Justi

r coffee shop, the chill of the morning air h

ne, but a sleek black Maybach parked acr

ger door s

red charcoal coat unbuttoned, his hand res

back against his chest, tilting her head up, and Celes

rossing, watching the spectac

not hurt; it simply looked cheap, like

the recycling bin and walked away

I unlocked the door to

ut turning on the overhead lights, flip

a blank document and typed two bold wor

were rhythmi

shed the ceremonial Vice President title, and severed my

e my desk hummed, spitt

ountain pen and sealed the pape

an encrypted notification chimed

ead: ScentNova

aused above

quantitative algorithmic infrastructure, backed entirely by the

d the fi

e contract offering me the posi

stino had ever paid me, accompanied by a fift

er, a single handwritten note ha

eserve a real empi

ha whose name commanded absolute authori

d out in Celestino's hallway fla

the private direct line provid

nected on th

answered smoothly. "I expected you to take

my leather chair. "Your intelligence n

pable of breaking Meridian Capital's co

will not sign until I personally inspect your hardware arr

ian replied without a fraction of hesitati

you then,

wn at the sealed whit

would crawl back and

cepted the keys to the machi

one, setting the delivery address directly t

and stripped off my clothes, stepping

ity mirror, and ensured the Level IV

ng, my new lif