The café was unusually warm that afternoon, sunlight pouring through the glass walls and settling lazily over their usual corner. Athena sat between Madeline and Stephan, her fingers wrapped around a mug she hadn't touched in minutes.
Stephan broke the silence first, leaning forward with his elbows on the table.
"So," he said, eyes bright, "how did it go? Did you scare the interview panel or impress them?"
Athena huffed a quiet laugh. "Neither. I smiled. I answered questions. I waited to be dismissed."
"That's it?" he scoffed. "With your portfolio? Please. They'd be idiots not to take you."
Madeline didn't smile. She watched Athena carefully instead, noting the way her shoulders were too straight, too controlled. "If they do hire you," she said, voice measured, "how long are you planning to stay there?"
Athena finally stirred her drink, slow and deliberate. "A month. Maybe less."
Stephan blinked. "A month? That's it? You're not even pretending this is a career move."
"I'm pretending just enough," Athena replied calmly.
Madeline frowned. "Then what's the real reason you want inside BT Group?"
The spoon stopped moving.
Athena lifted her gaze, meeting Madeline's eyes first, then Stephan's. "Companies like that never stay clean. Somewhere in their system, there's dirt. Financial records. Hidden departments. Encrypted files they think no one will ever look too closely at."
Stephan's joking expression vanished. "And you plan to look."
"I plan to dig," Athena said. "And maybe—" her voice lowered, just slightly, "—find something that leads me to my mother."
"That's reckless," Stephan said immediately. "You're talking about provoking people who don't hesitate to erase problems."
Athena gave a thin smile. "Good. I've been erased before."
Madeline reached across the table and covered Athena's hand. "We're not trying to stop you," she said softly. "We just need you alive at the end of this."
Athena squeezed her fingers back. "That's the plan."
Stephan sighed, rubbing his face. "You know trusting you doesn't mean liking this, right?"
"I know," Athena said. "And I'm still grateful."
Her phone buzzed against the table.
She glanced down, eyes flicking across the screen. For a split second, something like satisfaction—cold and quiet—settled into her expression.
Madeline leaned closer. "What is it?"
Athena turned the screen toward them.
Madeline inhaled sharply. "You got it."
Stephan laughed under his breath. "Told you. Idiots, but not complete idiots."
Athena leaned back, closing her eyes briefly. "One step closer."
"When do you start?" Madeline asked.
"Tomorrow."
Stephan groaned. "That fast? Wow. No adjustment period. No fear."
Athena opened her eyes. "Fear wastes time."
He shook his head, then grinned. "Then today is officially your last normal day. We should do something stupid and fun before you go playing double agent."
Madeline brightened instantly. "Amusement park."
Athena considered it for half a second, then nodded. "Yes. Let's go."
They stood, gathering their things, laughter slipping back into the spaces between them as they headed toward the door. For a little while longer, Athena let herself pretend this was just another day—just friends, just noise, just warmth.
The storm could wait until tomorrow.