#Chapter 73: New Plan

Emily Chloe’s name caught my eye before I even finished my first sip of tea. Buried three pages deep into the mid-tier contractor briefings, printed in neat, sanitized font. Position awarded: Junior Advisor, Eldrin & Vale Consulting. Sector: Infrastructure Integration. Start Date: Immediate. The tea went cold in my hand. I reread it. Twice. The title was modest. The position was benign on paper. But I wasn’t stupid. Chloe didn’t enter into anything without an agenda. Eldrin & Vale operated under Titanfang’s auxiliary trade network, just far enough from Logan’s direct oversight to avoid scrutiny, but close enough to touch sensitive information if someone were clever about it. And Chloe was always clever. I set the tea down and reached for the full attachment. The contract was legitimate. Reviewed, approved, already in effect. It looked like a quiet placement that could be interpreted as a fresh start to anyone not paying attention. But I knew better. She hadn’t cla