The Echo She Chose To Erase

Compt

culating, shone beneath the surface. "Leaving? But... but where will you go? You can' t just abandon your post, E

r gaze pleading. "Hazen, please. Don' t let her go

oser, glaring at me. "Echo, what is this nonsense? You think you can just walk away? After everything Bia

lfish," Corina chimed in, her voice cold. Another agent, a young man I' d pe

apsing bridge in Istanbul, whose bleeding wound I' d cauterized with my own hands. The you

mor of pure indignation running through me. "Do y

ics, Echo. This is about your current behavior. Your jealousy is clouding your judgment. Bianca is a v

lling her protectively against him.

iliar sensation creeping in – the precursor to the memory wipe' s side effects, a ripp

this suffocating room. I turned to leave, but Bianca, with a sudden

can' t do this without you!" she

tinct, a reflex. Someone grabs you, you break free. I twisted, my leg

entire room flinch. She collapsed to the floor, cradling

ong with you?" His eyes were blazing, a cold, killing rage in them. He knelt beside Bianca, examining her hand. "It' s swoll

ous, met mine over her head. "You are a liability, Echo. A dangerous, unstable liability." He wa

at the door, her eyes narrowed. "You' ve gone too far this time, Echo. Hazen won' t

to idolize me. Now, his face was twisted in a sneer. "Crazy bitch,"

break. I stood there, drawing breath after shaky breat

a man whose ruthlessness was matched only by his pragmat

as an incident." His v

re his desk, my spine ramrod straight. "

everything you' ve built here?" His tone was almost regretful. "You' ve

e flat. "My position here is untenable. I can n

his gaze piercing. "Is thi

Hensley. Or rather, the complete lack thereof." I didn't el

peak with you about Echo. Her behavior is erratic. She' s making baseless accusations

er of surprise in his eyes.

... professional relationship," I replied, a c

rrowed. "What a

eady understand, Hazen,"

Hazen, Echo has informed me o

rned to me, his voice softer, laced with a strange urgency. "Echo, don' t be rash. We' ve

d it, revealing the engagement ring, the diamond glittering under the

re tainted by betrayal, trying to lure me back with a symbol that h

. "That ring means nothing to me anym

s generous. She will be compensated for her years of exemplary service." He pushed a tablet across his desk. "S

ed the digital form. The money wasn't th

e duffel bag. A few essentials. Everything else, every memory, every ghost, would be left behind. I lay down,

but a sliver of moonlight illuminated Hazen standing by my be

barely a whisper. "Wh

this," he said, his voice low, almost gentle. He placed

" I said, my voice fl

till work through this. Remember all the times we faced down

he quiet moments of victory, his hand in mine. For a split second

illusion. "Bianca needs us, Echo. She' s terrified. She' s bee

desperate plea was not for us, but for her. He wa

, my voice laced with venom. "To pretend that none of th

cho. We always have been. Our wedding is still on th

,' Hazen. There is only you and your new

urgently. A frantic voice, different this time, but

hifted, his eyes now fixated on the source of the urgent call. He turned and sprinted dow

t, plunging the room

dside table, the echoes of his abandonment ringing in

creen. There was a direct number for Clandestine Tec

d into the phone, my voice steady, my re