The Pacific sun was setting over the island facility, casting long shadows across the command center where Rook stood with Gregor. The old man had been watching him for hours, his eyes sharp and assessing, the weight of decades pressing down on him like something that had finally found its place.
"You've done well," Gregor said, his voice carrying a note of something like approval. "You've built something that will outlast you. Something that will make a difference."
Rook was quiet for a moment, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "I didn't do it alone."
Gregor nodded slowly. "No one ever does. But you were the catalyst. You were the one who brought everyone together, who gave them something to believe in."
Rook turned to face him, and for a moment, the mask slipped—just enough for the old
