Ares

The calm after Sparrow’s capture was fragile, almost deceptive. Sterling Tower hummed with the quiet vigilance of a fortress, but every instinct in me screamed that this was only the beginning. Sparrow had been a warning, a test. Her capture didn’t neutralize her—it only delayed her next move.

I reviewed the surveillance feeds, cross-checking every access point, every unusual activity. Every employee, every contractor—even those we’d trusted for decades—were now potential ...