RONAN'S POV

We didn't answer immediately. Just watched Mercer. Trying to figure out if the call was real or staged.

"That could have been anyone on the phone," Kieran said. "Someone pretending to be your director."

"It wasn't. But you don't have to believe me right now. Wait twenty-four hours. See if backup actually arrives. That'll prove whether I'm legitimate."

"Twenty-four hours is too long," I said. "The program could move against us in that time."

"Then don't wait. Act now. Expose ...