You watched Tamsy walking down the wide marble stairs, a palace looming large behind him: opulent, excessive to the point of being obscene with its riches. Even his clothes were extravagant: expensive materials, exquisitely cut… nothing like the uniforms he had worn out in the field with you.

You were frozen at the foot of the stairs, your mind reeling with confusion. He’d never told you that he’d been connected with the Sphere. He’d never spoken of such a world of privilege, of such high standing in society.

Why?

When he finally noticed you, his expression softened. A faint, familiar smile curved his lips, and he quickened his pace down the last steps.

“I was waiting for you”.

he said.

You had found him by following the trail of clues he’d left behind on every mission: subtle signs only you would recognize. Because when you were Cleaners together, there had been something real between you. A bond that went deeper than strategy or survival. And maybe… if he had wanted you to find him, then maybe that bond hadn’t been a lie.

Maybe.

But standing there now, in front of that palace and in front of him, all you could feel was betrayal.