Acker opened the door before Hunter found a directory listing. The building didn't advertise what happened inside it.
"You didn't call ahead," Acker said.
"You don't answer calls you don't recognize anymore. I checked."
Acker's mouth moved, not quite a smile, and he stepped back to let Hunter in. The office had two chairs, a desk with nothing on it but a closed laptop, and a window facing the district where Vantage used to run three shifts a day before the receiver shut it down.
"I heard you got an offer," Hunter said, sitting. "Compliance consultant. On the designation framework."
"Word travels."
"Sable mentioned it. She wasn't gossiping. She was worried you'd take it."
Acker sat across from him and folded his hands. "I turned it down two days ago."
"Why."
"They want someone who
