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“We’ve completed a preliminary investigation,” the agent began without preamble. “We see no evidence of anyone having discovered who you really are.”
Relief flooded through me for a moment before his next words registered.
“We believe this may be an attempt to rattle you,” he continued. “Your actions against West Corp have made you some powerful enemies.”
Hayze’s hand rested lightly on my back—a silent pillar of support as I processed what I was hearing.
“The question is,” the agent pressed on, “do you want another relocation? A new name?”
I paused, evaluating the significance of starting over once more and weighing it against the life I had created here—the mission Hayze and I shared.
“No,” I finally answered. “Not yet.”
“If you change your mind?—”
“I know how to reach you.” My voice was firmer now; there was resolve in my words.
“Stay safe, Arlet.”
The call ended and silence settled around us once more—it was different because it was a choice.
I looked up at Hayze and saw determination mirrored in his expression. We were standing on a precipice together—not just in danger, but of opportunity as well.
“I’m not running,” I told him firmly. “Not this time.”
I turned the burner phone over in my hands, the reality of my decision sinking in. No more safety net, no more looking back. I caught Hayze’s eye, and without a word, he took the phone from me. His fingers worked deftly to remove the battery, and for a moment, we both stared at the now harmless pieces of technology.
“We need to make sure it’s untraceable,” I said, and he nodded in agreement.
We found a secluded burn pit near to where we were. It was an old thing, probably used by campers or locals wanting to keep warm during chilly nights. We tossed the pieces into the pit, and Hayze struck a match. The flame caught quickly, devouring the phone in a dance of orange and blue.
We watched as it turned to ash—a symbolic release of my old life. I imagined each spark that rose into the twilight sky was a fragment of Charlotte Bruno, floating away until nothing remained but Arlet Rune.
When the fire died down to embers, we covered them with dirt, ensuring every ember extinguished. Standing there in the quiet aftermath, I realized this was my rebirth by fire—a phoenix rising scenario without the luxury of mythical wings.
On our way back to my cabin, we stopped at a convenience store. The battery went into an outdoor garbage can alongside discarded coffee cups and fast-food wrappers—a nondescript end for what once was a lifeline.
The store clerk gave us a nod as we entered. We picked up some supplies—water, some snacks for later. Hayze hovered close but gave me space to interact with the clerk as I made small talk and paid for our items. It was mundane—an everyday interaction that belied the turmoil that had brought us here.
Back in the car, Hayze started the engine while I sat there for a moment longer than necessary, gathering myself for whatever lay ahead.
“We should go over our plan again,” Hayze suggested as we pulled onto the road leading home.
“Agreed,” I replied. “We’ve got evidence to go through tonight.”
The drive back was quiet, but not uncomfortable. There was an understanding between us that words weren’t always necessary. We were two beings caught up in something much larger than ourselves—a human and a Talos bound by shared goals and silent oaths of protection.
As we neared my cabin, the lights from within cast a warm glow against the darkening sky. It looked inviting—safe—and for a moment I allowed myself to believe it could be true.
We entered the silence, our footsteps muffled by the wooden floors. The cabin was different now—less like a hideout and more like a command center from which we’d stage our next moves.
Hayze began setting up his equipment on one side of the room while I laid out maps and documents on the other. We worked independently, but were always within sight of each other—a physical representation of our partnership.
“We’ll need to cross-reference these water samples with the dumping sites,” I said as I spread out vials filled with murky liquid.
Hayze nodded as he booted up his laptop. “I’ll start plotting coordinates based on your notes.”
We fell into a peaceful rhythm—him with his tech and me with my papers—each piece coming together to form a clearer picture of what we were up against.
