They came at 7:10 AM.

  Three vehicles. Twelve personnel. Black tactical gear.

  Cars moved in silently through the pre-dawn streets. Parked just outside the Meridian Hotel.

  Milo's tablet blinked. Alert notification.

  He sat up. "They're there."

  Jason rolled over in the other bed. "How many?"

  "Twelve." Milo's fingers flew across the screen.

  Jason sat up. Reached for his clothes. "Lina?"

  "Sending alert now." Milo kept watching the feed. "They're getting into the lobby."

  Jason pulled on his shirt. Jeans. His hands steady.

  "Time to move," RAE said quietly.

  "How long?" Jason asked.

  Milo checked the feed. "10 minutes. Maybe less."

  Team Leader Reeves stepped into the hotel lobby. Showed credentials to the night clerk. Professional. Polite.

  "Good morning. I need access to rooms 314, 316, and 318." He laid an official HOA warrant on the counter. Stamped. Signed. "This authorizes immediate entry. Keys, please."

  The clerk's hands shook as he typed. "Sir, I—"

  "I understand. But this is time-sensitive." Reeves kept his voice level. "The keys, please. We'll handle it from here."

  The clerk fumbled with the keyboard. Pulled three keycards from the drawer.

  "Thank you." Reeves took them. "Stay at your desk. We'll be done shortly."

  His team moved toward the stairwell. Silent. Professional. No weapons visible—yet.

  Reeves knew how this looked. Knew what the clerk was thinking.

  But orders were orders. And Fischer needed to be contained before he became a bigger problem.

  Jason laced his shoes. "Lina?"

  "On her way." Milo shoved equipment into his bag. Tablet. Chargers. Documents.

  A knock at the door.

  Jason opened it. Lina stood there, already dressed. Hair damp.

  "How close?" she asked.

  "Entering the stairwell. Milo, hurry up," Jason said, not looking up from the tablet.

  Third floor. Reeves's team reached the corridor. No sound. No movement.

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  He positioned units at each door. 314. 316. 318.

  Raised his hand. Three fingers. Two. One.

  Keycards slid into locks. Green lights.

  Doors opened.

  Reeves swept into 314. Weapon ready. Two agents flanking. Scanners sweeping for resonance signatures.

  Nothing.

  The room was pristine. Bed made. Bathroom spotless. Like no one had ever been here.

  He lowered his weapon. Felt his jaw tighten.

  Gone.

  "Should we go?" Lina asked.

  "Yeah," Jason said. "Elyra's waiting."

  Milo grabbed his tablet. "Want to see how this plays out."

  They left the room. Jason locked the door behind them. Not rushing. Just walking.

  Down the hall. To the elevator.

  The hotel was waking up. Business travelers. Morning shift workers. Anonymous faces.

  Perfect.

  "316?" Reeves said into his radio.

  "Empty, sir."

  "318?"

  "Also empty. No signs of occupation."

  Jason leaned over Milo's shoulder. he watched the feed, while they were walking.

  Reeves stood in an empty room.

  "He's pissed," Milo said quietly.

  "Good," Jason replied.

  Lina came closer. Watched Reeves search. Methodical. Looking for anything they might have left.

  Finding nothing.

  "How long ago did we leave?" she asked.

  "Eighteen hours," Milo said. "Yesterday afternoon. They're a day late."

  Frustration gnawed at Reeves.

  Twelve personnel. Three vehicles. Element of surprise.

  All wasted on empty beds.

  "Sir." His second pointed to the table.

  A piece of paper. Folded. Left in plain sight.

  Reeves picked it up. Read:

  We don't want conflict. We don't want to destabilize anything.

  We just want to exist. To learn.

  We're willing to negotiate terms.

  But we won't submit to containment.

  He stared at the note. At the careful handwriting.

  He pulled out his phone. Called Malvek.

  "They're gone," Reeves said.

  "Unfortunate," Malvek said. His voice cold.

  "They left a message. Says they want to negotiate."

  Silence. Then: "Do you still have Fischer's number?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "Text him. Set up a meeting. Public space. Tomorrow. Noon. Let's see if they're serious."

  The breakfast area was cheap. Anonymous. Crowded with morning workers.

  Elyra sat in a corner booth. Four cups of coffee already on the table. She didn't look up when they arrived. Just gestured to the empty seats.

  Jason slid in. Lina beside him. Milo took the end, propping his tablet against the salt shaker.

  "They hit Meridian at 7:10," Jason said.

  "Found empty rooms," Milo confirmed. Turned his tablet so they could all see. The feed showed Reeves and his team still at the hotel. Searching. Finding nothing.

  "Good," Elyra said. "That's a message sent. We knew they were coming. We weren't there. That's all Malvek needs to know."

  Lina let out a breath she'd been holding. "We actually did it."

  "Yeah," Milo said. "We did."

  Jason looked at his hands. They'd been steady in the moment. But now? Now they were shaking.

  "You okay?" Lina asked.

  "Fine. Just... processing."

  Elyra sipped her coffee. "That's adrenaline. Give it a few minutes."

  Jason's phone buzzed.

  "Reeves," Milo said immediately. "He just texted."

  Unknown number. Let's talk. Amphitheater Park. Tomorrow. Noon.

  Jason showed it to the others.

  "Will he honor that?" Lina asked.

  "I am not sure," Elyra said. "He'll have hidden backup. Just like we will." She sipped her coffee. "But the fact that he's asking means Malvek wants to negotiate or at least explore the option."

  "Should I respond?" Jason asked.

  "Yes. But keep it simple."

  Jason typed: Agreed. Noon. No Tricks. Just talk.

  The response came within seconds: Just talk.

  On Milo's tablet, Reeves was leaving the hotel. His team loading into vehicles. Driving away.

  "What if he brings more people?" Milo asked. "More weapons?"

  "Then we adapt," Elyra said. "But my guess? He'll come light. Test the waters. See if you're serious about negotiating."

  "And if we can't find terms we both accept?"

  "Then we walk away. And we keep playing this game until someone blinks." Elyra set down her cup. "But at least we're playing now. Not just running."

  Jason looked at his friends. At Lina's quiet determination. At Milo's tactical mind already planning contingencies. At Elyra's unreadable calm.

  They'd done it. Outmaneuvered HOA. Set the terms.

  Now came the hard part - Facing Malvek. In person. And convincing him they were worth more alive and free than contained or dead.

  The game was in play.

  And for the first time since this started...

  They had a seat at the table.