Camille's entire body went rigid.
The man standing beneath the flickering subway light looked exactly like Victor.
Same dark hair.
Same sharp jawline.
Same calm stare.
Even the slight tilt of his head felt familiar enough to make her stomach twist violently.
But something was wrong.
Terribly wrong.
Because Victor was still breathing unevenly through the phone in Dante's hand.
And the man in front of them was smiling.
Slowly.
Coldly.
Victor's horrified voice cracked through the speaker.
"That's not me."
Dante stepped in front of Camille instantly.
Gun raised.
Every muscle in his body looked tight enough to snap.
The stranger's smile widened slightly.
"Interesting," he murmured. "The protective instinct is stronger than projected."
Camille frowned immediately.
Projected.
Another one of those words.
Another reminder that these people talked about human beings like data.
Adrian's face had gone pale.
"No…"
The stranger's eyes shifted toward him calmly.
