The war room was packed. Every operative who wasn't on active duty had crowded in to hear David Chen speak - the legendary Sixth Host, returned after seventeen years, carrying secrets that had been buried since before most of them were born.
David stood at the center of the room, still thin, still recovering, but with a quiet authority that commanded absolute silence. Shen Wei was beside him - the mentor and the student, reunited after nearly two decades. Elena stood near Leo, her newly permanent Veil Sight tracking the auras of everyone in the room. Kiera was at the back, her expression unreadable.
"The Convergence," David began, "was never the Circle's true goal."
The room stirred.
"Alistair Thorne and the Circle's inner leadership have been planning for forty years. They've been ext
