And how fast had this spread?
Rook reached inside hisjacket slowly.
Every Ranger in the room tensed instantly again.
He pulled out a waterproof folder.
Then tossed it onto the kitchen table.
It landed with a heavy slap.
“Mercer,” he said quietly.
Ava’s face drained instantly.
Oh no.
Rook looked toward all of us.
Then delivered the sentence that changed everything:
“You’re not dealing with a corrupt senator anymore.”
Silence.
Thunder shook the house hard enough to rattle the windows.
And Rook’s steel-gray eyes settled on Hersh.
“You’re dealing with Shadow Division.”
44
BLAZE
Shadow Division.
The words settled over the farmhouse like another storm entirely.
Flick stood beside me, frozen, while rain hammered the roof overhead.
Wolf folded his arms slowly.
“I’ve heard rumors.”
Trigger looked offended.
“Why do I never hear the cool rumors?”
“Because you’d immediately tell everyone.”
“Fair.”
Rook ignored both of them.
His attention stayed fixed on the folder sitting on the kitchen table.
Water dripped steadily from his black jacket while lightning flashed through the windows behind him.
