At Ayala Exchange Tower 1's twentieth floor, the operations hub of Blackwatch Oriental Camp was buzzing with activity. Richard, however, was out in the hallway, opting to wait rather than interrupt the final minutes of Sara's shift.
He could have just walked in, but with only five minutes left, he figured it made more sense to wait outside.
As he stood there, various staff members occasionally popped out from the command center, grabbing quick breaks. Richard seized the opportunity to chat with one of them, looking for a bit of insight.
"Hey, I'm here to see Sara. How's she doing?" he asked.
"Ahh...sir," the staff member paused, slightly caught off guard. "Sara is just wrapping up her work. She's had a lot on her plate today, but she seems to be handling it fine."
"Got it, thanks," Richard replied, nodding in appreciation. He tried to appear casual, but inside, he was counting down the seconds.