Maya pulled the authorization chain.
Operations-director level.
The room became quieter.
Derek stood near the back.
His face had lost color.
“My credentials could have been cloned.”
Reed nodded.
“Possible.”
That surprised everyone.
He did not leap toward guilt.
Then Maya opened another record.
The exception had been approved from a terminal assigned to Derek’s office at eleven eighteen the previous night.
A second factor was confirmed twelve seconds later.
Badge records showed Derek entered Hartwell headquarters at eleven oh-three and left at eleven twenty-nine.
Derek swallowed.
“I came in for readiness review.”
Vivien’s voice was careful.
“Did you approve the exception?”
“No.”
“Did you use your phone token?”
“No.”
“Was your phone stolen?”
“No.”
“Did someone else have it?”
“No.”
Marisol stepped closer.
“Preserve everything.”
Derek looked toward the table where a portable evidence drive had been connected for the security team.
He moved.
Fast enough that several people did not understand what he was doing.
Reed did.
Derek reached toward the drive.
Reed caught his forearm.
Turned.
Controlled.
Pressed Derek’s hand to the table without striking him.
Derek twisted.
“Get off me!”
“Stop fighting.”
“You’re hurting me.”
“I’m holding your arm.”
“Get him off me!”
Corporate security arrived.
Reed released him immediately.
Derek breathed hard.
His performance began breaking apart.
“My credentials were cloned.”
Marisol said nothing.
“You people already decided.”
No one answered.
Then Derek looked at Reed.
“You.”
Reed remained still.
“You walk in here in that thrift-store jacket and suddenly everyone believes you over me.”
Reed’s face changed slightly.
“A jacket never made a man small.”
Derek’s eyes were wet now.
“Easy for you to say.”
“No.”
Reed looked at him.
“Power never made one decent either.”
Security removed Derek’s badge.
He was escorted to another room pending outside investigation.
The federal demonstration proceeded at two.
Hartwell disclosed the internal security incident appropriately to the relevant review personnel rather than pretending nothing had happened. The demonstration environment was verified clean before presentation. No live emergency routing system had been compromised, and the federal team proceeded with additional questions and safeguards.
At three twelve, Vivien found Reed in the lobby.
He was checking his watch.
Again.
Of course.
She approached alone.
“No entourage?” he asked.
“I’m learning.”
He almost smiled.
“I need to leave.”
“I know.”
She held out an envelope.
“Compensation for today. And for the Marlo incident.”
Reed did not take it.
“I was already paid for the hotel repair.”
“Not for the rest.”
“I didn’t ask.”