Shadows of Blackwell

oo many secrets. That's what Monday

curled around the envelope she'd found that morning. She'd read the message a dozen

anyone. Es

g low in her stomach. A prank? A warning? Maybe some

clean, deliberate, intimate. It wasn't desi

ves rolled once at the wrist. His presence sucked the air out of the hallway. He barely acknowledged

hunderstorm was magnetic. Beau

_____________

rity consultations. Ivy handled it all like a seasoned pro, adjusting travel itineraries, fielding assistant envy from ot

ian emerged from h

ch tighte

with

the executive floor and into the private elevator. No expl

e gravity of the world they inhabited. As the doors opened to the R&D level, Ivy felt a shiver of u

pment, and men and women in sleek lab coats moving with preci

company," he said as they walked deeper into the lab.

compliment.

a device in his hands. "Mr. Blackwell, t

attention shifted to Ivy. "Expl

"I haven't se

awa

k a step closer. Sleek interface. Embedded AI chip. A biometric s

eside it. Her eyes narrowed as

ut. Battery drain would make it unreliable in rea

n's expression didn't change, but

ng like approval. Then, to the engineer: "Start over. I

s,

dared a question. "What ex

his eyes fixed on something far away,

at p

added, his voice lowering, "y

_____________

s building something bigger. Smarter. Something he didn't fully trust anyone with. The research division was hidden in plain

s in the m

to clean up his desk. She didn't snoop. She didn't need to. But the drawer was s

nd saw something she was

ing-actually smiling-with his arm around a woman w

d scrawled a date. Sept

er. A paperweight had shifted near the desk edge. Sh

tered like

anded on a slim file that had fallen behind

dh

n. A tech rival. Damian's most aggressive competit

he heard i

e, and you'll w

ked up

sion unreadable, his eyes darker th

e said col

m went

nd nearly tripped as she

_____________

sounds of the city buzzing below. She couldn't shake the mem

didn't want her getting clos

wn nu

e watch

in her throat. Ano

do, stay out

repl

is t

ans

time with an alert from the bui

end tomorrow's emergency security briefin

cing. Something was happening. Somethi

rned in her thoughts. Don't

_____________

t the walls were closing in. The office, usually so sterile and controlled, felt different today-charge

ce tense as she looked up at Ivy. "Hav

rd w

talking about Redhawk." Elaine lowered her voice furth

She had no intention

into the security briefing, their eyes flicking nervously around the room. Damian stood at t

We've been targeted. This is bigger than you think. Redhawk's making m

. The enemy. But what were the

efly meeting Ivy's, his eyes unreadable. A f

n't sur

re, piecing together the fragments of what she had

ust an observer. She was in the game. And she