The fragment of damaged transport authorization still rested between Lucian's fingers longer than it needed to.
Not because he was studying it further.
Because putting it down meant accepting what it represented.
The room stayed quiet around them.
Rei remained near the storage cabinet. Alistair stood slightly behind Lucian, eyes fixed on the fragment rather than the desk now, as if the object had quietly rewritten the rules of what they were dealing with.
Lucian finally lowered his hand.
He placed the fragment back onto the desk.
Not carefully enough to feel sentimental.
Not roughly enough to feel dismissive.
Just controlled.
That control stayed in the room after his hand left it.
Alistair broke the silence first.
But his voice had changed.
Less sharp.
More grounded.
"So someone did not just cover something up."
A short pause followed, his gaze still on the seal impression.
"They erased it properly."
Lucian did not look up from the desk.
"Yes."
