Harlow's mouth opened for another jab. I kept going.
"But here's the thing. I'm still on this board. Same clearance, same mission, same extraction window as you. Which means either the system that let me through is broken," I tilted my head, "or the system that let you through is the same one, and you just admitted you don't trust it."
His jaw closed.
"Also." I smiled. "If I slept my way to a partner upgrade, and my partner is S-class, what does that make your B-class clearance? "
Silence. Suri looked at the ground. Harlow's face went through approximately four colors, none of them flattering.
Behind me, Gregor made a sound that might have been a cough and might have been a laugh. Fenn's expression shifted a degree. Not friendly yet. But the wall behind her eyes had developed a crack.
