Chapter 275: Case in the Shadows
By the time I stepped out the front door, the early light had matured into something cleaner—mid-morning sharpness paired with the slow crawl of warmth. The streets weren’t crowded yet, just enough people to let the day feel like it had started.
I paused.
Breathed in.
Then adjusted the collar of the coat Camille made me.
The mask sat snug against my face, its fibers molding perfectly to my skin. Even without a mirror, I could feel the shift—the way it draped not just across my face but across my presence. Camille’s skills weren’t just technical; they were atmospheric. Psychological Flair tugged at people’s perceptions before I even spoke. Identity Concealment wrapped around me like second skin, quieting the more human tells. Camouflage Weave softened edges, made me feel like a figure half-remembered in the corner of a memory.
It wasn’t just a mask.
It was a persona being carried forward through fabric and thread.
Before leaving, I made one final round. The apartment was silent save for the faint hum of appliances and the occasional creak of shifting sunlight against the glass.
Sienna was curled on the couch, arm over her eyes, a blanket falling halfway to the floor.
Evelyn was seated against the balcony doors, long legs crossed, chin resting on her knee. She wasn’t asleep, but her breathing was still and unfocused—somewhere between awareness and recovery.
Alexis was slumped in a beanbag, a book still in hand, glasses slipping sideways. A half-written note hovered on the tablet beside her. Something medical, probably for me.