What the hell is happening

Severed and Reunited

Haniel's POV
I go over to headquarters. Lilith's words still ring in my ear. I did trust you. My chest tightens, and I exhale a deep breath before walking inside.

"Haniel," Mr.Dante greets me. I bet Lilith doesn't even know her father's name. "How are you feeling?" I plaster on my best poker face. "Alright sir. It's good to be back." I want to go back to your daughter. To get on my knees and beg her to start over. To make her stop hating me.
He rounds the conference table and places a firm hand on my shoulder. "That's good to hear, son. Have a seat we have much to discuss."

That's when I notice Alissa sitting in one of the chairs, a regular smirk on her lips. "It's been a while Han." Alissa was the eyes in house number 2, the one with Tony. I wonder what happened there. I take the seat across from her. "How are you?" I ask. Alissa is a little younger than Lilith. Mr.Dante recruited her as well, and we've gotten closer over time. She's like a sister to me.

"Good." She answers. Same old Alissa, never giving too much away. Mr.Dante takes the seat at the head of the table. He keeps himself fit but there are a few grey hairs protruding. "I've called you both to discuss the matter of my children." I shift in my seat. "Haniel, you've done an exceptional job in building a relationship with Lilith. You sent reports frequently and they were well-detailed."

"Thank you sir." If I could reverse time, I'd never do it again.

"However, the emotional aspect." He looks at me, and I stiffen. He knows. "It was a good angle, but I fear it has become a weakness for you." Alissa raises an eyebrow. I keep my features calm. "No need to worry about that sir. It was solely for the assignment." The words are bitter in my mouth. It's a lie. A blatant lie, but he seems to believe it.

"That's what I thought," he nods then turns to Alissa. "If I'm being completely honest, I feared that you were too young for this assignment, but you proved yourself capable. From what we've gathered about Tony, we know he was the type of person to rely solely on himself." He points to me. "Much like Lilith. But you got him to open up and share more insight with you. Well done."

Alissa nods once.

"We are ahead of schedule," he tells us both. "Due to Lilith's foresightedness, we've had to speed up the process." Your daughter is the smartest person I've met. I bite my tongue. "What's the next step sir?" I ask.

"We'll have the shields trained, along with Tony and Lilith. I assume your relationships have been severed, so there will be no need for you to accompany them." He answers. I ball my hands into fists. I don't want more time away from Lilith.

"And the others?" I try to sound indifferent. Lilith is my main concern, but she cares about her friends and what'll happen to them.

"They'll be set to return to their families in a week." He tells me. He stands, and we follow. "You two can catch up. There isn't much for you today."He leaves the room.

"You think she'll do a good job?" Alissa asks me.

"I know she will."

"Attachments are weaknesses Han," she walks over to the door. "Keep that in mind."

»»——⍟——««

Lilith's POV
Today, I don't wake to a blistering alarm,  but to a gun stuck to my head. My eyes snap open to see a Rye smirking at me. No, not a Rye. Our Rye.

"Good morning pumpkin," she sneers. "Did you sleep well? I bet you're feeling pretty tired after last night."

I keep my voice calm. "You won't shoot me."

She tilts her head. "What makes you so sure hun?"

"You would've done it already."

"Maybe I want to see you scared."