[Jake's POV]
The encrypted phone in my jacket pocket vibrated as I walked across the main casino floor. A quick buzz against my ribs.
The floor was bright. Too bright. Slot machines sang and dinged in overlapping melodies. Carpet patterned in red and gold swallowed footsteps. The air smelled like perfume, spilled vodka, and the faint metallic tang of coins. The slot lights flashed white and gold across my face. It was too loud to think. Women in heels clicked past with champagne flutes. A man at the blackjack table cursed under his breath and slammed his chips down. The carpet was sticky under my shoes. Every sound here was money, and every smell was someone losing it.
I pulled it out, checking the caller ID. It was Li.
The vibration in my hand felt heavier than it should have.
"Noah," she said, her voice tight with suppressed anger. "We have a small situation on the northern border."
