City streamed into a sleek, modern kitchen,

er taste of black coffee on her tongue. It wa

r movements precise and efficient. She slid them into heavy manila

rest. The words 'Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery' were printed in stark, clear type.

are feet silent on the cool hardwood

dren's bedroom door. The room was dark, the b

t hunched over a mechanical keyboard. His small fingers flew across the keys,

a half-eaten chocolate chip cookie in her hand, her eye

he strode to the window an

the room, harsh

t. With a single keystroke, the three screens of complex cod

into her mouth and turned to her mother wit

sweeping over her two precocious

ly, pushing his blue-light-blocking glasses up the b

ight on her shoulders. She didn't have the energy for an interrogation. "Just... do

hit another key. The cartoons vanished

ging at the back of her mind. She shook her head, forcing herself to focus on

ence room on the top floor of the Clements Gl

polished table, his cold gaze sweeping ove

port onto the table. The sound crac

a low growl, "is not just a

d, fumbled with the remote for the projector. "Mr. Clement

en behind Jackso

e screen filled with a blizzard of digital s

ok at his executive assistant, Elias

alkie to his lips, hissing at the I

e static

pixelated cartoon pig

g, bold text scrolled across

very board member froze, their eyes wide with terro

ough a voice changer, erupted from the conferen

re fury. He shot to his feet, the force of his movement s

backs standing out like cords. He stared at the insult o

oice dangerously low, eac

d th

words through

want an IP address

y do we send him a piggy? Is he a super-duper bad man?" she