She was at her desk by 5:58 a.m.
The building was empty. The team didn't arrive until eight-thirty at the earliest — Priva usually nine, Rhen reliably at eight-fifteen, the others variable. Neva had two and a half hours before anyone walked through the door, which was what she needed.
She opened both screens.
Left screen: EMBER's financial data. Six weeks of consolidated reporting since the Vault contract award. Revenue trending at thirty-one percent above initial projections. Overhead holding within budget. Three pending client invoices that would clear by end of month. The financial picture was solid — more than solid. It was the kind of early-stage performance that, in an ordinary business context, would have generated nothing more than satisfaction and a revised projection document.
