Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: The Quiet Floor

The overhead lights stayed off. The terminal screen stayed black. No alarms. No routing alerts. No federal compliance pings. Elena sat up at the shared desk. Her neck stiff. A printed manifest stuck to her cheek. She peeled it off. Dropped it on the floor. Looked across the room. Alexander lay on the gray couch. Coat draped over his legs. Eyes closed. Breathing slow. The office held quiet. Just the hum of the refrigerator in the corner. Just the tick of the wall clock. She stood. Stretched. Walked to the terminal. Two wedding rings sat beside the keyboard. Gold. Polished. Side by side. She didn't touch them. Pulled out her chair. Sat back down. Checked the time. Four twelve a.m.