With AI shortstaffed, Nathan had taken to doing overlapping duties to get more people out in the field, from running his practice alongside doing AI office work, to even doing a few patrols. Right now, he was currently balancing manning the front desk, taking care of part of his own case load and sorting through the set-aside investigation cases in order to figure out which would go into the queue next.
Having left the desk unstaffed briefly to pull a file out of the office, Nathan came back out to deal with the security system going off – not the loud warning of an intruder, but the warning that someone who was inactive in the system was now being tracked in the hotel. A return. Someone had come back.
"Ma?"
That someone was his mother. While he'd rationalized with himself that she'd be happier back home, there had still be a lot that had been left unresolved. Had the PTB realized that? Did he care if they had?
"At least you're back," he said, dropping the file on the counter, offering her a smile that was part questioning. "How long's it been for you?" It didn't even occur to him that this would be 'his' Angela.