Several floors below, Daniel and Sophia stood in the building’s marble lobby, their voices hushed but urgent. The overhead lights caught the worry in Sophia’s eyes as she gripped her tab, the screen displaying Thomas Delaney’s unexpected availability for deposition. The former chief’s name glowed on the screen like a beacon of opportunity… or warning.

“She hasn’t left before midnight all week,” Daniel said, running a hand through his hair, a gesture that betrayed his growing concern. “The DOJ’s pressing for responses, and she’s trying to handle everything alone.

He looked toward the elevators, then back at Sophia. “I need to do something.”

Sophia’s curled knuckle tapped against the tablet’s edge, her trademark nervous habit emerging. “Delaney’s cancellation is our chance. His testimony could be crucial.” She met his eyes. “We could actually help instead of just… watching this.”

“She doesn’t have to carry this alone,” Daniel said quietly.

The decision crystallized in the space between them, good intentions paving a road neither could see the end of. They spent hours preparing, their determination fueled by the desire to ease Juniper’s burden.

The conference room became their war room, papers spread across the polished table as they mapped out technical questions. Neither noticed how their focus on technical specifications left gaps where the human element could have been addressed.