“Are you even listening?” The words escaped Juniper before she could catch them, her careful professional mask cracking just enough to reveal the hurt beneath. Her hands splayed across the papers as if trying to anchor herself. “This isn’t about abstract legal theory. This is about real people who need us to-”

“That’s exactly what I’m trying to explain,” he said, frustration finally bleeding through his usual calm. His shoulders had drawn back, unconsciously matching her defensive posture. “The way they implemented these algorithms created a pattern we can follow. If we look at the constitutional precedents-”

His device buzzed again, more insistent this time. The tension in his shoulders reached breaking point as he stood, the movement fluid but somehow wrong - like watching someone try to move naturally while in pain. “I need to take this,” he said quietly, already stepping away. “It’s important.”