Chapter 48 Summary
Dr. Alexandra Conner reviews reports of unexplained anomalies in the Quest system. Her team is unsure of the source, and while she considers reaching out to Robert Jackson for help—given his expertise—she hesitates, knowing Quest has flagged him as a potential national security threat. Eventually, she calls him, asking if he would speak with two of her technicians about the issue, but denies him direct access to the system. Jackson, initially panicked by her call, agrees to help and later calls Joe Carter to meet for lunch the next day, hoping to get an outside perspective on the situation.
Meanwhile, Thomas Allen returns to ByteForge Security, now calmer after his earlier frustration over the contract change. At the office, he waits while Samir Patel and Jordan Gregory finish reviewing the project charter. The meeting has gone well, and the three men head out to lunch together.
Over drinks and food, they discuss the revised contract. Allen confirms he’s updated the contract accordingly and offers to retrieve the revised version from his car after lunch. Jordan proposes they sign it at the restaurant and then return to the office so he and Samir can begin working together for the afternoon.
