"You're not going in there alone."
Julian's voice hits the room the second Richard's message dies on the speaker. He is already moving toward me, toward the file in my hands, toward the door Richard wants me to walk through by myself. Nathaniel reaches me at the same time from the other side. For one sharp second, I am standing between both men again, with Elias watching and the whole building waiting to see which lie wins first.
"I am going," I say. My voice stays steady, which feels like a small miracle. "If I do not, he controls the room before I even open my mouth."
Julian's jaw tightens. "He already controls the room."
"So I take something back."
Nathaniel steps closer. "Then let me come in after you. One minute behind. Thirty seconds. Anything."
I shake my head. "If he sees eit
