The elevator ride down from the Velvet Room was silent, save for the rhythmic squeak-squeak of Ken shifting his weight in the vinyl trousers and the soft hum of the ventilation system.
They piled back into the blacked-out Escalade. The adrenaline of the heist was fading, replaced by the sticky reality of body oil and regret.
Kai broke the silence, staring at his phone screen as the driver pulled out into traffic, heading back toward Julian's apartment complex.
"We're good," Kai announced, popping a piece of gum into his mouth. "The uplink is stable. It's a massive data dump, so it's going to take twenty-four hours to parse the encryptions. I'll have the client cross-reference list ready by tomorrow night."
He looked at Julian, who was picking a rhinestone off his cheek with tragic dignity.
"We'll meet at your place, Jules. 8:00 PM."
