Of course Seren says no. Seren would say no. Zhou Fei expected a no, and yet hearing Seren say no to him after all this time stirs something up inside. For a moment, time rewinds and Zhou Fei sees them in the bullpen at the agency, standing on opposite sides of a petty argument instead of a drug operation. Back when he was Jo Kai, back when he could breathe without a rumble in his chest.

With a shake of his head, Zhou Fei washes away that image of the past.

“You’re wrong,” he replies, taking another step or two closer. “Cause you’re still with the agency. And It only takes one whisper from me for everyone to know.”

Which is a bit of a bluff. He doesn’t know if Seren has indeed continue to follow the same organization that tried to kill him, that did kill fifty of their comrades.