When he arrived at the hideout, Ginji was nowhere to be seen. Averkane was sitting on a wooden log, polishing his armor, while Shahin, seated on a chair, amused himself with an old cup-and-ball toy he'd found in a dusty corner of the decrepit house. Shiro busied himself preparing a meal on an ancient terracotta stove.
"So?" Shahin asked casually without looking up. "What's up?"
Noticing the lack of an immediate response, Shahin turned to Kentaro. The young spy looked as though he'd just emerged from a tub of water.
"What's wrong, Kentaro? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Kentaro closed the door behind him and leaned against it for a long moment, sighing. His face was pale, and his jittery demeanor betrayed his agitation. His tank top was drenched with sweat. Shahin stood up and approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder, only to quickly withdraw it, soaked in sweat.
"Are you okay?"
