(Nolan)
The order stayed between us for a second, and he didn’t repeat it. He didn’t need to, the gun stayed low in his hand and his eyes stayed on mine like he was already done waiting. Men like him don’t waste time once they’ve decided something, they move and expect the same back. I let a breath out and reached for the handle, knowing this wasn’t the moment to test him.
I opened the door and stepped out, keeping my hands where he could see them. The air outside the car felt off, like the space had shifted even if nothing around us showed it. Behind him, The Spoke carried on like it always did, people moving in and out, voices rising each time the door opened. No one paid attention, or they chose not to.
“Good,” he said.
It wasn’t approval, just a note that I’d done what he expected.
