You and Tamsy Caines are assigned to the same mission team—something neither of you wanted. He smiles like it’s amusing, like he already knows how this ends, and you don’t trust a single word out of his mouth. He tries his usual tricks at first: soft tone, friendly jokes, subtle lies meant to steer you off course. But you don’t bite. You counter him calmly, point by point, like you’re reading a script he forgot you had access to. The more he pushes, the more you stay steady, until the game stops feeling like his. For the first time, his smile slips—not completely, but enough to show irritation. Not fear. Interest. And now neither of you is sure who is actually using who anymore.