The request came in encrypted, clean, and urgent.
A private data client from the East Vector District — one of the few surviving physical identities from before the Biometric Migration. Still living off-grid, still managing old-world capital. He needed identity armor, a clean backtrail, and server protection for his family's hidden wealth vault.
In short: high-value. High-risk. Couldn't afford to be traced. Couldn't afford to fail.
"I'll go," Neris said, before Kade even finished reading the request.
He looked up. "It's not a walk-and-talk. This guy's paranoid. He wants a full-system transfer performed on-site."
"I read the file." She picked up her coat.
He raised an eyebrow. "You don't even want to ask about backups?"
"I don't fail," she replied, adjusting her gloves. "But you can watch. In case you want to take notes."
---
She left with only a sleek case, half the Echo Core's tools, and an unreadable look in her eyes.
Kade patched into a secured channel to monitor her audio feed. Silent for the first fifteen minutes — then voices. Echoes of negotiation, cool and efficient.
The client stammered. Neris remained calm. Then something changed.
> [SENSOR FLAG: Third-party trace detected]
Location: East Vector - Undisclosed
Intent: Unknown
System Alert: "This mission is no longer secure."
Kade's finger hovered over the override trigger. He could pull her out, trigger a blackout.
But her voice came through.
"Do not interfere," she said. "I've got it."
Click. Feed cut.
---
Ten minutes passed.
Then twenty.
Then a file hit Kade's console.
> Transfer Complete. Identity Secured. Client Rebooted.
Trace Source Logged: Redirected to Corporate IP
File: "Velorax Investments – Subshell 9"
Kade stared.
Vel.
She'd placed herself behind the trace. Not to sabotage.
To observe.
To see how Kade's team handled pressure.
And Neris?
She'd caught it, reversed it, and sent a quiet message without saying a word.
> [New Message: From Neris Vale]
Subject: "Told you not to interfere."
Body: "Also, your old flame might want to rethink her moves. I don't bluff."
---
Neris returned to the bunker an hour later. Untouched. Calm.
She placed the client's signed agreement on his desk, along with a USB sealed in a layer of biometric encryption.
"Payment's routed. Client wants quarterly coverage."
Kade glanced at the file. "And the Vel trace?"
"Redirected. Not destroyed."
"Why?"
"Because she's not our enemy. Yet. But she is competition." Neris looked him dead in the eye. "And I want to see what she does next."
A long silence passed between them.
He finally spoke. "You always play the long game?"
"No," she said. "Just when I want to win."
---
That night, Kade stood in the dark, watching the city light ripple like circuitry.
His company had a future.
His assistant was more than he expected.
And Vel? She was still out there, watching the same city — but from a different tower, through different eyes.
> [SYSTEM ALERT: Velorax Investments increased stake in competitor company: GlitchGrid Systems.]
Comment: "The board has been activated."
Suggestion: Prepare to scale.