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Chapter 17: From the Rooftop

The mission began at dawn.

The sky was iron-gray, clouds stitched across the light like old scars.

Rook sat alone on the rooftop, knees tucked to her chest, a commlink in her ear and a tablet glowing dimly in her lap.

She monitored six feeds.

Tracked two teams.

Intervened with eight reroutes.

And saved all of them.

Without being seen.

---

Below – The Chaos

Inside the warehouse, gunfire had echoed for nearly seven minutes.

Dirk had been nearly cornered.

Cain had missed a signal.

A rogue security trigger had nearly blown a corridor open with Raven inside.

Each time —

Rook’s voice crackled through the comm.

Calm. Focused. Surgical.

> “Duck. Now.”

“Cain — right side, third crate. It's not empty.”

“Raven, hold. The floor sensor is fake — there's pressure beneath it.”

Every time, they listened.

Every time, they lived.

---

Mission End

By 07:43, it was over.

Targets captured.

Files secured.

No casualties.

Cain and Oren were the first to reach the rooftop.

They found Rook exactly where they expected her.

Sitting cross-legged by the satellite case, her coat too big, her eyes dull.

The wind tugged gently at her hair, but she didn’t look up.

Cain stepped forward, panting.

> “We made it,” he said.

“Thanks to you.”

Oren nodded, breathing heavy.

> “You were brilliant, Rook. Seriously.”

She stood slowly.

Stared at them both.

Then said flatly:

> “Don’t fake it.”

Cain blinked.

> “What?”

> “Don’t lie,” she said.

“You’re not grateful. You’re scared.”

Oren frowned.

> “Rook—”

> “You think I don’t notice?” she snapped, voice quiet but cutting.

“You didn’t take me because you’re scared.

You smiled and called me ‘brilliant’ —

but when it came time to trust me beside you, you left me behind.”

Oren took a slow breath.

> “That’s not true.”

> “Don’t,” she whispered.

“I see through lies.”

Her golden eyes locked onto his — unblinking.

> “If you weren’t scared… you would’ve taken me with you.”

---

Cain stepped forward, steady.

> “We didn’t leave you because we feared you.

We left you because we were afraid of what might happen to you.

You matter.

Even if you don’t believe it.”

She looked at him.

For a moment, just looked.

Then said:

> “I matter when I’m useful.”

> “No,” Cain said.

“You matter even when you’re not.”

---

She turned away.

Didn’t respond.

But her shoulders tightened.

Just enough for them to see she was trying — and failing — to breathe normally.

---

Oren watched her.

For the first time… unsure what to say.

So he said the only thing he could:

> “Next time, you’re coming with us.”

Rook didn’t nod.

But she didn’t say no either.

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End of Chapter 17