Monday, 11:45 AM. Aether Capital Headquarters.
I stood in the center of the empty loft, stripping myself of the modern world.
I placed my burner phone, my encrypted laptop, my smartwatch, and even my digital key fob on the glass conference table. Nia stood beside me, running a handheld, military-grade bug sweeper over my clothes. It beeped softly, confirming I was completely clean of any transmitting devices.
"This is a terrible idea, Jake," Nia said, her voice tight with anxiety. She lowered the scanner and looked at me. "You're walking into the compound of a paranoid billionaire who controls a hunter-killer AI. You have no comms, no backup, and no exfil plan. If things go south, Darius and I won't even know until it's too late."
