"This…setback," Derek began, his tone dripping with anger, "Is unprecedented. And I want answers." His gaze sliced across the room, suspicion blazing in his eyes.
Xander kept his face blank, leaning back with an air of unaffected calm. He knew better than to react under Derek's steely scrutiny, but from the corner of his eye, he noticed others exchanging uneasy glances.
Then, one of the men, tall and wiry with a cold intensity in his gaze, abruptly pushed his chair back, slamming his hand on the table. "I've had enough of this guessing game!" he snarled, his eyes narrowing as he fixed his gaze on Xander. "This operation was flawless for years—no mistakes, no loose ends. And now? We're compromised the second Sekem joins us. Explain that!"
