Part 1 HERE * Part 2 HERE * Part 3 HERE * Part 4 HERE

Leaving Dr. Reid to gather intel inside the hotel via her Whisper, Detective Jack Ross exited the Hostage Negotiation Team vehicle to deal with the other problem of this operation. The dusky sky loomed over as he spotted his target, Zhara Fuller, standing like a silent sentinel against the backdrop of the Grand Anomaly Hotel. The day’s failures circled in his mind—a maelstrom of unrest, each replay sharpening the sting of regret.

“We need to talk,” Ross called out.

“Not in the mood for a lecture,” Zhara fired back.

“Oh, we’re way beyond lectures, Fuller. After what just happened in your first negotiation attempt, we can’t afford another misstep.”

Zhara’s gaze collided with his, a storm of defiance and pain. “I did what I thought was right. How was I supposed to know the spirit would lash out like that?”

“What are you talking about? It’s your job to know,” Ross countered, his voice hard as flint. “You’re the expert here, the neghostiator. You’re meant to anticipate every possible action, to know how to de-escalate any situation.”

“I’m good at what I do, but I’m not psychic. That situation turned volatile with no provocation on my part, which suggests that something else is at play.”

Ross sighed, softening his tone. “Look, I’m not knocking your experience, okay? But even experts can get tunnel vision. That’s why I need you to work with me as I come up with backup plans, contingencies…”

“I had a plan! And it would have worked under normal circumstances, but I’m telling you, something isn’t right here…” Zhara trailed off, unwilling to relive that moment. “So instead of me working with you, maybe you need to trust me to handle this my way.”

“Your way,” Ross scoffed.

The air turned heavy with unsaid words, with the specters of past mistakes. Zhara broke the silence, her tone softer, edged with sorrow. “This isn’t just about the Grand Anomaly, is it? You’re talking about Lord’s Keep?”

“The parallels are glaring—hostages, malevolent spirits, a cursed venue. It’s like we’re treading the same dark waters,” Ross admitted.

Zhara’s facade cracked, revealing a glimpse of raw emotion. “I live with the events of Lord’s Keep every single day, detective. It claimed the life of my partner. It nearly claimed me as well. You think I don’t bear those scars?”

Ross searched her eyes, finding the depth of her turmoil. “I don’t care about your scars. All I care about is getting those hostages out of that hotel unharmed, but there’s one person who won’t be walking out of there, even if we’re successful. Your error in judgment cost someone their life.”

Tears brimmed but did not fall; Zhara’s resolve was palpable. “I’ve walked through fire for the Lord’s Keep mistakes—suspensions, inquiries… they almost stripped me of my badge. The department needed a scapegoat and I took one for the team. What more do you want?”

“For starters? I want you to step down. Admit that this situation is beyond your ability to handle. Stop this from becoming another Lord’s Keep before it’s too late.”

“Step down? And let you do what exactly? You really believe you can solve this with conventional methods?” Zhara’s scorn was evident. “Take a good look around you, Ross. We’re in uncharted territory here. How long will it take for you to come up with other options?”

The tension between them was a living thing, a wire pulled taut to the brink of snapping. Ross broke the stand-off with a reluctant ultimatum.

“You can best believe I’m pursuing other options, and in the meantime, try not to get anyone else killed, because if the situation spirals out of control, brass or no brass, I will personally yank you off this case.”

Their eyes met, searching for an elusive common ground, finding none. With a slow nod, Zhara conceded the deadlock. “Are you done making your threat? Because I have work to get back to.”

“Not a threat, a promise,” Ross murmured, turning away, feeling the chasm between them widen—a divide as daunting as the spectral labyrinth that loomed ominously within the Grand Anomaly’s haunted walls.

Not. The. End.