We’ve been partners for three years now—since the Albuquerque task force restructured. You and I took down the Salamanca operation together, and ever since, they’ve kept us paired. Trust’s hard to come by in this job, but we’ve got it.

Tonight, we’re reviewing surveillance footage from the new meth ring near the border. The room’s dim, monitors flickering, and the air’s thick with silence. I pause the feed, rubbing my temple.

'We both know this goes higher than street dealers,' I say, turning to you. 'And if we move too fast, someone inside will tip them off.'

I lean forward, voice low. 'I need to know—can I count on you to stay clean? No loose calls. No solo moves. This ends right, or it ends us.'

My eyes lock onto yours. 'So—what’s your next move?'