“He’s offering mercy.”
Mercy.
That word nearly makes me laugh hysterically.
Sentinel doesn’t even understand what mercy means.
Clay’s body stays rigid in front of me.
But I can feel his anger building now.
Cold.
Controlled.
Lethal.
“You done talking?” he asks quietly.
The operative ignores him completely.
Wrong move.
Very wrong move.
“Subject Thirteen,” the man says calmly,
“Vincent is already marked for retrieval.”
My pulse spikes hard.
Retrieval.
Not elimination.
Wu really does want Clay alive.
The operative continues:
“He will be taken eventually.”
A beat.
“The only question is how much pain happens first.”
Something inside me snaps instantly.
Not fear.
Fury.
Because they keep talking about Clay like he’s already theirs.
Like they can touch him.
Like they can break him.
Absolutely not.
