The office was dim, the only light coming from Kane's monitor. The glow painted his face in pale blue, sharp against the shadows. Brandon leaned against the desk, arms folded, restless, his eyes darting between the screen and Kane's expression. The video Laura had forced from the abducted staffer was already circulating in whispers, but Kane wasn't convinced. Something about it felt too clean, too rehearsed, too perfectly damning.
He replayed the footage, slowing it frame by frame. The girl's eyes darted off‑camera, her pauses unnatural, her voice trembling in ways the edit tried to hide. Brandon cursed under his breath. "She's terrified. That's not testimony, that's coercion. Anyone can see it."
