Chapter 267: Terms of Absence
The room hadn’t moved, but the weight inside it had shifted. Like the air had buckled under the shape of a new presence. The man in white stood perfectly still in the open elevator, as if waiting not just for an answer, but for the gravity of the room to decide.
Charlie blinked up at him from the couch. "What’s the United Nations of the World?"
"A long story," I murmured. Then louder, to the others: "Stay here. Watch over him."
Camille’s hand tightened slightly in mine before she let go. "You sure?"
"They’re not here for a fight," I said, but it was more of a reassurance than an observation. Still, Sienna stepped forward, standing subtly between the man and the rest of the group. Alexis watched him like he was an experiment walking on its own legs. Evelyn didn’t move, but her posture sharpened.
"Charlie’s priority," I added. "No matter what."
"We’ve got him," Sienna said.
The elevator doors remained open. I stepped inside. The man in white didn’t so much as flinch. He merely pressed the lobby button, and the doors slid shut behind us.
The ride down was silent except for the soft hum of the lift. I kept my hands loose at my sides, not out of ease but control. The man beside me never looked over, just read something on his tablet as if updating the minutes of a meeting that hadn’t happened yet.
Outside, the lobby had been cleared. Or maybe it had never been populated. The few security staff by the entrance stood at ease, not alarmed. That felt intentional.
We exited into the open air. The city buzzed like it always did, but the noise seemed distant. Stretched. Like something had cut out the middle.