Santiago stood on the balcony of his apartment, staring outside. The cool night air did little to calm the storm in his mind.
Leon's sudden withdrawal had been swift and painful — no replies to messages, calls going straight to voicemail, and that cold "sir" at the restaurant earlier today.
He had either pushed too far or too fast. Or someone had gotten to the boy.
Santiago pulled out his phone, stared at it for a long moment, then dialed Viktor's number. The line rang twice before Viktor picked up, his voice rough and impatient.
"Santiago. Finally, I was beginning to think you'd gone silent on me."
Santiago leaned against the railing, eyes fixed on the distant skyline. "I'm not silent. I'm calling with an update on Leon."
Viktor's tone sharpened. "Good. The Emperor is breathing down my neck. He has wanted results since yesterday. Tell me you've made real progress with the boy. I need something solid to report, Santiago. Don't waste my time with vague updates."
