The room went completely silent.
Rain still hit the windows.
The television still glowed.
But Camille heard nothing after that sentence.
SUBJECT C-17 REMAINS ACTIVE. RETRIEVAL AUTHORIZED.
Her chest tightened so suddenly it hurt.
Victor's voice exploded through the phone first.
"What the hell does retrieval authorized mean?"
Dante's expression had gone dangerously still.
Not shocked.
Worse.
Controlled.
That terrified Camille more than anger would have.
The reporter continued speaking rapidly on television while leaked files flashed across the screen behind her.
"the authenticity of these documents has not yet been officially confirmed"
Another image appeared.
Camille's medical profile.
Heart rate patterns.
Neurological scans.
Dates.
Observation reports.
Like she had never been a person at all.
Just data.
Just property.
Her stomach turned violently.
Dante muted the television instantly.
The silence afterward felt suffocating.
