"I want Jacob to fake a gas leak. He's been complaining for a month that nobody appreciates his data skills. Give him a municipal utility database and a moral justification and he'll close six blocks by Tuesday night out of sheer enthusiasm."
Natalia's expression shifted into something genuinely delighted, which on her looked like a knife catching light.
"That's actually good," she said.
"I have moments."
"You have exactly enough moments to keep me from smothering you." She saved the file, encrypted it twice, and let the hologram collapse. Then she leaned back in the chair and looked at me properly for the first time since she'd walked in.
The tactical armor came down. Not all the way. Just enough that I could see the girl underneath it.
"You're going to be at Sector 12," she said. "Not the B-Rank. Meaning your name won't be on the contract roster."
"Isabelle's report will list me as command oversight. Nobody audits command oversight."
"Braxton will."
