The rain did not stop for the rest of the night. By morning, the city looked washed pale beneath low clouds and cold light, but Ashford Tower remained tense long before sunrise.
Security teams moved quietly through the building with controlled urgency. Elevators required additional verification. Internal communications were rerouted through encrypted channels. Every unfamiliar face was reviewed twice before being cleared.
The atmosphere had changed completely – not panic but preparedness. Seraphina stood near the dining area, holding untouched coffee and scrolling through the preliminary security reports on her tablet, a sense of preparedness built from the aftermath of something irreversible.
Three attempted blind spots.
