An hour later, we touched down at the estate.
The helicopter’s blades slowed and the silence that followed felt almost deafening. In front, I noticed a group had gathered at the landing pad, their sharp posture and watchful eyes making the moment feel staged, like a scene I’d stumbled into.
Jake, as the pilot had introduced himself through the intercom, was the first to hop out, moving with a crispness that suggested he was used to command. Without a word, he gave a sharp salute, clear and confident as he called out, “Alphas. Everything is ready. The corridor is clear.”
Again, the word ‘Alphas’ caught in my mind.
It wasn’t the kind of title I’d expect outside a motivational seminar or perhaps a military briefing, where ranks and roles were drilled into everyone’s heads. Rapha had used
