Check chapter 7, 9, 23, 24 for FLASHBACKS of Jake's past
----
The soft click of the elevator doors closing behind Catharine signaled the end of Jake's morning reprieve. He stood in the foyer for a moment, the taste of sourdough and expensive coffee still lingering, before turning toward the heavy oak doors of his study.
Inside, the room was cool and dim. The only light came from the six-monitor array that hummed with a low, electronic heat. He sat in the ergonomic chair, the leather creaking under his weight, and woke the screens with a sharp tap on the spacebar.
He didn't just need the money for the sake of luxury anymore. He needed the war chest to be bottomless. Between the specialists for Aliya and the impending legal blitz against Sterling and the Livingstons, he needed to be able to outspend everyone in the Republic.
