Power Lines

faster than

Voss Technologies sweating through his too-tight shirt and slightly

d in, her expression unreadable. "You'

ying to sound like a professional and

ilding buzzed with activity-assistants on calls, analysts glued to their screens, and glass-wal

ady seated at his desk, tapping away at a laptop wit

Ethan said wit

make a good

respond. Just

tting his bag down on the empty desk to the righ

said after a pause. "You'll find my calendar, call schedule, and t

booted up instantly-of course-and within moments he was staring at E

y meeting tomorrow," Ethan added. "The slides are in last T

aven

ut," Ethan s

ed but nod

ting clearly done by someone who didn't care about aesthetics or logic. Noah reworked the layout, color-coded the key metrics, a

door hissing shut behind him. Noah caught flashes of his expression-cool, controlled, with a tight jaw and clipped

n his boss was not only cliché-it was dangerous. Ethan had b

ed the sli

s back, leaning over hi

palette had almost no contrast. Not great for visibilit

brow. "You're not s

ur time," Noah replied, meet

as a lo

id, stepping back. "You'll be in the room. Sit quietly, tak

," Noa

business partners across three different time zones. Noah answered phones, scheduled meetings

lights dimmed slightly, and the skyline outsid

is desk, looking lik

his stiff legs. "Do y

d up, deadpa

led softly

rs," Ethan said.

ds lo

"What makes you think

t say you did. Just... d

erate, moving toward the window

d itself," he said. "Sacr

eah, but what's the point of building somethi

ity lights. "That's a very poetic sentiment, Mr. Re

hrugged. "Maybe greatness d

ike he couldn't decide if

id at last. "You

t's... high praise

head," Ethan said, alread

headed for the door, bu

id, voice softer now. "I kno

up, but something

llenge," he said quietly, "or

once. "Guess

is heart pounding faster