Back in her office, Kerrigan received a message from Dr. Irving. The normally composed engineer was clearly distraught, his message outlining the dire consequences of the layoffs in R&D. Kerrigan read through his concerns carefully, her heart heavy. She knew he was right—these cuts would have a devastating impact on the company’s ability to innovate and stay ahead of the competition.But she also knew that she couldn’t intervene—not yet.Instead, Kerrigan drafted a carefully worded response, expressing her concern and sympathy but ultimately placing the responsibility on Kelan’s shoulders. She needed to maintain the appearance of being supportive of the board’s decision while subtly distancing herself from the fallout.“Dr. Irving,” she wrote, “I share your concerns about the impact these cuts will have on R&D. However, the decision has been made by the board, and it is our duty to carry out their directives to the best of our ability.”“Please know that I value your contributions and

As the departing staff loaded onto the train and the remaining family members dispersed, Conor caught sight of a familiar face in the crowd—a middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair and a thoughtful expression.It was Dr. Miles Irving, one of the key engineers from Dragon Corporation’s R&D department. Conor had been particularly interested to see his picture come up in the folder of laid off staff, knowing just how crucial his expertise would be to ongoing research at Dragon Corporation.The fact Kelan had let him go showed that their understanding of his incompetence was likely spot on.“Dr. Irving,” Conor called out, “Over here!”“Peter?,” Miles greeted him with a handshake, his grip firm but his eyes betraying the stress of the past few days. “I have to admit, when I got that call from your people, I was surprised. But grateful. I didn’t think I’d find another opportunity so quickly after… well, you know.”Conor nodded, understanding the unspoken frustration. “I am Conor, not Pet

Soft light slowly roused Kerrigan from her dream. The bed was warm and she snuggled closer to the heated pillow.ThumpThump, thumpKerrigan lay there, her body wrapped around the warm pillow as its heart beat steady beneath her head.Heart…Beating…Kerrigan slowly opened her eyes to find she had somehow made it from the couch to a bed she didn’t recognize. That wasn’t unusual these days. After all, she had been changing beds every few weeks it seemed ever since the murder attempt.But this was the first time she had woken up to someone else in bed with her.Ok, not the first time… but she had nearly punched Conor that time and he had not actually been IN bed with her. More ON the bed, waking her up.However, right now, it was very clearly NOT her pillow that she was sprawled across. Bare skin met her fingers as she felt this NOT pillow.Kerrigan’s mind slowly cleared as she became more aware of her surroundings. The soft, rhythmic thumping beneath her ear was unmistakable—the steady

At the top, Conor found a door left slightly ajar. He slipped inside, his senses on high alert as he moved down the dimly lit hallway, Parker close behind. The smell of stale air, dampness, and something acrid filled his nostrils, the sounds of the city outside muted by the thick, grime-coated walls. He could hear muffled voices coming from one of the rooms ahead and crept closer, careful to stay in the shadows.Peeking through the doorway, Conor saw Theo standing in the middle of a small, cluttered room. The place was a mess—clothes and empty food containers strewn across the floor, the wallpaper peeling, the furniture mismatched and worn. It was the sight of the young woman on a pallet of blankets on the floor that caught Conor’s attention.She was thin, her skin pale and her dark hair a tangled mess. She looked to be little more than a teen or maybe her early twenties, her eyes sunken and dull.She was curled up under a blanket, her body trembling as she pulled it tighter around h

Conor nodded in agreement. “I was thinking the same thing. We can’t just grab her and expect her to comply willingly. Maybe we could use Theo’s influence—he’s the one person she might listen to.”Natalie spoke up, her voice thoughtful. “Theo’s influence is important, but I think we’ll need more than just his word to convince her. Emily’s been through a lot, and trust isn’t something she’s going to give easily. If we can find a way to connect with her on a personal level, maybe we can show her that leaving Velyki is in her best interest.”Kerrigan tapped her fingers on the table, deep in thought. “Maybe we could use the idea of a fresh start. Emily’s been trapped in the same cycle for years, and even Reilynn here hates the cold of Velkyi—maybe if we present Jinstain as a place where she can truly start over, with warmer weather, and nice people, it might appeal to her.”Conor glanced at Kerrigan, their arms brushing lightly against each other. “That could work. We could frame it as an