“Yes.”
“You handled it.”
She laughs softly.
“I almost crashed the entire infrastructure grid.”
“But you didn’t.”
She glances at me.
“You always say things like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like the good outcome was inevitable.”
“It wasn’t inevitable.”
“Then why do you sound so certain?”
I think about that for a second.
Then shrug.
“Because I believe in the person making the decision.”
Her eyes search my face.
“You trust me that much?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you keep proving you deserve it.”
The wind moves across the rooftop again.
She studies me for a long moment.
Then shakes her head slightly.
“You know what’s strange?”
“What?”
“I’ve worked with brilliant engineers and analysts my entire career.”
“None of them ever made me feel like this.”
“Like what?”
“Like the world might actually be… manageable.”
I smile slightly.
“That’s a new one.”
