Table thirteen was unpopular because it sat beside a service column.

Sienna dropped beneath it.

Nico immediately said, “What are you doing?”

“Finding your evidence.”

She ran her fingers underneath the tabletop.

Nothing.

Then along the column.

Click.

A small magnetic panel opened.

Inside was a tiny encrypted drive.

Marco stared.

“Crane hid that for three weeks?”

Sienna held it up.

“And hundreds of customers sat beside it.”

Elliot smiled weakly.

“Exactly.”

Marco connected the drive using the black card.

Files appeared.

Contracts.

Recorded meetings.

Payments.

Internal messages.

Enough evidence to destroy Victor Hale’s position and expose Damian Rusk’s conspiracy.

Nico read silently.

Then Sienna noticed one file name.

VSP-TUESDAY

“Tuesday?”

Marco opened it.

A floor plan appeared.

Vesper.

Sienna’s face changed.

“That’s why someone altered the schedule.”

Nico looked at her.

“What?”

She hurried to the employee board.

Her Tuesday shift had been crossed out.

Then rewritten.

SIENNA — CLOSE

She stared.

“I didn’t request this.”

Marco checked the digital system.

“Change made from Hale’s executive credentials.”

Nico’s voice became dangerously quiet.

“He wanted her here.”

“Why?” Sienna asked.

Elliot answered from behind them.

“Because he thought I’d tell you where the files were.”

The truth settled over the room.

Sienna had never been random.

Hale believed Elliot trusted her.

So he had put her on Tuesday’s closing schedule.

He planned to use her to locate Elliot’s evidence.

Nico turned to Marco.

“Cancel Tuesday operations.”

“No.”

Everyone looked at Sienna.

Nico’s expression hardened.

“No?”

“If you cancel, Hale knows we found everything.”

“I’m not using you as bait.”

“I didn’t suggest that.”

“You were about to.”

“I was absolutely about to.”

“No.”

Sienna stepped closer.

“Nico, he thinks I don’t know anything.”

“He’s wrong.”

“Exactly.”

“No.”

“Would you stop saying that?”

“No.”

She pointed at him.

“You are unbelievably irritating.”

“You poked a mafia boss because he blocked a piece of paper.”

“A schedule.”

“That distinction isn’t helping you.”

Elliot coughed out a laugh.

Nico glared at him.

Sienna folded her arms.

“Hale expects me Tuesday.”

“Yes.”

“So Tuesday I work.”

“No.”

“And we let him expose himself.”

“No.”

“Nico—”

“No.”

She stared at him.

Then quietly asked, “Are you afraid?”

Marco suddenly became fascinated with his phone.

Nico’s eyes narrowed.

“For you?”

“Yes.”

He didn’t answer immediately.

That was enough.

Sienna’s expression softened.

“I’m afraid too.”

“Then listen to me.”

“But being afraid doesn’t make your plan better.”

“What plan?”

“Hiding me indefinitely while Hale changes strategy.”

Nico knew she was right.

He hated that she knew it too.

Finally he asked, “If we do this, you follow every instruction.”

Sienna smiled.

“That seems unrealistic.”

“Sienna.”

“Fine.”

“No improvising.”

“Probably.”

“No poking anyone.”

She glanced at his chest.

“No promises.”

For the first time, Nico actually laughed.

It was brief.

Low.

Real.

Sienna stared.

“There.”

His smile vanished.

“You imagined it.”

“Oh, absolutely not.”

Marco shook his head.

“We’re doomed.”

But Tuesday was coming.

And this time, Vesper would be waiting.

---