<...We have fallen into a direct conflict with THE Syndicate.>
"Wha—?!" Robin's expression shifted sharply, changing from mild tension —the restrained look of someone bracing for troubling news— into sheer, unfiltered shock that he could not hide.
The Syndicate? There was no doubt about it. He could only mean the Hidden Hand Syndicate—the terrifying entity operating under Sevar's protection. A force that had crept into every joint of the cosmos, spreading silently until it became the very public face of everything corrupt, cruel, and irredeemably evil!
Theo had issued strict, unmistakable instructions to keep all dealings with them as light, smooth, and minimal as possible: comply with their demands, pay whatever price was necessary, and under no circumstances provoke them or invite unnecessary attention…
