I stood near the desk, waiting for the sound of his footsteps on the stairs.

My fingers traced the outline of the gun in my pocket.

The screen of the laptop on the desk flashed once more, the blue light reflecting off the white walls.

A small dialogue box opened on the screen.

It was an encryption warning.

The backup drive at the warehouse was being accessed remotely.

Sophia saw it too.

She looked at the screen, then at me, her face pale.

“Someone is downloading the files,” she whispered.

The footsteps began on the stairs.

They were slow, heavy, and deliberate.

Each step brought him closer to the room.

The door handle began to turn.

The door handle clicked.

I did not pull my hand from my coat pocket.

The heavy oak door swung open, and the cold draft from the hallway followed Marcus into the room.

He stood in the doorway, his long dark overcoat speckled with melting snowflakes.

His gaze went first to Sophia, then to the laptop, and finally to me.

“Elena,” he said.