Chapter 227

Tristan stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring out at the neon-lit streets. He was flicking a sleek metal lighter between his fingers, lost in thought. After a long pause, he lit a cigarette. Smoke swirled around him, casting shadows over his sharp features. As it cleared, the silver moonlight revealed the deep worry etched on his face. Letting Nicole Flynn go came with two possible outcomes. One, she blows his cover, and he gets hit with a storm he's not ready for. Two, they rescue her family first, then her, and use the opportunity to take Nathaniel down. Tonight's test showed Nicole chose the second path. She was with them. That was the outcome they had hoped for. They hadn't surrounded Nathaniel when he met Nicole for a reason—her family's safety came first. Also, if Nathaniel had sent a decoy, arresting him later would've been way harder. Still, it was a risky play. They were out in the open. He was in the shadows. Even with his military base, parasite labs, and bio labs bl