David, Jordan, and Jessica sat around the meeting table inside Nova Tech's executive conference room. The large glass windows bathed the room in soft sunlight, casting long shadows across the polished surface of the table.
On any other day, it would have been a calming space. Today, the silence felt heavier than usual.
They had finalized half of the new hires, sent a few offer letters, and already received confirmations. One of them came from Lena Volkov, which under normal circumstances should have been exciting.
But no one was smiling.
Just outside the door, Ezra and Yamal stood guard. Neither said a word, but their presence was louder than any alarm. Trained eyes swept the corridor like clockwork. Alert. Constant. Unyielding.
Inside, David leaned forward, elbows on the table as he rubbed his forehead with both hands. His voice was low, almost stunned.
