Ethan closed the door behind him, shutting out the sounds of laughter and conversation drifting through Jessica's house. The muffled noise faded into a warm hum as he stood alone in the quiet room.
He exhaled slowly.
'I'd love to stay out there… but I've got something more urgent to deal with,' he reminded himself.
The room was simple. It was clean, and warm, with a touch of lived-in comfort, but his eyes barely registered it. His thoughts were elsewhere.
'I can't focus on anything else right now. The system's waiting.'
With a blink, the familiar interface flared to life before him, glowing softly in the dim light. The translucent panels hovered with quiet authority as if they too had been waiting patiently.
Ethan sat on the edge of the bed, his fingers laced loosely in his lap, eyes fixed on the floating display.
"Alright," he muttered, the tension in his voice betraying his calm. "Time for an upgrade."
A focused thought was all it took.
