The elevator ride down to the basement was the longest minute of Julian Sterling's life. The mirrored walls of the lift reflected a man who looked untouched, his dark blue suit still crisp and his posture perfectly aligned. But beneath the silk of his jacket, his heart hammered against his ribs like a trapped animal.
'I am still Julian Sterling,' he told himself, though the thought felt hollow. 'A setback in like this is not a death sentence. With the money I'll be receiving, I can pivot. I can rebuild.'
The moment the doors hissed open into the cold, concrete expanse of the Apex Plaza garage, his phone vibrated in his palm. He answered it before the first ring finished.
"Report," he barked.
"Sir... we lost contact," the voice on the other end was filtered and shaky. "We couldn't get ahold of the operative. He hasn't checked in since he stated that the target was in sight. I think... I think he failed."
