The headquarters was unusually quiet.
Slade sat at the central table, his hands flat on the surface, staring at the empty space before him. The weight of his decision pressed down on his shoulders like a physical burden. Rebuild the labyrinth. The words tasted like ash in his mouth.
The team was gathered around him—Kane, Sloane, Ember, Lyric, Dante, and the woman who had been calling herself Raven. Their faces were a mix of shock, confusion, and barely contained anger.
"You can't be serious," Kane said, breaking the silence. His voice was low, controlled, but Slade could hear the edge beneath it. "After everything we've fought for. Everything we've destroyed. You want to rebuild it?"
"I want to build something new," Slade said. "Something that can protect the innocent without controlli
