hia

don't need the opening bell to tell

id Corporat

4, it

it begins

precise, contained. No chaos. No panic. Just press

esn't annou

set

by l

to stand on its own... starts

other. Small shifts. Quiet decisions. Nothing that wo

ng here i

ve is in

nal is co

Alexander taug

isn't lo

pted lin

boardroom,"

ice is

ca

trac

d," I reply, eyes

ush. He never does. But there's somethin

the report pers

ngers

ngs personally unless she

e alone

s... ob

itation

sitate unless some

ing is be

her," I say.

es

, I want to know be

acknowl

sil

it back, letting the q

Not metaphorically. Not

t here

l mo

buil

y to keep his world intact while someon

version of me is

e who

ned how to survive

unge is empty wh

o-ceili

Control. Pow

m before

tacking my

arries from

turn imm

e silenc

closer if h

I t

tands a few

the air between us

g," I say. "I

bilizing Reid

re was weaker th

htly. Not much. But e

cl

s before I can stop it. Not f

he's searching for

ing he

ietly. Not business. Not a str

gaze. "Op

yes s

," he says, voice l

ar," he adds,

e

hat still h

fear yo

I do

part he do

ghtly. Something restrained. C

ne vib

ess

er me

ct ti

mewhere to

p pas

er brushe

ld be n

it i

s a fl

passes between us i

it's

ntered the underg

or doors s

ep i

oors

scent

n, the ligh

look up. The

op

n d

ntly. But enough to unde

not an a

s cont

ble sc

gh the shaft like some

r one second, I don'

ai

all d

cts before

tless

en

y brake slam

me forward, and th

ollows. Hea

ing sound

al

this," I

e me, shouting.

en

nd

s begin

tal screaming as

en I s

xan

e. Not composed

in him h

your hand

ion. No ca

esi

a fra

d. His grip is firm

a way he t

pul

a

rough the narrow opening. The mo

perf

ca

stinct

close a

one se

orgot how to let go.

re

I fe

have died

ce isn'

s r

k up

ready

out before I

nd betw

y. R

t, nothing

e world

ent. Security

lease

ow

ontro

everything,

I sa

cr

't stay

er, I sit in

il

chi

nki

known number. You sho

st tig

message

me, no

are still o

eads thr

asn't

asn't

as the

ptop

attempt detected

ern

Corpo

at the

owly, I

ok like someone try

someone watch

a diff

dangero

nock at

ee

serv

order a

t outsid

le

otsteps

oor and check t

dor is mo

the ele

. Watching. Not sm

chi

ght

right

hifts towa

n a

he's w

oping something

htens. Professional again.

s. Something about

e buzze

the only

num

ryp

isti

the lapt

believed I had alr

nderstand so

till writing

intend for me

made on

ive long enou

no

r reacting.

I move

't see i

indow and look

uildings, someone tr

else allowed

ference

now I

't just

is

dy decided whi