“That’s why I need both of you completely locked in,” Juniper said, her voice carrying that edge that made even Daniel’s usual steadiness waver. “Roma’s going to try to overwhelm us with anything he can. Every time he’s lost before, he’s buried the opposition in paper before they could present their case-in-chief.”

Daniel checked his device again, that subtle tension in his jaw growing more pronounced. “We should focus on the agency heads first,” he offered, though his attention seemed split. “Their testimony about implementation of policies-”

“Nope,” Juniper cut in, her haunch jutting out slightly as she stopped walking. “We start with the affected. Build the mental element first, then layer in the technical violations. Make the jury feel it before we make them think it.”

The winter wind whipped around them, carrying both holiday music and the distant sound of construction. The weather seemed caught between snow and rain, much like their case balanced between personal impact and procedural precision.