Saturday, 8:00 PM. Jake's campus Apartment.
The apartment was dark when I got back. I hadn't been here in days, spending my nights at Elena's or the lab. The air was stale, smelling of dust and neglect.
I threw my keys on the counter and collapsed onto the cheap sofa. The blue text of the System was still burned into my retinas.
Three months.
Victoria Sterling wasn't just a target; she was a fortress. And I had ninety days to siege her walls, breach her defenses, and plant my flag. If I failed....
Total System Shutdown.
I rubbed my temples, the headache that had been threatening all day finally settling in behind my eyes. I needed a plan. I needed leverage. I needed—
The lock on my front door clicked.
I froze. My hand instinctively went to the hidden pocket in my jacket where I kept a switchblade—a new addition to my inventory since the Thorne incident.
The door swung open. A silhouette stood in the hallway light.
"You're hard to find, Jake," a familiar voice purred.
