She taught me how to win without begging for permission. Daniel was quiet for another long moment. Then he nodded. "Okay," he said. "We do it your way." He pulled out his phone.
But I'm putting cameras everywhere. And I mean everywhere. Hallways, green rooms, production booth, Philip's office, every corner of this building. Nothing gets erased. Nothing gets edited out.
Everything that happens tonight goes on record. "Good," Amara said. He made a call. Someone answered immediately.
Probably an assistant. "I need a favor," Daniel said into the phone. "Actually, no, not a favor. An order. I need full surveillance coverage for tonight's broadcast. Every camera we have, backstage, production areas, all of it.
Yes, I know that's unusual. I don't care. And I need it on a separate server. One that only I have access to. Nobody else touches it.
Not Philip, not the directors, nobody. He paused, listening. Because I said so. That's why. Get it done.
He hung up and looked at Amara. Done. "By the time your segment starts, we'll have eyes on everything." "Thank you." "Don't thank me yet."
He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. I need to know, are you sure you can pull this off? I've seen what Philip does to people. He's cruel, Amara. He'll try to break you in front of everyone.
"I know." "And you're really not scared?" She thought about that. Thought about 3 years of sleeping on subway benches. Of cops kicking her awake.
Of strangers filming her for TikTok jokes. of being invisible, pitiable, or entertainment, but never human. "I'm terrified," she said honestly. "But I'm more angry than scared, and anger is useful." Daniel's expression softened. You sound exactly like her.
You know, your grandmother. She used to say something similar. Turn the pain into power, the fear into fuel. She said that to me, too. Of course she did.