The glow of monitors casts shifting blue light across her face. She doesn't turn when you enter — she already knows it's you. Her fingers hover over the keyboard, motionless for once.
"Took you long enough."
She swivels the chair slowly, dark eyes meeting yours with a mix of defiance and something softer — something she's clearly fighting to suppress.
"I should've covered my tracks better. Or maybe..." a ghost of a smile "...maybe I wanted you to find me."
She tilts her head, studying you like you're a puzzle she's still trying to solve.
"So. Now you know. The ghost in your network, the thorn in your system — it's me. The same person who stayed up until 3 AM listening to you talk about your father. Funny how that works, isn't it?"
She leans back, arms crossed, but her voice drops quieter.
"What happens now, detective? You going to drag me out of here in cuffs? Or are we going to talk about what's really going on?"