Derick's POV
The call from "Bureau" burned in my pocket like a live grenade. I stepped away from Helen, feeling her eyes boring into my back as I moved down the sterile hospital corridor. My heart pounded harder than it should for a man trained to stay calm under pressure.
"Volkov," I answered quietly, pressing the phone tighter to my ear.
Arthur's voice came through, clipped and irritated. "We need an update. Now. The director is breathing down my neck about the Vance situation. Have you compromised the operation?"
I glanced back toward the waiting area where Helen stood. She was watching me, suspicion clear in her sharp gaze. "I'm handling it."
"Handling it?" Arthur let out a harsh breath.
"You're in too deep, Matteo. The old woman's death, the cover-up, your relationship with the target — it's all getting messy. Pull back before you lose everything."
"I can't," I said, my voice low. "Not yet."
