CAN'T HIDE IT

' THE CLAIM IS A LIE '

"She said his name like it was nothing," Hayamei snapped. "Like she's seen him more than once."

She zipped the bag and looked him dead in the eye.

"If he found us, others will too."

⸻

The next morning, a package arrived.

No return address.

Inside: a single burner phone.

It rang the moment she touched it.

Hayamei picked up.

"Hello?"

A man's voice, smooth. Young. Too confident.

"Miss me?"

Her heart stopped.

"TreyVon," she whispered.

"I've been real patient, Hayamei. Been waitin' on you to call. Thought maybe you needed a little push."

"You came near my daughter."

He chuckled. "She's sweet. Reminds me of someone. Not you, though. She's... softer."

Hayamei's voice dropped to a snarl. "If you ever come near her again—"

"You'll do what? Kill me? You don't even know where I am."

Hayamei's grip tightened.

"You're working for Ghost's people, aren't you?"

A pause.

Then laughter.

"Girl, you think Ghost got people? He's just another dead man walking. But me? I work for what's left of your father's shadow."

Hayamei's blood froze.

"He's dead."

"Bodies don't always mean the war's over."

Click.

The line went dead.

⸻

She turned to Ghost, hands shaking.

"You knew his name."

Ghost looked away.

"You knew who TreyVon was."

"Yeah," he said. "I just didn't think he'd find you this soon."

Hayamei slapped him.

Hard.

Na'Nami was sleeping in the other room, but she didn't care. Her voice came out low and vicious.

"You brought this to my door."

"I tried to stop it."

"By lying?"

"I didn't lie—I just didn't tell you he was still active."

Hayamei's chest heaved. "You don't get to decide what I can handle. That man—he touched my daughter."

"I'll kill him."

"No," she said, storming toward the door. "I will."

⸻

They were back on the road before sunrise.

Ghost drove, silent.

Hayamei stared at the phone, waiting for it to ring again.

It didn't.

They followed a lead Ghost had gotten months back—a safehouse in Montgomery that TreyVon was tied to. When they got there, it was already burned out. Still warm.