Title: The Watchful Eye

POV: Agent Serah

The night was still, but it buzzed with unspoken tension. Serah stood in the shadows of the palace's grand hallway, her senses heightened, waiting for her next move. She was no stranger to the quiet hum of a mission like this—one that required subtlety, patience, and a keen eye. The stakes were high, and every decision mattered.

The mission was simple: keep an eye on Baron Elias. He was a figure of increasing importance, but also one with the potential to bring chaos if left unchecked. Serah had been assigned to this task by General Henry, a man whose reputation for precision and loyalty to Chris had earned her respect.

Her earpiece crackled to life, breaking the silence of the moment.

"Serah, initiate Protocol Wraith. Double the surveillance on Elias. I want full coverage. No lapses, no mistakes," Henry's voice was firm, commanding.

"Yes, General," Serah replied, her tone steady as ever.

She moved fluidly, instinctively blending into the shadows, her footsteps soundless against the polished floors. As an agent of the Blackwood Union, Serah had been trained for missions like this one. She could remain unnoticed for hours if need be, gathering intel, watching, listening. Tonight, the target was clear. Baron Elias.

Her eyes never strayed from the task at hand as she tapped into the secure network and pulled up Elias's profile. His room appeared on the screen, and she could see him, sitting silently before a holographic war map. He was a man of calculated moves, but what did he plan to do next?

Serah's heart beat steadily, but her mind raced. She had to anticipate his next steps. They needed more than just visual surveillance; they needed to know what was on his mind.

"Audio feed activated," came the technician's voice from the other end of the line.

The faint sound of Elias speaking filled her earpiece. His voice was soft, almost too quiet for comfort.

> "I will not die. Not here. Not like this."

Serah's brow furrowed. What was that about? A threat? A statement of resolve? She couldn't be sure, but one thing was certain: Elias wasn't just playing a game—he was preparing for something.

She flicked a switch on her comm unit, relaying her findings to Henry and the others. She wasn't going to make a move without full confirmation from the higher-ups. Everything had to be precise.

"Continue monitoring him. We need to know every detail," Serah instructed, her voice calm and focused.

Her agents in the field remained vigilant, eyes trained on every possible escape route, every potential danger. Their task was simple: never lose sight of the Baron, even if he tried to slip under their radar.

Serah kept her back pressed against the wall as she monitored the feeds, her eyes constantly scanning for anything out of place. The palace's cameras were now fully aligned with Elias's movements, following him step by step, every move recorded for analysis.

She had worked in the shadows for years, gathering intelligence, keeping the empire's enemies at bay. But this was different. There was something about Elias—his quiet, yet intense ambition—that unnerved her. What was his endgame?

Suddenly, the quiet hum of the palace was broken by an unexpected command from Henry.

"Alert the others—if he moves, we need to know immediately. But do not act unless I say so. If this gets out of hand, I want us prepared."

Serah's eyes narrowed. She respected Henry's careful approach, but she was also aware of the consequences if things escalated too quickly. A single wrong move could set off a chain of events they weren't ready to handle.

She nodded to herself and slipped deeper into the shadows. Her mission had become more than just surveillance now. It was a game of patience, of observation, and of waiting for the moment to strike.

Baron Elias had no idea how closely he was being watched. But Serah was certain of one thing: the Blackwood Union would not be caught off guard. Not tonight. Not ever.