Beneath Aeterna's shining headquarters lay a floor only a handful of employees even knew existed. They called it the Core—a sealed concrete chamber reserved for matters Skye preferred to keep outside the boardroom.
A single table stood under a white light. The air was cool, metallic, and too still.
Vesper dragged the trembling architect to the chair opposite to Skye. Skye stares coldly at a folder containing all information of Halden Walt Aeterna's chief architect. Halden's cufflinks jingled as his hands shook. Skye sat perfectly composed, gloved fingers folded, eyes unreadable.
"Well well looks like the mouse finally got trap, great work vesper… now then do you know where you are, Mr. Halden?" Skye asked quietly.
The man hesitated to answer but nodded once, his voice caught in his throat.
"Good," Skye continued. "That will save us both time. You were trusted with Aeterna's newest expansion project—yet the ledgers here show entire budgets leaking into private accounts. Someone told you to do this. I want a name."
Halden swallowed hard, eyes fixed on the floor. "It… it was a misunderstanding, sir."
Skye leaned back. "A misunderstanding," he mocked, almost amused. Then, without looking away from Halden, he spoke to his right. "Vesper." Skye signals him to get the answer he wants.
The assistant stepped forward, silent as a shadow. The sound of his shoes against the polished floor made Halden flinch.
Skye's tone dropped lower. "I dislike wasting words, Mr. Halden. My assistant here can make even the smallest truth sound very convincing once he starts asking. I'll give you one more chance to answer me directly—who exactly approached you? And you better speak my patience is growing thin" he said in a cold voice while he scowled.
Vesper stopped beside the chair, close enough for Halden to feel his presence. The architect's breathing quickened; the pulse in his throat jumped.
Skye waited, expression calm, voice steady as ice water. "You see," he said, "patience is expensive. Every heartbeat you waste costs me more of it."
Halden finally broke, whispering, "A man from the Brownes… I never caught his first name. He only calls me on the phone and wire me the payment through my account. They wanted the project delayed. That's all I know, I swear" his voice shaky, his temples sweating non stop.
Skye's eyes narrowed, the faintest trace of a smile forming. "So. Delays." Then he looked at Halden again "Do you know why Aeterna remains on the top? And no one dares to challenge the company?" Halden shakes his head and Skye lean into him almost a faint whisper "its because dead moles can't snitch anymore." he smile wickedly and walked out of the room signaling to Vesper to wrap this up as the doors were closing all that can be heard is a loud scream then went to silence. For a brief moment, Skye's gaze lingered on the trembling man — not out of pity, but out of exhaustion. Power demanded patience, and patience had a cost. As they walk back to the office, "Lilith, I want to know who this person is and why they want Aeterna Corp to go down. Gather all intel i won't let them get away with this." His voice is stern and annoyed.
Meanwhile, at the North Zanesville airport, Cecelia waited, curious and obeying the mysterious person's text. She looked up and froze. The mysterious contact from the unknown number was there, watching her.