The room was heavy with tension, the only sound the low hum of the air conditioning. Everyone sat around the table, exchanging glances, the weight of the mission pressing down on us. This wasn't just another assignment—it was the turning point.
I exhaled slowly. "We need to finalize the game plan." My voice was steady, but the pressure was mounting.
Captain Ingrid Weiss stood near the window, arms crossed over her broad chest, her piercing blue eyes scanning the cityscape outside before turning toward me. Built like a tank, she was pure muscle—formidable, unshaken. She carried herself like a force of nature, every movement precise and deliberate. "I'll be taking point with my team. You back us up in any way possible," she said, her voice cool, commanding. "I don't think you fully understand the responsibility on your shoulders, Ron."
I felt irritation spike through me. "I do, Ingrid. I might be from the Academy, but I've spent ten of my twenty years alive training for moments like this. I'm leading this mission. I know my team, and this is still our operation. You're backup—act like it."
Her eyes narrowed. "That's true, but that doesn't mean you're the best person for the job." Her words were measured, but I could feel her dissecting me, weighing my ability against the mission's stakes. "This isn't just about knowing your team. It's about leading both teams through what's ahead and making sure everyone leaves alive. This isn't a routine operation."
"You think I don't know that?" My jaw tightened. "I don't have time for a power struggle. We need efficiency. We can't afford missteps."
A sigh cut through the tension.
"Alright, alright, Havoc, Ingrid. Can we focus here?" Kieran spoke up, leaning lazily against the wall. His dark eyes were half-lidded, his entire posture relaxed, but I knew better. He was always watching, always calculating. His easygoing nature didn't mean he wasn't dangerous—if anything, it made him even more so. "Look, Ingrid's got a point. But Ron, you need to think about the bigger picture. This isn't just about getting the job done—this is gonna make headlines. Don't turn it into bad news for the clan."
I clenched my jaw, but I couldn't argue. Kieran was right. The media would latch onto whatever happened here. If we botched this, it wouldn't just be our reputations on the line—it would be the entire Obsidian Clan's.
"He's right," Zach finally spoke, his voice low but firm. He was the quiet one, but when he did talk, people listened. His dark eyes were sharp, his body coiled with the readiness of someone always on edge. "We don't need unnecessary drama. We need results."
Amir let out a dry chuckle. "Yeah, let's not turn this into a pissing contest."
I exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over my face. "Fine." My eyes met Ingrid's. "But I'm still in charge."
She held my gaze, her expression unreadable, then gave a curt nod. "Understood. But don't think I won't be watching."
The room settled into silence for a moment, everyone processing the unspoken truce. Ingrid might not fully trust me to lead, but I had my team behind me, and that was enough.
"Alright," I said, shifting the conversation back to the mission. "We move in with backup from the Obsidian Clan. No mistakes."
Behind Ingrid stood her operatives, all clad in sleek black tactical suits, their movements crisp and disciplined. Among them were two agents I hadn't met before—Dmitri and Lena.
Dmitri was a wall of a man, tall and broad, his muscles stretching against his suit like armor. His tanned skin was marred by a jagged scar along his temple, a reminder of a mission gone wrong. His presence was heavy, an unshakable force, but his dark eyes were steady—calculating. This wasn't a man who panicked.
Lena, by contrast, was sleek and silent, a whisper of danger wrapped in a deceptively calm demeanor. Platinum blonde hair pulled into a tight braid, sharp green eyes that never stopped moving—she was the kind of person you never noticed until it was too late. Her lean frame suggested speed over brute force, but I had no doubt she was just as deadly as any of us.
I nodded to them before addressing the entire room.
"We move out now," I said. "Everyone knows their roles. We stick together—no exceptions."
The air shifted, the room thick with the unspoken weight of what was coming. No one doubted what we were about to walk into, but we were ready.
I inhaled deeply, steadying myself. "Let's get this done."