Protect.
But now—
There’s something else alongside it.
Logan’s voice.
You don’t get to make it alone.
I lift my gaze, tracking the room again.
Boone. Russ. The screens. The data.
Logan.
My eyes land on him last.
Not by accident.
He’s watching me.
Not openly.
Not in a way that would pull attention.
But I feel it.
That steady awareness.
Not checking for weakness.
Checking forme.
That’s different.
I straighten slightly, grounding myself.
Choosing.
“Run that again,” I say, my voice quiet—but not muted.
Boone glances at me. “Which part?”
“The pattern break,” I reply, stepping forward. “Not the system disruption—the response timing.”
I move closer to the table.
Not isolating.
Not pulling away.
Joining.
That’s new.
Boone nods, adjusting the display. “You think it’s reactive?”
“I think it’s selective,” I say. “He’s not testing everything. He’s testing… behavior.”
