Theo Cross emerged from the secluded, quarantined node, a quiet, almost imperceptible hum of data still thrumming beneath his thoughts. The "Liam Carter_AccessLogs" discovery was a live wire, connecting directly to the raw, exposed nerves of Juliet Grey's past. He felt the familiar rush of a puzzle piece locking into place, the satisfaction of finding the invisible threads.
He strode purposefully down the IT corridor, his presence a stark contrast to the slumped shoulders and tired faces of the technicians around him. Near a row of blinking server racks, a young IT engineer, barely out of college, looked up from a tangle of cables. His eyes, already bloodshot from the long night, widened in sudden, startled recognition as they landed on Theo. A low murmur escaped his lips, barely audible, filled with a mix of awe and fear:
"Ghost. It's really him."
Theo registered the whisper, a fleeting acknowledgement of his reputation, but he didn't break stride. His focus was singular, his destination clear.
The executive floor was a study in hushed power, its polished marble and muted tones a stark contrast to the frantic energy of the lower levels. Theo moved through it like a phantom, the slight scuff of his worn leather shoes barely audible against the expensive quiet. He observed the subtle signs of strained perfection: the too-clean surfaces, the few assistants already glued to their screens, their faces tight with unspoken stress. This wasn't just an empire; it was a carefully constructed facade, and he was here to peel back its layers. He noted the digital locks, the camera blind spots, the subtle vulnerabilities that someone like Liam Carter, someone inside, would exploit.
He reached Juliet Grey's office. The heavy oak door stood slightly ajar, a crack in the impenetrable armor. He didn't knock.
Juliet sat at her immense glass desk, a single, perfectly sharpened pen poised over a complex financial report. She was a picture of ruthless composure, every line of her body screaming control, yet Theo could sense the coiled tension beneath. The a subtle tremor in her hand as she held the pen. The faint shadows under her eyes, despite her immaculate appearance.
Theo stepped into the room, his presence immediately disrupting the pristine stillness. He didn't ask for permission. He didn't even acknowledge the assistant who gasped softly from an outer office. He simply walked to the center of the room, stopping a few feet from her desk.
Juliet's head snapped up, her diamond-hard gaze locking onto his. A flicker of irritation crossed her face, quickly masked. "Mr. Cross," she said, her voice cool, precise, yet edged with impatience.
"I assume you have something substantial to report, given your… abruptness."
Theo met her stare, a slow, predatory curving of his mouth. He wasn't playing by her rules, not here, not now. He held the power. He leaned a hand casually on the edge of her desk, a silent invasion of her space.
"We need to talk, Ms. Grey," he said, his voice a low, confident rasp. He didn't waste a moment, cutting straight to the heart of it.
"About the ghost you hired me to hunt."
His eyes, dark and unreadable, bore into hers. Then he dropped the bomb, his voice casual, almost conversational.
"Who's Liam Carter?"
The pen in Juliet's hand stilled. Her fingers, still wrapped around the shaft, went utterly motionless. The finely tuned composure that was her life's work fractured, irrevocably. For a microsecond, her eyes widened, a raw, naked terror flashing before she slammed the shutters down.
"Irrelevant," she bit out, the word sharp, defensive, betraying her. Her voice was tight, as if each syllable was forced through a constricted throat. She attempted to regain her glacial control, but the tremor was undeniable.
Theo merely smiled, a knowing, almost sympathetic twist of his lips. "Irrelevant? His access logs, Ms. Grey, are tagged 'EchoJules compromised?' He's the one linking your past to this attack. He appears to be the source of the hacker's information, or at least the trail they want me to follow."
He watched her, dissecting her reaction, seeing the confluence of fear, the past, and the terrifying present converging in her eyes.
"So, I'll ask again.
Who is Liam Carter?