Thorne's Unspoken Warning

Julian's phone rang just as he and Elara were reviewing the quarter's projections. His brow furrowed when he checked the caller ID.

"I need to take this," he said, stepping away from her desk.

Elara nodded, turning her attention back to the spreadsheets. The numbers were promising. YodaVision had exceeded all growth targets for the first quarter, largely due to the neural network modifications she'd implemented.

Julian's voice drifted over from across the room, his tone sharp with concern. "When did this happen? Are you certain?"

Elara glanced up, noticing the tension in his shoulders. Something was wrong.

When Julian returned, his face was grim. "We need to talk. Privately."

They moved to his office, and Julian closed the door behind them. He paced for a moment before speaking.

"That was our contact at the Defense Department. Someone tried to block our security clearance renewal."

Elara felt her stomach drop. "Who?"