They found Julian in the server room exactly where the cameras placed him, not sabotaging anything, but sitting on the floor against a rack of humming machines, head in his hands, a burner phone shattered beside him.
"He called," Julian said, before either of them could ask. "Cross. On a line I thought I'd cut off for good. He knew I'd talked to you within hours — I don't know how, but he knew. He told me to come here and undo everything I'd shared, or he'd stop being patient with my daughter's school schedule." His voice cracked on the last part. "I came to warn the system, not sabotage it. I swear."
Alexander crouched down to his level. "Did you tell him anything?"
"No." Julian looked up, eyes red. "I smashed the phone instead. I don't know if that was smart or if I just made everythi
