I pushed through the heavy steel door of the office. I didn't even take off my leather jacket. I just slumped into the chair behind my desk, resting my forehead against the cool surface.
"You’re late," Viper’s voice rasped.
I didn't look up. "The clock is a human construct, Viper. Leave me alone."
Viper was pacing the small office up and down, his tablet gripped tight in his hands.
"I’ve been running the diagnostic on our encryption for four hours. If they tapped into the drone feed, we’re compromised. If they have a ghost in the server, the whole garage goes up in smoke."
The sound of his heavy boots hitting the floor was a jackhammer against my temples. I reached out, my fingers trembling slightly as I grasped the stapler on my desk.
"Viper," I said.
"If you take one more step,
