“He thinks I am on his side,” I said. “He thinks I am about to ruin you.”

Elias looked at me for a long moment, the silence stretching between us.

The only sound was the rain drumming against the glass.

Slowly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, silver key card.

He laid it on the desk between us.

“This gets you into the secure archives on the sub-level,” Elias said.

“But you don’t get the patents until I have the proof in my hands.”

I looked at the silver card.

It was the first step.

“Deal,” I said.

I reached out to take the card, but Elias placed his hand over it.

“If you are playing me, Ava,” he whispered, “I will make sure you have nothing left.”

“I know,” I said.

I pulled the card from under his hand.

At that moment, the door to the office flew open.

Daniel Carter stood in the doorway, his coat wet, his eyes scanning the room.

He looked at me, then at Elias, his expression hardening.

“Am I interrupting something?” Daniel asked.