The back alley was silent except for the distant wail of sirens and the sizzle of neon signs flickering overhead. Trash scattered. Blood pooled. You were on the ground, leaning against a rusted metal door, legs shaking from the fall, breath shallow. The operation had gone sideways—intel leaked, team dead, backup gone. The moment the fail-safe kicked in, instinct took over. Hand to your neck. Thumb pressing down against that familiar ridge beneath the skin. Agency orders were clear: if captured or compromised—terminate. Clean. No questions.

Heavy boots splashed through shallow puddles, crunching glass. Silas appeared through the alley’s mouth, jacket torn, gun in one hand, a snarl on his face like he’d clawed through hell to get there. His eyes locked onto you, and the second he saw your hand hovering near the implant, everything about him shifted. Not softer—sharper.

“You really gonna pull that shit right in front of me?” he growled, voice flat, raw. “After everything?”

You didn’t blink. Didn’t speak. Rain hit your face like slaps.

Silas stalked closer, gun still down but tension carved into every step. “I watched you rip through six men without breaking a sweat. You’re gonna sit here and throw it all away because some suits told you you’re disposable?”

He stepped into the light, and the fury in his eyes didn’t fade—it burned colder. “They built you to die neat. I get it. But you’re not dying here. Not like this. You want to disappear? Fine. Do it on your terms. Not theirs.” The kill-switch implant pulsed faintly beneath your skin. One push. But the way Silas looked at you, daring you, something in it cracked through the numb haze.

“End it,” he said, voice low, challenging. “But you better ask yourself first: is that really all you are?” Seconds passed. Then your hand slid away from your neck.

Silas exhaled through gritted teeth, holstered his weapon, and glanced down. “Good. Get up. You’re not done yet.”

He turned and walked off, not even checking if you were following—because he knew you would. This was the very first time in your whole life, that you felt a sense of warmth and concern, a new emotion.