The morning sun at Vane Enterprises with a sterile, blinding glare, offering none of the bruised heat of the desert. Jullian had Sarah drive me to work. Sarah’s been trying to rekindle our friendship but I still felt betrayed.
By 8:00 AM, the corporate machine was humming as if the foundations hadn't violently shifted forty-eight hours ago.
I stepped out of the private elevator, my heels clicking a steady, unhurried rhythm against the charcoal marble.
I wore a tailored ivory silk blouse, zipped tight to the throat, and a structured black pencil skirt. The white bandages on my palms were gone, replaced by a pair of fine, breathable lace-backed gloves that masked the raw skin beneath while allowing my fingers full dexterity on a keyboard.
I was an analyst. I had data to log, compliance n
