With precise, ruthless movements, she unscrewed the fou

lattered onto the

ntegrated circuits and chips wasn't standard. With her MIT background,

e processor. Cornelius had been testing its background audio-capture capabilities back then, and had likely forgotten to wipe the local storage

an insulated testing probe from the desk and pr

dden, harsh blue. A low crackle of stati

e filled the

younger, but the arrogant, fr

inking cocktail glasses and heavy bass.

er, laughing. "Why the hell are you suddenly

The sound echoed off the brick walls of the s

e said smoothly. "She has no background. No leverage. You

e doesn't want to settle down yet. Cassidy is j

, leaving nothing but the hars

nsulated probe hovered in t

to liquid nitro

f his proposal, believing it was the one momen

e very first second, it had bee

nked hard, digging her nails into her palms, forcing the tears back do

ed her lips. She had been a spec

over with her right hand and grabbed the massive, f

d the cold stone and violently

her skin, leaving a glaring, angry

the desk. It bounced off the dismantled, worthles

She pumped a handful of harsh antibacterial soap into her palm

er and over again, her nails digging into her own skin

, burning, and nearly bleeding. She gr

It was a text from Kori: The divo

ed back: I'

oom and pulled on a sharp,

ring sitting in the grease and dust on the workbench. S

loud bang echoing down the hallway, locking the