For the first time, a flicker of surprise crossed Sylvie's face. It was gone in an instant, replaced by her usual composure, but Cassian caught it. The faint shift in her expression.
"You're good," he continued, his voice lowering as he closed the distance between them. "But you made one mistake."
Sylvie tilted her head slightly, masking her unease with an air of indifference. "And what mistake is that?"
"You assumed you were playing against a lesser opponent," Cassian said, his tone sharpening. "You didn't account for the fact that I'd see through your little gambit."
The silence between them felt heavy, filled with unspoken tension. Sylvie's mind worked quickly, trying to find a way to recover. She knew she'd underestimated him, but she wasn't out of moves yet.
"If I'm so predictable," she said slowly, "why haven't you discarded me yet?"
Cassian's smirk returned, colder this time. He took another step forward, close enough now that she could feel the weight of his gaze. "Because even predictable pawns have their uses. But don't think for a moment that makes you irreplaceable. You're alive because I allow it. Nothing more."
"You think I need what you're offering?" Cassian replied smoothly, his tone laced with quiet amusement. "What I'm interested in isn't what you think you can tell me, but why you're so desperate to make yourself indispensable."
Cassian took another step closer, a data tablet in hand, which he began to scroll through with a practiced ease. His voice was calm, almost clinical, as he started to read, each word precise and deliberate.
"The Codex Chrysalis, based in the Azimuth Sector, thrives in shadows, manipulating galactic power with unmatched precision. By influencing policy vetoes in the Dominion's high councils, they assert control without exposing themselves. Sleeper agents and exploited factional rivalries allow them to steer critical decisions, leaving their targets unaware of their reach.
The Codex also infiltrated the Petrosyan Confederacy, elevating families like House Avenor through covert support, keeping them indebted and compliant. Their influence spans trade, defense, and resources, destabilizing rivals while consolidating power."
Her composure faltered for a fraction of a second, a crack in the armor she'd spent years perfecting. She hated that he could see through her so easily, hated that his words struck closer to the truth than she cared to admit. She could feel the weight of his gaze, dissecting her every microexpression, as if peeling away layers to reach the core of her being.
He glanced up, a smirk tugging at his lips. "House Dremor owes the Codex for trade manipulation and silencing dissent within their ranks."
Sylvie's eyes narrowed, her mind racing. He was listing names and details she hadn't even planned to divulge, as if he had been the one orchestrating the movements behind the scenes.
Cassian continued, unfazed. "The Codex extends its grip to outer colonies, embedding itself in supply chains and manipulating resources to destabilize opposing factions."
He paused, his gaze sharpening. "Their grip isn't strategic—it's invasive, ensuring loyalty through calculated dependency."
Cassian's demeanor shifted, his voice growing colder, carrying the weight of an unspoken revelation. "They've even managed to infiltrate families with deep-rooted loyalty—like the Reyes family."
Sylvie's breath caught, her composed facade wavering just for a moment. Cassian observed her reaction carefully, his eyes narrowing. "Alaric, for instance," he added, the name striking like a bolt of lightning. Her shoulders stiffened, and for the briefest of moments, her eyes betrayed a mixture of shock and a subtle fear before she forced them back to neutrality.
But as the silence stretched, Cassian's mind raced, piecing together fragments of their earlier exchanges. His expression darkened slightly, as if connecting unseen dots. "Wait..." he muttered under his breath, his tone sharper now. "Alaric wasn't just collateral in your schemes, was he?" His gaze pierced through her as if peeling away the layers of her strategy. "You planned for him to play a role in this."
Sylvie didn't respond immediately, her eyes briefly flickering with a guarded tension before she masked it with indifference. But Cassian could see the faint crack in her composure, the subtle unease that told him he was close to the truth.
Cassian's eyes bore into hers, unyielding and sharp. "So you see, Sylvie, I don't need you to tell me what the Codex Chrysalis is or how it operates. I've mapped its reach, its key players, and even its weaknesses. What puzzles me is why someone as meticulous as you would choose this moment—of all times—to switch sides. Why now?"
It infuriated her how easily he stripped away her control. Yet, even as her mind raced through possible countermeasures, she refused to let him have the satisfaction of seeing her break.
Her jaw tightened imperceptibly as she steadied her breath, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You think you know the Codex?" she said coolly, her voice regaining its steadiness, "You're grasping at fragments."
She leaned slightly forward, meeting his gaze head-on, her defiance hardening like steel.
Cassian straightened, his expression unreadable. He regarded her for a long moment, as if weighing his next move. Then, without warning, he turned and strode toward the door. He paused just before it opened, glancing back at her over his shoulder.
"We'll see," he said, his voice carrying an edge of finality. "Enjoy your stay. It's going to be a long one."
Sylvie's mind raced as the heavy door of the interrogation chamber hissed shut behind Cassian, leaving her alone with the echoes of his sharp words. Her hands, bound tightly, were cold and numb, but it was the icy grip of panic curling in her chest that consumed her thoughts. He'd dismantled every layer of her plan with a precision that bordered on cruelty, stripping away her carefully constructed defenses as though they were paper shields.
The Codex Chrysalis didn't make mistakes. They didn't allow for liabilities. And now, by failing to execute her operation cleanly, she was one. The knowledge she carried, the secrets she'd uncovered, were her greatest weapon—but also her deadliest liability. The Codex would see her silence ensured, no matter the cost. Cassian's understanding of the Codex wasn't perfect, but it was disturbingly close.
The door slid open again, and Cassian returned, this time without the tablet in hand. He moved with the same unshakable confidence, his expression unreadable. Sylvie's gaze followed him as he approached, her face carefully neutral despite the storm brewing inside her.
She had called for the guard moments ago, her voice steady despite the tightness in her chest. "Tell him I'm ready to cooperate," she'd said, forcing herself to sound resolute. The guard had nodded, leaving her alone in the sterile chamber with nothing but her thoughts and the faint hum of the room's machinery.
Now, as Cassian entered, she felt a chill settle over her. This was her choice—her only choice—but it didn't make the weight of it any less suffocating.
"Have you made your decision?" he asked, his tone calm but laced with an edge that suggested he already knew the answer.
She straightened her posture, meeting his gaze head-on. "I need guarantees," she said, her voice steady despite the weight of the moment. "If I'm going to… cooperate, I need to know my family will be safe."
Cassian's lips curved into a faint, almost imperceptible smile. "Your family," he echoed, his tone testing the weight of her plea. He stepped closer, his presence looming like a shadow. "They're already in danger. I could intervene, but tell me—why should I risk my resources for them?"
Her heart sank, though she refused to let it show. "Then what's the point of any of this?" she countered, a sharp edge creeping into her voice. "If you won't protect them, why should I trust you?"
The air between them felt electric, stretched thin like a taut wire on the verge of breaking. Sylvie's jaw tightened as she scrutinized the precarious choices laid before her. Fury churned within her—at herself for being cornered, at Cassian for so deftly outmaneuvering her. But what stung the most was the undeniable truth in his words. The Codex wouldn't stop at her. If she intended to shield her family from the storm, she would have to navigate Cassian's terms—for now.
"What do you want?" she asked finally, her voice quieter but no less resolute.
Cassian tilted his head slightly, studying her. "I want your cooperation. Full, unconditional cooperation. And I want insurance."