"Tell me what happened today," the voice on the other end said.
Dante's mind raced. Had they already heard about the extraction attempt? How fast was their intelligence network?
"The extraction operation in New York was executed this morning," Dante said carefully. "It was designed to test Dimitri's security infrastructure. To probe for vulnerabilities."
"It was reckless," the voice said flatly. "It was exactly the kind of move that draws attention we don't need right now."
Dante felt something defensive rise in his chest.
"It was strategic," Dante countered. "We established that we can reach his woman. We proved that his defenses are vulnerable. We demonstrated that I'm a threat he needs to take seriously now that I have your backing."
