The night wrapped the tower in a quiet that wasn’t peaceful, it was expectant. The wind blows through narrow gaps while brushing the windows. Aria stood motionless in the dim corridor, her reflection barely visible in the glass. The flash drive dug into her palm. Her knuckles were pale from the grip.
She took a breath that didn’t warm her lungs and stepped through the steel door.
Screens glowed with lines of code and maps inside the control room as the lights were low but blue. Jerry turned from the console, his gaze steady but shadowed with the kind of exhaustion that didn’t come from lack of sleep, it came from knowing too much.
“You saw the files?” he asked.
Aria gave a small nod and walked forward. Her heels echoed, sharp and final, until she reached the center table. She dropped
