~ Caleb ~
The polished black marble of the Lunaris Industries boardroom gleamed in the morning light that filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Outside, Seattle's skyline was partially obscured by a blanket of fog rolling in from Puget Sound, shrouding the Space Needle in a ghostly haze. Inside, the tension was thick enough to cut with a claw.
I straightened my tie and surveyed the faces around the long table. Board members, legal counsel, and senior executives—all human, save for Lyra and two others—all watching me with expressions ranging from concern to barely disguised panic. The TechNova lawsuit had everyone on edge.
"Ladies and gentlemen," I began, my voice steady despite the exhaustion that clung to me like a second skin, "in less than an hour, we'll be facing serious al
