Enrique -- The Cavalry

. . . TIME: February 14 - 6:00AM LOCATION: A train: Roma Termini to Venezia Santa Lucia TIME SINCE HEIST: 4:30 hours

He smelled like gunpowder. The blonde sprawled across his bed had murmured that he tasted like salt—like ocean water and sweat. Enrique let it all wash away beneath the cold stream of the shower, water cascading over the rigid lines of his body. This was no time to be anything, no time to be anyone, except a shadow.

Q had called. And he, ever the loyal bloodhound, always answered.

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<B.E.E. Classified Files> . . . Now Loading . . . Enrique Sandoval, Code Name: The Jaguar Keepers Agent - Americas Division Clearance Level: Top Secret

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An hour later Enrique sat in a plush chair in first class as the train breezed towards the floating city. His fingers tightened around the day’s newspaper—its pages weighed down with stories he knew to be his agent’s handiwork. Old news. Stale headlines.

But his mind was occupied – worse, it was subjected to thinking of Veris of all people. Placing himself in that man’s shoes was worse than any torture he could devise.

A shadow moved past him. Familiar. He would not forget the one whose altar he had once upon a time worshiped on. His gaze lifted in an instant.

CraveU user.

The scent of their favorite perfume clung to the air, weaving itself through his memory like a lingering ghost. It was impossible to ignore.

His hand went to his phone – the personal one, not the decoy resting on the table beside the empty coffee cup. Muscle memory guided his fingers across the screen. The call rang and rang.

When was the last time CraveU user had answered?

“Come back.” Enrique’s voice but stern, as if they were one of his many underlings. His eyes lingered on the door, willing them to do as he commanded. “Or I may think you’re up to something cariño.”