Chapter 173: All Hands On Deck.

『"The good news? We’re sending everyone. The bad news? We’re sending everyone."』

They moved quickly through the corridors, joining the flow of personnel converging on Briefing Room 3.

The crowd was larger than usual. Active combat operatives mingled with support staff, analysts, and medics. Whatever this was, it was big.

The briefing room was standing room only by the time they arrived. The Five clustered near the left wall.

Hiro yawned like he’d barely slept. Raj, on the other hand, looked far too alert and focused. Ethan still kept his distance, and every second of it made Amara want to scream.

Director Hale stood at the front of the room. Beside him were Meredith, Maya, Dante, Yelena, and Ishigami. If even Dante had been called in, deployment was imminent.

"Listen up," the Director said, and the room fell silent. "Thirty minutes ago, the Oraculum branch confirmed suspicious activity around one of their high-priority Anchor transports."

A holographic map sprang to life behind him. Two blue markers moved along a mountain road before a flashing red point appeared directly in their path.

"The convoy was relocating two Anchors to a more secure facility. James Rodriguez and Jerry Lowenthal. Both were already on our list of likely Apostle targets."

"They actually went ahead and did it..." Hiro muttered.

A quiet murmur spread through the room before dying just as quickly.

"Seven minutes ago," Hale continued, "the convoy was attacked."

"And?" Ethan asked.

Hale looked directly at him. "Standard defensive measures were in place. But all communications went dark. We can only assume the worst."

The room went still.

"So we don’t know if they’re dead..." Sophia said.

"...Or captured," Amara finished.

Silence settled over the room for a moment. Then the Director spoke again. "Our response window is narrow. We know the Apostles are still on site, so this is all hands on deck."

Director Hale gestured toward the holographic display. The convoy map dissolved, replaced by two files.

"This is what the Caelum and Oraculum branches could give us. We believe these are the Apostles currently on site."

The two personnel files materialized beside one another.

THE MARTYR

Rank: Unknown

Spirit Weapon: Living Tattoo

Ability: Adaptive Resurrection

Status: Confirmed Apostle

THE PAINTER

Rank: Unknown

Spirit Weapon: Reality Brush

Ability: Unknown [Most likely alterations to reality via Spirit Weapon]

Status: Confirmed Apostle

A low murmur swept through the briefing room.

"If they’re anything like the rest we’ve seen, then they’re definitely World Forgers," Hiro said quietly.

"Two of them?" Sophia added.

"Exactly," Hale said. "Which is why we’ll be hitting them with every man we can spare."

The holographic display shifted, dividing the room into several highlighted zones.

"Dante, you’ll lead a team dedicated to extraction. Your priority is finding any survivors and securing the Anchors if they’re still alive."

Dante nodded.

"Maya, Yelena, Team Five, Ishigami. You’re on the Apostles."

Ethan folded his arms. "How exactly are we supposed to stop two World Forgers?"

Hale looked at him. "Your job isn’t to defeat them," he said. "It’s to keep them occupied long enough for Dante’s team to complete the extraction."

Hale’s gaze settled on Ishigami. "You all will be fine."

Ishigami caught the Director’s look and sighed. "That’s not exactly reassuring, Director."

Amara’s gaze moved between the Director and Ishigami. Something about their exchange made her feel like she was missing something, but she didn’t dwell on it for long.

Hale turned to Meredith. "Meredith, you’ll take the contained Fear Sphere back to the lab. Have them run a full diagnostic and figure out exactly how it works."

Meredith raised an eyebrow. "You don’t need me on the field?"

"We need all the help we can get," Hale said.

"Then shouldn’t I be out there?"

Hale shook his head. "You’re one of their targets. Sending you into the field while we know the Apostles are operating there would be unwise."

Meredith sighed but didn’t argue.

"And there’s another reason," Hale continued. "We need to know how that Fear Sphere was able to negate all forms of tracking. It could become a valuable asset for us in the future."

Meredith glanced toward the holographic display, then nodded. "Understood."

"Good. Gear up. Transport leaves in ten minutes," Hale concluded.

The briefing dissolved into organized chaos as personnel scattered to their assignments. The Five moved as a unit toward the armory, and Ethan fell into step beside Amara.

"This is a bad idea," he said quietly.

"Which part?" Amara asked. "Deploying against World Forgers, or bringing Raj on a mission when he might be cursed?"

"Both." Ethan’s jaw was tight. "But especially the second one. If something happens out there..."

"Then we handle it," Amara interrupted. "Together. Like we always do."

"You’re putting a lot of faith in ’together’ when you made the decision to risk Raj’s life alone."

He was finally talking to her, but the words stung. Amara lowered her head, her expression tightening.

Ethan immediately regretted it. "I didn’t mean it like that."

"But you did." She took a slow breath, trying to steady herself.

"I know I can be naive sometimes, Ethan. I know I don’t always get everything right." Her voice softened. "You don’t think I’m beating myself up over this already?"

Ethan’s expression shifted. "Amara..."

"And you not talking to me doesn’t exactly help."

He fell silent, and she finally looked at him. "You’ve barely said a word to me for half the day. Do you have any idea what that feels like?"

Ethan opened his mouth, but no words came.

Amara looked away. "I know you think I made the wrong choice. Maybe I did. But I don’t need you reminding me every time you look at me."

"That’s not what I’m trying to—"

"Guys!" Hiro’s voice cut through the conversation from several meters away, causing both of them to turn.

Hiro stood beside the armory doors, one hand raised. "Unless you two are planning on having your emotional breakthrough right here, we kind of have ten minutes before we’re supposed to leave."

Amara stared at him for a moment. Then she sighed. "Right." She walked past Ethan without another word and headed toward the armory.

Ethan watched her go. For a moment, he looked like he wanted to close the distance. Instead, he lowered his head and let a few paces sit between them as he followed.

They all continued toward the armory, and behind them, Raj walked with Sophia, unaware that he was the reason for the tension crackling between their leaders like an electrical current.

Or maybe he was aware. Maybe he felt the weight of what his lie had cost them and was just trying not to think about it too hard.