Jayden sat in Charlotte's office long after everyone else had left. The screens around them still glowed with maps, satellite feeds, and lines of code that scrolled like a second heartbeat.
Charlotte was hunched over a terminal, eyes tired but steady. The glow reflected on her glasses, and for the first time since the attacks began, he felt a calmness that was not fear. It was a cold, clear resolve.
That good news from Harper had helped a lot.
"We can't rely on the Aegis V everywhere," Charlotte said without looking up. "There are pockets, remote stations where their Defense Systems are locally hardened. The shield's network is strongest over their cities and major installations. But those weapon bases? They run on isolated nodes. They're shielded against interference, but they are not immune. They are blind spots."
Jayden closed his eyes and let the words sink in.
