From her perch above, Lory adjusted the slim earpiece tucked beneath her hair, letting the hushed voices flow into her ear. The signal came from the brooches pinned neatly on Hugo's and Edmund's coats, subtle devices, crafted to blend with their attire. They looked like mere ornaments, no one would guessed it was a recording tools.
Lory listened intently, her focus sharpening as Hugo engaged the enemy with his genial charm, while Edmund stepped in with his cool, businesslike tone.
Together, they played their roles with seamless precision, drawing out responses, pressing at the edges of their opponents' composure.
To an outsider, it was a polite exchange. To Lory, every nuance carried weight: the strain behind a laugh, the clipped hesitation before a word, the thin veil of courtesy barely covering wariness.
