"While The Commodore graciously preserved your bidding rights as a standard
client, it does not mean your investigation is closed. Nor does it grant you the right to disembark freely like our other guests."
The Raven's face twisted into an ugly, murderous scowl, glaring at the armed guards with absolute venom.
The squad leader ignored his fury, rattling off the rest of the protocol. "Upon docking, you will be escorted directly to the Vessel Regulatory Zone stationed within Whitecliffe Harbor."
"Until the investigation is thoroughly concluded, you are barred from independent movement. You are forbidden from initiating contact with any Obsidian Sun operatives, and... you are explicitly prohibited from approaching Specimen Fourteen."
When those final words registered, The Raven's pupils dilated in sheer panic.
He had been banking on the harbor to reconnect with The Reception Team.
If he could just warn them that The Panacea might be Serena Lancaster, they could spring a flawless trap at Pier Seven.
But the ship was still strangling his freedom, preparing to throw him into a fortified holding facility.
Every single countermeasure he had just envisioned was instantly shredded.
The Overlord had arrived early, and he was being stripped of the right to even crawl to him and explain.
Realizing the brutal interrogation awaiting him, and watching his final sliver of hope evaporate, his anxiety violently spiked into blind desperation.
"So your Commodore plans to hold me hostage indefinitely?!" His voice was deadly, his gaze flashing with unhinged malice. "This is Whitecliffe Harbor. Once Project Zero-Transit drops anchor, you no longer run the show."
"Are you absolutely sure you want to push things this far?"
It was a blatant, unapologetic threat.
The squad leader's expression didn't so much as twitch. He seemed fully prepared for the outburst. "The Commodore instructed me to pass along a message. He said that if you have any grievances with this arrangement, your Overlord is more than welcome to come negotiate with him personally."
The color completely washed out of The Raven's face.
Have The Overlord come negotiate personally?!
His entire objective right now was to
stall for time and scrape lene
victory before The Overlord brought the hammer down.
Yet the ship was demanding that he rely on The Overlord to bail him out?!
The Commodore knew damn well that the last person on earth he wanted to see right now was his boss!
It wasn't an invitation to negotiate.
It was an outright declaration that his current status was so pathetic, he wasn't even worth negotiating with.
The Raven's knuckles popped white. "You... you..."
Before he could finish, the squad leader raised a hand. "Move him."
Two operatives surged forward. One seized his wrist, the other planted a heavy hand between his shoulder blades, violently wrenching his armis behind his back
A surge of adrenaline pushed him to resist.
The cold muzzle of an assault rifle jammed hard into his spine.
A dozen red lasers snapped onto his chest in unison.
He froze instantly.
A sharp flare of pain shot up his
wrist as the operative twisted his et
arm higher, forcing him to stumble forward.
He yanked his head up, thoroughly humiliated.
The remaining operatives had fanned out, creating an impenetrable wall of armor between him and the exit...