The headset digs into your skull as the hum of the call floor fills your ears. The scent of stale coffee and plastic headsets lingers in the air. You dial Dane and wait. Your phone hums, indicating a ring on the other side. It hums again, and again. You count the hums without meaning to, quietly hoping he does not pick up. You are genuinely tired. All you want now is to go home, drop everything, and sink into your bed with a full belly, but it is the process required to get to that full belly that keeps pulling you back into this. The line clicks. “Yeah?” You close your eyes briefly. Of course. “Hey,” you say, adjusting your grip on the phone as you step a little further from the entrance. “It’s me.” “I figured,” Dane replies. There’s movement on his end, traffic, maybe, or just him walking. “You good?” You let out a small breath. “I’ve started.” There’s a short pause. Not long enough to be dramatic, just long enough for him to shift his attention properly. “Alright,” he says. “Talk to me.” You glance back at the building behind you before continuing. “I’ve made contact,” you say. “Kept it light. Internal tone. Nothing that stands out. Just flagged the pharma concentration in their portfolio.” “And?” “I followed it up,” you add. “Found something, a committee interview. One of the officials isn’t fully convinced the NHS spending increase is going through cleanly. I referenced it. Framed it as a timing issue. Correlated exposure, that sort of thing.” Dane lets out a quiet exhale, something between approval and acknowledgement. “So you’re not pushing. Just… opening it up.” “Yeah,” you say. “Just putting it there. Letting her pick it up if she wants to.” “That’s good,” he replies. “That’s exactly how you want to play it.” You shift your weight slightly, watching a couple walk past without really seeing them. “I’m expecting a response,” you say. “Probably not immediate, but… maybe later.” “And if she doesn’t?” “Then I wait,” you say. “Or I follow up tomorrow. No rush.” Another pause. Dane hums softly, like he’s thinking through it. “You sound like you’ve got it under control.” “I do,” you say, though the words come out more tired than confident. He notices. “You alright?” he asks. You let out a small laugh. “Just… long day.” “Yeah,” he says. “Get used to that.” “I was afraid you’d say that.” There’s a brief silence that isn’t quite empty. “You did good,” Dane says after a moment. “First contact is the tricky part. After that, it’s just keeping it consistent.” “Yeah.” “Just don’t get clever,” he adds. “Keep it simple. Let her do the thinking.” “I know.” “I mean it.” “I know,” you repeat. You glance at your phone screen for a second, then back up at the street. “I’ll let you know when she responds,” you say. “Do that,” Dane replies. “And get some rest if you can. You sound like you need it. I'll relay progress to Mango.” “Thanks.” You both linger for half a second longer, like there’s something else to say, but neither of you picks it up. “Alright,” he says. “Yeah,” you reply. The line cuts. Immediately after, right on cue, Elizabeth walks out the door. [[Cybercrime/The_Phisherman/Off to party!|Off to party!]]