Chapter 17
His Name on the Withdrawal
Theo withdrew every Mercer certification attached to the Lantern.
He did it under oath, naming the altered report, false egress statement, and his own failure to challenge the firm sooner. The licensing board referred Malcolm for investigation. Mercer Urban dismissed Theo before the hearing ended.
Outside, twelve employees waited to learn whether their pensions had disappeared.
Theo told them the truth without promising rescue. The debt could be restructured if another firm acquired the preservation contracts. Nora's cooperative had work but no architect.
Priya looked at Nora. The choice was obvious and therefore dangerous.
"We hire the team through an independent practice," Nora said. "Open tender. Employee ownership. Theo competes like anyone else."
He nodded. No gratitude performance. No claim that accountability deserved affection.
The city granted them forty-eight hours to submit the corrected design. Volunteers moved into the Lantern with laptops and folding beds. Cal measured. Priya budgeted. Former Mercer staff redrew access routes.
At midnight Theo placed the finished plan beside Nora and stepped back.
"You should sleep," he said.
"So should you."
"I have nowhere urgent to be."
Nora wanted to ask him to stay. Instead she sent the plan to independent review.
The reviewer replied at dawn: compliant - provided Daniel Bell released the service lane permanently by noon.