The Architect's Protocol

POV: Declan

I stand by the floor-to-ceiling windows of my office on the top floor of Thorne Tower. The glass feels cold against the palm of my hand. It forms a solid barrier between my quiet sanctuary and the sprawling metropolis of steel and glass below. This city operates on ruthless efficiency. It eats the weak and rewards the vicious. Far beneath me, the midday crowd swarms the concrete sidew