Morning arrived without mercy.
Anabeth woke before her alarm, heart already racing, the faint glow of dawn cutting through the curtains. For a few seconds, she lay still, listening. The city outside hummed softly, deceptively calm. No sirens. No shouting. No chaos.
And yet, she felt it.
Something was coming.
She sat up slowly, running a hand through her hair, grounding herself. Ever since Hale's disappearance from campus, the world had felt like it was balancing on a blade's edge. Quiet didn't mean safety anymore. Quiet meant someone was planning.
A soft knock came at her door.
"Anabeth," Rafael's voice said quietly. "You awake?"
"Yes."
He entered, already dressed, his expression unreadable. There was a tension in his posture she'd come to recognize — the stillness before action.
"Cassian just finished checking the perimeter," Rafael said. "Nothing obvious."
"That's not reassuring," she replied.
"No," he agreed. "It isn't."
They walked into the living room together. Cassian stood near the window, coffee untouched in his hand, eyes fixed on the street below.
"There's movement," Cassian said without turning. "Not direct surveillance. Indirect. People watching people who watch us."
Anabeth folded her arms. "Hale?"
"Without a doubt," Cassian replied. "But this isn't intimidation anymore. It's orchestration."
Rafael leaned against the counter. "He's setting a stage."
"For what?" Anabeth asked.
Cassian finally turned. "For you."
The words settled heavily in the room.
By mid-morning, campus buzzed with nervous energy. Security patrols were increased. Faculty sent vague emails about "ongoing investigations." Students whispered in clusters, eyes darting around corners.
Anabeth walked across the quad, Rafael a few steps behind her, Cassian blending seamlessly into the crowd. The distance wasn't accidental — Rafael knew visibility mattered now. If Hale wanted spectacle, he wouldn't give it to him easily.
Still, she could feel it.
Eyes on her.
Not curious ones.
Calculating ones.
Her phone vibrated.
Unknown Number:
Administrative hearing. Student Affairs. Today. Noon.
Her breath caught.
She stopped walking.
Rafael noticed instantly. He crossed the distance in seconds. "What is it?"
She showed him the message.
Cassian was already moving, phone to his ear. "That's him. He's forcing legitimacy. If she refuses, it looks like guilt."
Rafael's jaw clenched. "She's not walking into a trap alone."
"No," Cassian said. "But she might have to walk into it at all."
The Student Affairs office was too clean. Too quiet. The kind of place where damage happened politely.
Anabeth sat at the table, hands folded in her lap, posture straight despite the tension twisting her insides. Across from her sat two administrators and a woman she didn't recognize, dressed sharply, eyes cold.
"This is an informal inquiry," one of them said smoothly. "No accusations. Just clarification."
Rafael stood near the wall, silent but imposing.
Cassian leaned casually against the door, eyes never leaving the woman across the table.
"We've received reports," the woman said, "that your relationship may pose a security risk to campus."
Anabeth lifted her chin. "My relationship?"
"With a man whose background raises concerns," the woman continued.
Rafael spoke then. Calm. Controlled. "You're referring to me."
The woman smiled faintly. "We're referring to patterns."
Anabeth felt anger surge — sharp and focused. "You're using rumors to intimidate me."
"We're using responsibility," the administrator replied.
Cassian chuckled softly.
Every eye turned to him.
"You're using Hale's playbook," Cassian said evenly. "Poorly."
Silence fell.
The woman stiffened. "I don't know who that is."
Cassian smiled without warmth. "Then you're braver than you are smart."
The meeting ended without resolution — no charges, no punishments — but the damage was done. Anabeth walked out knowing her name was now officially flagged.
Outside, sunlight felt harsh.
"They didn't need proof," she said quietly. "They just needed doubt."
Rafael reached for her hand, squeezing gently. "Doubt can be dismantled."
Cassian's phone buzzed.
He checked it once.
Then again.
Then his expression hardened.
"What?" Rafael asked.
"Hale made his move," Cassian said. "Not here."
Anabeth's heart dropped. "Where?"
Cassian looked at her. "Your parents."
The world tilted.
"No," she whispered. "You said—"
"I said I wouldn't allow it," Rafael said darkly. "Which means he crossed a line."
That night, the apartment felt too small.
Rafael paced like a caged predator, fury barely contained. Cassian worked rapidly, tracing communications, shutting down access points.
Anabeth sat on the edge of the bed, breathing slowly, refusing to let panic consume her.
"He contacted them," she said. "Didn't he?"
"Yes," Cassian admitted. "Indirectly. Anonymous welfare check. Nothing criminal."
Rafael slammed his fist into the wall.
"That's enough," he said quietly. "I'm ending this."
Cassian looked at him sharply. "If you move now, it gets violent."
"I don't care."
"I do," Cassian snapped. "Because that's what he wants. A mistake."
Anabeth stood.
Both men turned to her.
"He's trying to break us," she said. "Turn fear into chaos. If we react emotionally, we lose."
Rafael stared at her, conflicted.
She stepped closer, placing her hands on his chest, grounding him. "Trust me. Please."
Slowly, he exhaled.
Cassian nodded once. "She's right. We need precision."
Outside, a car idled across the street.
Cassian noticed it instantly.
"Company," he said.
Rafael moved toward the window.
Anabeth's phone buzzed.
Unknown Number:
Tomorrow. Library annex. Come alone if you want this to stop.
Her fingers tightened.
Rafael saw the message.
"No," he said immediately.
"He's baiting you," Cassian added. "Classic lure."
Anabeth looked at both of them — the danger, the protection, the unspoken fear.
"He thinks I'm weak," she said. "That I'll fold."
Rafael's voice softened. "You don't have to prove anything."
"I know," she replied. "But I won't be used."
Silence stretched between them.
Finally, Cassian spoke. "If she goes, we control every variable."
Rafael shook his head. "I won't risk her."
Anabeth stepped closer to Rafael, eyes steady. "You taught me not to run."
He searched her face — fear, yes, but also resolve.
"Then we do it our way," he said.
Outside, the car drove off.
The trap was set.
And this time, they were walking into it with open eyes.