“Be careful, Derek,” I said. “She knows you’re out there.”

“I can handle her, Sarah,” he said.

“No, you can’t,” I said. “None of us ever could.”

Friday morning arrived with an unusual chill in the air, the coastal fog lingering late over the peninsula.

The Solar Reach headquarters was a hive of activity, with engineers running diagnostic tests and administrative staff preparing the outdoor presentation area.

Three large, black SUVs pulled into the parking lot at nine-thirty.

The board members stepped out, their faces serious, dressed in dark suits that contrasted with the casual attire of our staff.

Dr. Aris walked toward me, his grey hair neatly combed.

“Sarah,” he said, shaking my hand. “We need a good showing today. The atmosphere on the committee is tense.”

“The system is ready, Dr. Aris,” I said, guiding him toward the seating area near the microgrid prototype.

The prototype sat in the center of the courtyard, a compact, steel-enclosed unit connected to a bank of high-efficiency solar panels.

Derek was there, wearing his clean work uniform, helping one of the senior technicians attach the final cables to the load bank.