Jessica had both notebooks open on the crooked three‑legged table when the team came down for breakfast.
The first notebook — the notes from Black Coral to the Silent Threshold. The second — the one titled *"Previous cycle"*, with the forty pages of the Threshold's record she had documented during the days in the mountains.
Between the two notebooks, a blank sheet of paper.
On the sheet — two columns. What they knew about the angel. What they didn't know.
The column of what they didn't know was longer.
"When did you start this?" said Seraph, arriving at the table.
"At four in the morning." Jessica. "I couldn't sleep and I needed to organize what we have before making any tactical decision."
"And?"
"And we have less than I would need for a complete strategy." Jessica. "But we have enough to start."
Seraph sat down.
The rest of the team arrived — Max with Viktor's coffee, Maya with the map, Emily with the eyes of someone who had slept but had slept poorly.
