The note arrived folded tight. Security's handwriting, sharp capitals that screamed urgency even in silence. Felicia read the first line and her chest went cold.
Another access attempt. Panel touched during night shift.
She folded it again and shoved it deep into her pocket before the children could see. Her fingers pressed against the paper through fabric, crushing it smaller. Danny was building something with blocks, and Max was drawing with crayons that squeaked against paper.
Felicia walked to the door and opened it. "Damien. Corridor. Now."
Her voice cut through whatever he'd been doing. He appeared in seconds, his expression neutral but alert. She stepped out and pulled the door half-closed behind her.
"Someone touched the system again last night." The words came out hard, each one edged with ice.
Damien's jaw tightened. "I already pulled the logs. I need to show you the time difference."
His tone stayed professional, clipped and focused. No panic, no excuses. Felicia held out her hand, and he placed the tablet in it immediately.
She scrolled through the records. Lines of code, timestamps, access points. Her finger stopped on one entry, and her pulse kicked into a faster rhythm. "This was done from an internal post."
She looked up, meeting his eyes directly. "The enemy is already inside."
Damien nodded once. No argument, no deflection. "Do you want to isolate the post immediately or discreetly?"
His voice stayed level, giving her the choice without pressure. Felicia's mind raced through scenarios, weighing speed against exposure.
"Discreetly."
Damien lifted his radio and spoke quietly into it. "Isolate checkpoint three. No alerts, no movement patterns changed." He didn't make a show of it, didn't raise his voice or add unnecessary commands.
The door behind them creaked open. Danny's small face appeared in the gap, his eyes worried. "Why is Mom serious?"
Felicia turned, her expression smoothing instantly. "I'm working, sweetheart."
Her voice was calm, steady as a heartbeat. Danny studied her face for three seconds, then nodded and retreated back inside. The door clicked shut.
Damien had already stepped back. He'd moved away from the doorway, creating space so he wouldn't loom over either of them. Felicia noticed it immediately, that deliberate choice to make himself smaller.
He wasn't using the children as cover for his orders. Wasn't hiding behind their presence or manipulating the moment.
She filed that observation away and gestured toward his office. They walked without speaking, their footsteps muffled by the corridor runner. Packhouse sounds filtered through walls, distant voices and the clang of kitchen work.
Inside the office, Felicia spread the security logs across the desk. Papers overlapped, creating a map of vulnerability. She pointed at the first page. "Who has keys?"
Damien moved to stand across from her. "Marcus, Jared, Stevens, Simmons, and Keller."
"Codes?"
"Same five, plus Reynolds and Torres."
"Backup entrance access?" Her finger tapped against the desk, sharp little impacts that punctuated each question.
"Marcus, Reynolds, and Garrett."
Felicia's head snapped up. Her eyes narrowed to slits, cold and cutting. "Garrett was near my wing."
Damien's expression went hard. "That's bad."
No hesitation, no defense of his warrior. Just immediate agreement. Felicia leaned forward slightly, her weight shifting onto her hands. "Check his room and his contacts. Quietly."
Damien repeated the order into his comm. "Search Garrett's quarters. Discreet sweep, full contact history." He paused, then added, "Luna's decision, direct order."
He made it clear. This wasn't him acting on suspicion. This was her command, her authority driving the investigation.
Felicia moved around the desk toward the map pinned to the wall. Red markers showed patrol routes, and blue pins marked vulnerable points. She needed to see the whole picture, needed to understand how someone inside could exploit the gaps.
Damien shifted immediately. He moved back and to the side, creating room so she wouldn't be trapped between him and the desk. The space opened up, and she could breathe.
She stopped in front of the map, her finger tracing a route from Garrett's station to her wing. Too close. Too many opportunities. Her shoulders tensed, muscles pulling tight across her back.
"I see how you control yourself." The words came out even, measured. She didn't look at him, kept her eyes on the map. "That matters more than words."
Silence stretched between them. Heavy and charged, electric in a way that made her skin prickle with awareness.
"I remember." Damien's voice was quiet, barely above a whisper.
He didn't add anything romantic, didn't try to turn the moment into something it wasn't. But his gaze stayed on her, she could feel the weight of it on her profile. Heat spread across her cheek, and her pulse kicked up again.
Felicia turned her head slowly. Met his eyes. His expression was carefully controlled, but something burned underneath. Something restrained and dangerous and entirely focused on her.
She held his gaze for five seconds. Her breath caught in her throat, and her fingers curled against her palm. Then she turned back to the map, breaking the connection with deliberate force.
Control. She had to maintain control. Of the situation, of herself, of whatever dangerous thing was building in the space between them.
Damien didn't move closer. He didn't try to capitalize on the pause, didn't reach for her or speak. He just stood there for another moment, then walked toward the door.
"I'll execute the plan." His voice was back to professional, all business.
Felicia nodded without turning around. She heard him leave, heard the door close with a soft click. Only then did she let her breath out in a long, shaky exhale.
Her hands were trembling. She pressed them flat against the cool wall, feeling the solid surface under her palms. The map blurred in front of her eyes, red and blue pins swimming together.
He was following her rules. Respecting her boundaries. Controlling himself in ways she'd never seen him manage before.
And that terrified her more than any security breach ever could. Because if he kept this up, if he stayed consistent and careful and controlled, she might have to face the possibility that people could actually change.
That he could change. And that she might have to decide what to do about it.