That’s different.
And I don’t like it.
I push off the wall and head for the briefing room.
Not fast.
Not slow.
Controlled.
Because if this is what I think it is—
Rushing won’t fix it.
Understanding it will.
She’s already there.
Of course she is.
Standing near the table, reviewing something Boone pulled up. Shoulders squared. Posture steady. Voice low as she asks a question.
Calm.
Composed.
Exactly what everyone else expects her to be.
If I didn’t know better—
I’d believe it.
Boone glances up as I walk in, his eyes flicking between us for half a second before he steps back.
He sees it too.
Good.
“Movement patterns are inconsistent,” Scout is saying. “He’s not probing systems directly. He’s watching responses.”
She’s in it.
Focused.
Sharp.
Untouchable.
Except—
She doesn’t look at me.
Not once.
I stop across the table from her.
Wait.
