I turn back to the screen.
Focus sharpening.
Clear.
“We don’t change our proximity,” I say. “We don’t reduce communication. We don’t isolate.”
I pause.
Then—
“We do the opposite.”
That gets their attention.
“All of it stays open,” I continue. “Visible. Intentional.”
Russ frowns. “Wouldn’t that give him more to work with?”
“Yes,” I say.
A beat.
“But it also gives us more to control.”
Logan’s voice cuts in.
“She’s right.”
I glance at him.
He’s already looking at me.
No hesitation.
No doubt.
“He’s expecting her to pull back,” Logan continues. “If she doesn’t, he has to adjust again.”
Boone nods slowly. “Which gives us a window.”
“Exactly,” I say.
And there it is.
Not alone.
Together.
The room shifts.
Subtle.
But real.
Because now this isn’t just about surviving him.
It’s about outplaying him.
