In the morning, Wren found him waiting. “The bet. You’ve won,” he said. “Yes,” is all she said. He waited for her to ask about the money. Instead, she continued, “Do you know about the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system?” Something shifted in Marcus’s face—not surprise, but recognition. “Tell me what you know,” he said quietly.
They sat at the kitchen table for two hours, comparing documents. Wren had found the retrofit invoice in the east-wing filing room while observing Titan’s routine. Marcus had the full work order from Priya. Together, the documents mapped something neither had seen separately: a targeted modification, designed around specific knowledge