Kael is staring at her.
So is Commander Vex.
"That is... tactically sound," Kael says slowly.
"It is more than sound," I say. "It is brilliant."
Tamsin shrugs.
"I've spent three years navigating corporate wellness clinics with territorial managers and passive-aggressive receptionists," she says. "You learn to identify weak points in hierarchical structures pretty fast."
"There is still the issue of the enforcers themselves," Seraph says. "Even if we bypass the primary checkpoints, Hale will have at least two stationed directly outside his suite."
"Right," Tamsin says. "About that."
She pulls up the anatomical diagrams I showed her earlier.
The bio-engineered enforcer schematics.
"These guys have the same structural vulnerability I identified before," she says. "The rigid shoulder girdle. If you hit the deltoid-trapezius anchor point with enough force, you can trigger a cascade failure in the entire upper kinetic chain. They'll be paralyzed for at least ninety seconds—long enough for Kael to breach the suite and extract the ledger."
Kael leans forward.
"You are suggesting a live combat application," he says.
"I'm suggesting aprecisecombat application," Tamsin corrects. "You don't need to kill them. You just need to shut them down long enough to get in and out."
"And you believe this will work?"
"I know it will work," she says. "I've mapped the exact pressure points. I can show you where to strike."
I feel my amber veins flare.
Not with heat.
With pride.
She is not asking for permission.
She is not deferring to my authority.
She is presenting a tactical solution with absolute confidence.
And she is right.
"Kael," I say. "Adjust the infiltration plan. We use the secondary stairwell. Tamsin creates the ballroom distraction. You move during the window. Commander Vex, I want your pack positioned near the kitchen service level in case we need emergency extraction through that route."
"Understood," Kael says.
He is looking at Tamsin with something close to respect.
"Ms. Beck," he says. "If this works, I owe you a drink."
"If this works," she says, "you owe me an entire bottle."
Commander Vex laughs.
"I like her," he says.
