Page 50 of Sy

Ashley’s back teeth ground together. Beside her, Michelle shifted in her chair, radiating tension.

“The seismic activity was unprecedented,” Ashley repeated, fighting to keep her voice level. “None of our geological surveys indicated?—”

“Perhaps if you’d been focused on your actual duties instead of personal matters—” Barrett’s voice dripped with contempt.

“The board is seriously reconsidering our investment in this operation,” Reynolds cut in. “The equipment losses, the medical expenses, the disruption to our timeline…” He leaned forward, his forearms resting on the desk in front of him. “We’re not convinced the leadership as it stands is equipped to handle these challenges.”

Her stomach clenched. The threat was clear. They were looking for an excuse to clean house, and she and Michelle were to be the scapegoats. Her mind raced to her crew. Families were depending on these contracts—promises made and futures planned. The weight of it pressed against her chest like a physical thing.

“You have forty-eight hours,” Reynolds declared, cutting through her thoughts like a laser. “Present us with a comprehensive damage assessment and action plan. Make sure to include a detailed explanation of how you intend to prevent further losses.”

His dark eyes bored into her. “Failure to satisfy the board’s concerns will result in immediate suspension and loss of remuneration. Is that clear?”

The threat hung in the air like smoke. Ashley forced herself to nod, her professional mask firmly in place despite the Rage burning in her chest. “Perfectly clear, sir.”

“Dismissed.” Reynolds’ image flickered out, followed quickly by Barrett’s, leaving Ashley and Michelle alone in the suddenly too-quiet room.

Her shoulders slumped as soon as the holo-screen went dark. The comm room felt smaller somehow, the walls pressing in with the weight of the executives’ threats still hanging in the air. She pressed her fingertips against her temples, trying to ease the tension headache building there.

Michelle pushed back from the table, her chair scraping against the floor. “Well, that was brutal.” She stood, smoothing her dirt-stained uniform in an automatic gesture. “But something’s not right here.”

“You noticed it too?” Ashley straightened, her spine cracking after being held rigid for so long.

“They knew too much.” Michelle’s brow furrowed as she moved toward the door. “Did you notify headquarters about the earthquake?”

“No.” Ashley fell into step beside her as they left the comm room. “There hasn’t been time. Between the injuries, the rescue operation, and Lila…” She shook her head. “I haven’t filed any reports yet.”

“Then how the fuck did they know?” Michelle asked as they emerged into the corridor. “Not just about the earthquake, but about Lila, about you leaving to rescue her?—”

The words died in her throat as they rounded the corner. Ashley followed her gaze and felt her blood turn to ice. Thompson stood partially hidden in an alcove, speaking quietlyinto a personal comm unit. When he spotted them, he pocketed the device. His lips curved into a small, satisfied smile that made her stomach turn.

“Son of a—” The curse caught in her throat as Sy’s warning from days ago suddenly clicked into place. Someone sneaking out to make calls. Someone feeding information back to the company.

“Ashley?” Michelle touched her arm, concern evident in her voice.

“It was him.” She watched as Thompson walked away down the corridor, that smug smile still playing on his lips like he hadn’t a care in the world. “Sy told me someone from the human group was sneaking out to make calls. I should have…”

Her hands curled into hard fists at her sides. “I should have realized sooner.”

Michelle’s intake of breath was sharp. “Thompson? But why would he?—”

“Because he’s wanted my job since day one. He’s been undermining me from the start, and now…” She thought of the executives’ threats, their specific knowledge, their eagerness to find fault. “Now he might actually succeed.”

The lights hummed overhead as they watched Thompson disappear around a distant corner, his measured steps echoing with the confidence of a man who thought he’d won. Ashley’s nails bit into her palms as fury and betrayal warred in her chest.

“We need proof,” Michelle said quietly, her usual calm manner hardening into something more determined. “If he’s been feeding information to corporate?—”

“Oh, we’ll get proof.” Her voice was steel wrapped in silk. She thought of Lila in the medical center, of her injured crew members, of all the people depending on this operation for their livelihoods. “That asshole just made a serious mistake.”

A distant door slammed, making them both jump. She forced her fingers to unclench, conscious of the half-moon marks her nails had left in her palms.

“I need to get back to Lila.” She took a deep breath, trying to center herself. “But tomorrow…”

“Tomorrow we start gathering evidence,” Michelle finished, her expression grim. “He won’t know what hit him.”

Boot heels cracked against stone,echoing through the fortress corridor. Sy recognized Ashley’s stride even before she appeared around the corner ahead of him. She moved with sharp, determined steps toward the medical wing, her shoulders rigid with tension.

“Ashley.”

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