ethan's voice crackled through the earpiece. "Ming. Plan C. We're heading through the center atrium to exit C."

  Ming's reply was immediate. "Copy. We'll cover you."

  Ethan and the Princess burst into the center atrium.

  Crowds had mostly evacuated, but chaos lingered—overturned chairs, abandoned bags, shattered glass from the earlier explosion.

  Ethan kept low, hand tight around the Princess's wrist. "Stay close. Don't stop."

  She nodded, breathing hard.

  Behind them, footsteps pounded.

  Two REAPER operators spilled into the atrium, weapons raised.

  Ming stepped out from behind a pillar, pistol ready. Cookie at his side, teeth bared.

  "Contact. Engaging."

  The REAPER operators fanned out, trying to flank.

  Then Ma Chao arrived.

  He moved like lightning—fluid, impossibly fast. His spear was a blur.

  The first operator tried to aim.

  Too slow.

  Ma Chao closed the distance in two strides. The spear swept upward, knocking the gun aside, then reversed in a spinning arc.

  The blade cut clean.

  The operator dropped.

  The second one fired—three shots—all missing as Ma Chao twisted, impossibly agile.

  Ma Chao's spear flashed forward. Once.

  The operator's eyes went wide. He staggered. Fell.

  Silence.

  Ma Chao stood in the center of the atrium, spear held loosely at his side, barely breathing hard.

  Ming lowered his weapon. "Efficient."

  Ma Chao nodded. "Two down."

  The Mayor stumbled into the atrium, breathing hard, eyes wild.

  Ma Chao turned, leveling his spear. "Don't move."

  The Mayor raised his hands, but he wasn't looking at Ma Chao. He was speaking into an earpiece, voice cracking.

  "Please. Help me."

  Ma Chao frowned. "Who are you talking to?"

  Then a voice crackled through the Mayor's earpiece—smooth, amused, audible even from a distance.

  "Fine. You've earned it."

  Ma Chao's grip tightened on his spear. "Ming—"

  Ming was already moving, scanning the upper floors. "Where is he?"

  Ma Chao grabbed the Mayor by the collar, slamming him against a pillar. "You made a deal with REAPER."

  The Mayor just smiled. Blood on his teeth.

  "I was promised power."

  Ma Chao's voice was cold. "You got death instead."

  Ming's voice crackled through the earpiece. "Ethan. Status?"

  Ethan and the Princess reached a side corridor. Empty. Quiet.

  Ethan slowed, breathing hard. He turned to check behind them.

  Clear.

  For now.

  The Princess stared at him. "Who are you?"

  Ethan met her gaze. "Ethan. Ethan Walker. We're from Harvest. Your government requested protection."

  Her eyes narrowed. "I didn't ask for protection."

  "Doesn't mean you didn't need it." He glanced at her shoulder. Blood stained her sleeve. "You're hurt."

  "It's nothing."

  "Let me see."

  She hesitated. Then stepped closer.

  Ethan pulled out the small first-aid kit from his vest. His hands moved quickly—pressure pad, gauze, tape. Clean. Efficient.

  The Princess watched him. "You've done this before."

  "Recently learned." He secured the bandage. "You'll need proper stitches, but this'll hold."

  She didn't respond immediately.

  Then, quietly: "I still don't trust you."

  Ethan looked up. Their eyes met.

  "You don't have to."

  She studied his face. The focus. The care.

  Despite herself, she murmured, "You don't look like a bad person."

  Ethan almost smiled. "I'll take that."

  A voice crackled in his ear. Ming.

  "Ethan. Status?"

  "We're clear. For now. Princess is wounded but stable."

  "Good. Ma Chao secured the Mayor. But Merlin's still in the building. Stay alert. We're regrouping at your position."

  Ethan's stomach tightened. "Copy."

  He looked at the Princess. "Backup's coming. We're going to get you out of here."

  She nodded.

  And for the first time since the chaos started, some of the fear left her eyes.