Kent was just leaving his home when his phone rang. He quickly pulled it from his pocket and answered, his pace hastening when he saw Nicolai's name flashing on the screen.

"Hey, Nick," Kent said, his voice crisp and respectful. "I know I'm late, but I'm heading to the company right now, so don't..."

Kent trailed off, taken aback by Nicolai's response. "That's not why I called, Kent."

Kent furrowed his brow. "Really?"

Nicolai's tone was firm. "Yes, I called to ask you to go check up on ...