JUST PLAY IT COOL

"We don't have time to sit around," Razor said, voice steady but firm.

His gaze swept over the group, lingering a second longer on Myst before shifting back to the scattered maps. "The government's searching harder than ever. Blue Rose might be their priority, but we're still on their list."

"They've increased patrols here and here." Cipher tapped the map with two fingers. "Military presence doubled at their southern research facility. That's not a coincidence."

Echo let out a low whistle. "Guessing that means they've got something important in there?"

"Or something dangerous," Shade muttered, scrolling through lines of intercepted data on his pad. "Picked up chatter about a high-value asset being moved. No details yet, but they're being careful."

Blaze leaned forward, arms crossed. "Then let's hit it before they do."

"We don't even know what it is," Nyx countered. His usual calm had an edge to it, like he knew this plan would lead to trouble. "It could be a trap."

"That's what we're going to find out," Razor said. "But we need to be smart about it." His eyes flickered toward Myst again. "And we need everyone at full strength."

A tense silence followed. They all knew who he was referring to.

Myst clenched her jaw but said nothing. The conversation pressed on, strategies forming, plans taking shape, voices layering over each other in a steady rhythm.

But in the back of her mind, one thought refused to leave her.

What exactly was the government hiding?

She pulled on her gloves, flexing her fingers to shake the stiffness from them. The room felt colder than usual, or maybe that was just her. Sleep-deprived, running on fumes, she could feel the weight of the leather jacket draped over her shoulders.

A ghost of something warm, something lost.

A hand suddenly appeared in her peripheral vision, holding out a thermos. She looked up, meeting Nyx's eyes. He gave her a small smile.

"I'm good, thanks," she muttered, shaking her head slightly.

"I didn't ask," Nyx said, his hand still in place. "Just take it. You know, I don't care if I get cramps here."

Myst rolled her eyes but took the thermos from him. The rich scent of freshly brewed coffee filled her nose as soon as she popped the lid open.

"Where did you get this?" she asked before taking a cautious sip.

Nyx shrugged. "Echo knows people. Traded some intel for it. Figured you'd need it more than any of us."

Echo smirked. "It wasn't just intel. It was quality work! I had to spin a whole narrative about how our friend Cipher here was a rogue government scientist who went off the grid to build an army of sentient drones."

Cipher didn't even look up from his pad. "You're an idiot."

"An idiot with connections," Echo shot back.

Myst raised a brow at Nyx. "Surprised you didn't keep it for yourself." There was no bite in her tone. She offered the thermos back to him, but Nyx merely pushed her hand away, his touch lingering for a second longer than necessary.

Nyx smirked, leaning slightly against the table near her. "And miss the chance to be your personal caffeine supplier? No way."

Blaze scoffed, arms crossed. "Nyx, if you're gonna flirt, at least try not to sound like a desperate barista."

Nyx shot him a flat look, shifting his weight as he lazily drummed his fingers against the table's edge. "It's called being considerate. Something you should try sometime."

Blaze smirked, tilting his chair back just enough to look relaxed. "Right. Because forcing her to take coffee is peak consideration."

Myst sighed, tightening her grip around the thermos before holding it up threateningly. "Do I need to throw this at one of you?"

Nyx barely blinked. "Preferably Blaze." He shot her an easy grin.

Blaze dropped his chair back onto all fours, cracking his knuckles. "Oh, that's cute. You think you could take me?"

Shade, still leaning against the far wall, observed in silence, his expression unreadable. Cipher sighed, rubbing his temple before finally glancing up. "As entertaining as this is, can we get back to the part where the government is trying to kill us?"

Echo leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms with an exaggerated yawn. "Ah, yes, back to the regularly scheduled doom and destruction." He shot a lazy grin at Razor. "You really know how to kill a moment, boss."

Razor ignored him, exhaling sharply as he crossed his arms. "We move at dawn. Be ready." His tone left no room for argument.

As the others shifted back into strategy mode, Nyx lingered just a second longer. His gaze flickered to Myst, and with a small, knowing smile, he murmured, "Let me know if you need anything."

Then, without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away, leaving her with the lingering scent of leather and something distinctly him.

Myst exhaled, gripping the thermos a little tighter. She took another sip of the coffee, feeling its warmth seep through her chest.

The exhaustion was still there, the weight of everything pressing down. But for the first time in a long while, it felt just a little more bearable.