1. Narrow support aisle outside the open-plan desks. Nathan Cole standing with phone pressed hard to his ear, one hand braced against a cubicle wall covered in old compliance calendars. On his monitor: a client file list and a yellowing VB6 dialog box. Ethan Carter waits at the end of the aisle holding the packet against his thigh, laptop under one arm, expression controlled. In the background, Linda Pritchard pauses near a filing cabinet with her binder held to her chest; Sharon Mills and Donna Reeves are at a shared desk pretending to review printouts while listening. Fluorescent office light. Wednesday, 10:37 — Five Minutes The call should have taken two minutes.

    Wednesday, 10:37 — Five Minutes

    Narrow support aisle outside the open-plan desks. Nathan Cole standing with phone pressed hard to his ear, one hand braced against a cubicle wall covered in old compliance calendars. On his monitor: a client file list and a yellowing VB6 dialog box. Ethan Carter waits at the end of the aisle holding the packet against his thigh, laptop under one arm, expression controlled. In the background, Linda Pritchard pauses near a filing cabinet with her binder held to her chest; Sharon Mills and Donna Reeves are at a shared desk pretending to review printouts while listening. Fluorescent office light.
  2. Small conference room with faux-wood table scarred by years of coffee rings. Nathan Cole: wrinkled pale-blue button-down, sleeves rolled, tie absent, wedding ring, under-eye shadows, legal pad full of cramped handwriting. Ethan Carter: dark jeans, black t-shirt, charcoal zip hoodie open, messenger bag on chair, laptop open beside a neat stack of printed Cucumber results and a yellow sticky note reading 'bounded fix'. On the table: two paper cups of burnt office coffee, a printout of the Detroit withholding mismatch, a folder tabbed with client names, and a wall clock reading 08:12. Cold gray Ohio morning through the blinds, rain residue on the window. Wednesday, 08:12 — The Packet Nathan had spent enough years in this building to know the difference between a meeting and a sacrifice.

    Wednesday, 08:12 — The Packet

    Small conference room with faux-wood table scarred by years of coffee rings. Nathan Cole: wrinkled pale-blue button-down, sleeves rolled, tie absent, wedding ring, under-eye shadows, legal pad full of cramped handwriting. Ethan Carter: dark jeans, black t-shirt, charcoal zip hoodie open, messenger bag on chair, laptop open beside a neat stack of printed Cucumber results and a yellow sticky note reading 'bounded fix'. On the table: two paper cups of burnt office coffee, a printout of the Detroit withholding mismatch, a folder tabbed with client names, and a wall clock reading 08:12. Cold gray Ohio morning through the blinds, rain residue on the window.