Morning arrived without peace.
Damian had not slept.
The city moved beneath his office windows, unaware that a truth buried for five years had begun to breathe again.
Files from the overnight investigation covered his desk. Evacuation logs. Contractor authorizations. System overrides. Each document felt like a fragment of a puzzle someone had deliberately scattered.
Victor Kane’s name appeared too many times to ignore.
Not openly.
Never directly.
Always adjacent.
Always protected by layers of distance.
Careful enough to avoid suspicion.
Until now.
A soft knock sounded at the office door.
His assistant stepped inside, hesitant.
“Mr. Blackwood… this was delivered downstairs. No sender listed.”
She placed a plain brown envelope on his desk.
No company insignia.
No courier stam
