Chapter 12 - The Counter-Strike
The rain stopped by morning, leaving the pine forest shrouded in a thick, mystical fog.
Inside the safehouse, the atmosphere was all business.
Adrien stood before a large digital screen displaying tactical maps of the city and Rossetti’s primary warehouses.
Maya stood beside him, holding a mug of black coffee.
“Rossetti thinks we are hiding in the mountains licking our wounds,” Adrien said, tapping the screen.
“He thinks wrong,” Maya added, pointing to a secondary shipping port on the map.
“If Marcus was leaking information, he was using this port to smuggle Rossetti’s weapons into our territory.”
Adrien looked at her in amazement.
“You memorized the ledger from last night?”
“I was locked in a subterranean vault with nothing else to read, Adrien,” Maya replied dryly.
“Besides, math is easier to remember when people are trying to shoot you.”
Adrien smirked.
“We hit them tonight.”
“We?” Maya raised an eyebrow.
“I thought I was promoted to permanent bodyguard/auditor.”
“You stay here,” Adrien said firmly, his voice dropping into protective boss mode.
“It’s too dangerous.”
“I shot an armed assassin yesterday,” Maya crossed her arms, glaring at him.
“I am not sitting in a cabin knitting while you wage war.”
Adrien stepped closer, towering over her.
“Maya, if I lose you—”
He stopped himself.
The words hung heavily in the air between them.
Maya’s heart skipped a beat.
She looked up into his dark, intense eyes.
“You won’t lose me,” Maya whispered, softening her tone.
“Because we’re going together.”
Adrien stared at her for a long moment, realizing arguing with her was completely useless.
He let out a defeated sigh.
“Fine,” Adrien muttered.
May you like
“But you stay within arm’s reach of me at all times.”
“Deal.”
