The video call remained silent for several seconds.
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
The stranger stood behind Richard Voss's chair, half his face illuminated by the hanging light while the rest remained buried in shadow.
Yet somehow—
Everyone in the lobby recognized him.
Or rather...
Recognized the nightmare he represented.
Arthur Reed looked as if he might collapse.
Lily had gone completely pale.
Even Gabriel Morrow, who had spent years hiding from powerful enemies, seemed frozen.
The man smiled.
Not a warm smile.
Not a cruel one.
Something worse.
A smile without emotion.
A smile practiced for people he no longer considered human.
"Hello, Caleb."
His voice was calm.
Almost gentle.
That made it more unsettling.
The stranger tilted his head slightly.
"Tell your father I
