“I’m learning that matters to you.”
“Yes.”
The elevator doors opened.
Employees watched.
Alexandra led him through the engineering floor.
Screens everywhere.
Prototype modules.
Battery control rigs.
Test logs.
Henry’s pulse changed.
He had forgotten this feeling.
Not envy.
Recognition.
He belonged in rooms like this.
Or once had.
Alexandra noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You look different.”
“Do I?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Awake.”
Henry looked toward her.
“That sounded insulting.”
“It was meant as a compliment.”
“Needs work.”
She smiled.
Conference room.
Technical files.
Access credentials.
Then the door opened.
Corbin Ashford entered.
Forty-five.
Perfect suit.
Controlled expression.
The kind of man who looked as if his reflection had been approved by legal counsel.
“Alexandra.”
“Corbin.”
His eyes moved toward Henry.
“And this is?”
“Henry Carter.”
Corbin’s face barely changed.
Barely.
Henry noticed.
Alexandra said:
“External consultant.”
“On what authority?”
“Mine.”
Corbin smiled.
“Of course.”
He offered Henry a hand.
“Welcome.”
Henry shook.
Corbin’s grip tightened slightly.
Recognition.
Definitely.
“You look familiar.”
Henry said:
“I don't.”
Corbin’s smile thinned.
“Interesting.”
He left.
Henry waited until the door closed.
Then looked at Alexandra.
“He knows me.”
“You're sure?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“I don't know.”
Alexandra exhaled.
“Then find out.”
For six hours, Henry disappeared into systems.
Code.
Logs.
Power curves.
Environmental test sequences.
He forgot hunger.
Forgot time.
Forgot Clinton.
Forgot rent.
The work took over.
And Alexandra watched from the glass wall periodically.
At 8:30, she brought coffee.
Henry did not notice until she put it beside him.
“You haven't eaten.”
“I will.”
“When?”
“When the problem gets less interesting.”
“That isn't how food works.”
“Coffee counts.”
“No.”
She placed a sandwich down.
Henry looked.
“CEO duties?”
“I delegate.”
“To yourself?”
“Apparently.”
He took a bite.
Alexandra leaned against the desk.
“Anything?”
“Yes.”
Her expression changed.
“What?”
“The failure isn't accidental.”
“You're sure?”
“Almost.”
“Show me.”
Henry rotated the screen.
“Normal control code manages power requests through multiple safety gates.”
“Here.”
He pointed.
“This one branch behaves differently only when four environmental conditions align.”
“Could be bad coding.”
“Could.”