(Liam Romano's POV)
The order to leave in an hour sat over us like a blade — every minute a narrow strip of time that had to be cleared with care. The post-intimacy haze that had softened me overnight peeled away; my mind snapped back into its native language: control and contingency.
“Hailey, finish packing the essentials for forty-eight hours,” I said, my voice regaining the strategic coldness the previous night had melted away. I turned to Costa, who stood in the doorway waiting for instructions. “Seal off the B2 level garage. Decontamination team, now. Neri, you’re coming with us.”
The glance between Neri and Hailey was quick but unmistakable — urgency folded into an unspoken agreement, the video feed having made everything official. I gave myself a small, private nod. Good.
The de
