Chapter 44: A New Contract

Chapter 44: Chapter 44: A New Contract

The meeting was over, but the anger hadn’t gone anywhere. Felix left headquarters without another word to anyone and went straight home.

He dropped onto the sofa the second he got inside and stared at the ceiling, running back through the last few days: Vesper’s capture, the injured heroes, Seraphina’s rampage, Liora’s confiscated console, the meeting, the directors, his contract.

He exhaled. "If they get rigid about this, I’ll just leave."

Nothing was actually stopping him, independent raiders picked up work with established teams whenever they wanted, paid per mission, and an A-rank-capable healer with his résumé would never run short of offers.

He’d probably make more money doing that. And, more to the point, he wouldn’t have to deal with people flexing authority they hadn’t earned.

Then he remembered something better than any of it. His niece.

He grabbed his phone and called Cassian, who picked up after a few rings. "Felix?"

"I want to see my niece."

"You could at least say hello first."

"Hello. Now bring my niece."

"You’re impossible."

"I’m coming over."

"You’re already on your way, aren’t you."

Felix grinned. "Obviously."

---

A short while later, standing in Cassian’s living room, one look at the tiny bundle in Elara’s arms was enough to knock most of the irritation clean out of him. He took her carefully into his own arms.

"Well, hello there." The baby stared up with wide, curious eyes, and he stared right back.

"You remember me, right?" No response, obviously. He nodded like she’d answered anyway. "Of course you do."

"She’s a week old, Felix," Cassian said from nearby.

"She’s intelligent."

"She’s a baby."

"Exactly. Babies are intelligent."

Cassian just sighed.

Felix spent the next several minutes talking to her about everything: his day, how annoying her father was, a running complaint about the Association while she stared up at him the whole time.

"You’re a good listener," he said eventually, pleased with himself.

"She’s asleep," Cassian said.

Felix looked down. Sure enough, out cold.

"Even better." He carefully handed her back to Elara, and headed out.

---

By evening he’d stopped at a supermarket, filling his cart with ingredients for a few different dishes, cooking had always been the easiest way he knew to clear his own head.

Back home, dinner took the better part of an hour, the smell of it filling the whole apartment.

After cleaning up, he showered and dropped into bed, his mind drifting on its own: Seraphina first, how used to seeing her every week he’d gotten without noticing, her silence, the odd way she only really talked when he was in the room.

Then Liora: her nervous energy and her love for games, which he wonder, she played it before they confiscated.

A faint smile crossed his face. "I’ll miss that."

His thoughts drifted further after that, and exhaustion caught up with him before long.

---

**Wednesday Morning**

His phone woke him up. He grabbed it without opening his eyes. "Hello?"

"*Felix!*" Kael’s voice blasted through loud enough that Felix pulled the phone away from his ear.

"What?"

"Gaming zone. Let’s go."

"No."

"Come on!"

"No."

"We haven’t seen you in days."

"I’ve been busy."

"That’s exactly why you need to come."

He yawned. "Not feeling it."

Kael made an exaggerated groaning noise. "*Boooooo.*" The call cut out.

Felix stared at the phone. "Child," he muttered, tossed it back on the bed, and got up.

After a shower and getting dressed, he was reaching for his wallet, thinking about breakfast somewhere, when the phone buzzed again.

Elena Voss.

He answered. "Morning, Director. What brings you to my phone this early?"

Her voice came through tired. "After your little ultimatum the other day, do you honestly think anyone here’s been sleeping?"

"So you called to complain."

"No." She sighed. "Those idiots agreed."

His expression sharpened slightly. "To what?"

"Full autonomy over the rehabilitation program. Our involvement drops to effectively zero from here: your patients, your methods, your schedules, your calls entirely. We don’t get involved unless you ask us to."

He leaned against the wall. "And access?"

"Everything you need, as long as you’re showing results."

"Sounds fair."

"Your new contract’s already drawn up. Gideon has the physical copy, I’ll send you a digital one too, read it carefully, and sign if you’re satisfied with the terms."

"I’ll go through it."

A brief pause, then her voice dropped into something more serious. "Felix."

"Mm?"

"Be careful."

"They’re not exactly dangerous right now."

"That’s not what I mean," she said immediately. "With their talents, they *will* become dangerous."

"Seraphina and Liora."

"And you’re taking full responsibility for them with nobody looking over your shoulder anymore."

He chuckled. "Worried about me, Director?"

"I’m warning you."

"I know."

She sighed. "Don’t underestimate either of them."

"Yes, yes." He glanced toward the window. "You already know I love danger."

Silence on the other end, followed by something that sounded suspiciously like a sigh, and the call ended.

Felix lowered the phone and stood there a moment before a grin spread slowly across his face. "Alright." He grabbed his jacket off the hook.

"Let’s see what happens next."