The harsh fluorescent light of the Oakhaven Springs kitchen hummed like an angry hornet, cutting through the heavy pre-dawn silence.

A sudden, urgent knock at the front door interrupted their frantic examination of the dossier. Expecting more intimidation, Grace gripped the fireplace poker, but Katherine checked the peephole and gasped, pulling the door open. Standing in the dim hallway was Agent Miller, looking disheveled, his trench coat soaked with rain, clutching a manila folder to his chest. “We have a breach at the federal holding facility,” Miller said without preamble, stepping inside and locking the deadbolt behind him. “Caleb was attacked during transport an hour ago. Someone tried to silence him permanently before he could testify about the secondary board members of Janus. He managed to slip this note into my pocket before security tackled the assailant.” Katherine unfolded the crumpled piece of yellow legal paper. In Caleb’s familiar, shaky handwriting were three words: “Trust no one here.” Miller looked directly into Katherine’s eyes, his expression grave. “The syndicate knows you have the Janus drive. They’re coming for both of you tonight, and the local jurisdiction has been compromised from the top down.”