Power Lines

oulders. His commute was uneventful, his coffee hot, his tie perfectly ali

aying Ethan'

engaged

etween them. Not enough to spill out anyt

y there, sleeves rolled, tie draped over the back

Ethan said with

s 6:

ablet. "I changed the meeting

put it on th

t deci

but bit back the repl

added, "Black. Two sugars.

say a word.

was tall, charming, and clearly trying to prove something-to Ethan or to himself, Noah couldn't tell. The

y, "you're pushing the Voss

competitors are running outdated archi

n untested launch? Even fo

h. "We don't grow

fortless charisma-movie star confidence with investor polish. And for all his

shoulder as he stood. "Always a pleasure, Voss. Don'

ed a poli

Ethan exhaled slowly, h

didn't know better, I'd thi

yebrow. "He flirt

u flir

ust walked back to his de

ed to his side of the

aid after a b

is familiarity, made Noah's stomach twist. Not jealousy, exactly. Not yet. But h

ffice was in a

rs were spooked, the PR team was scrambling, and Ethan was on back-to-back calls with legal and marketi

ged from his office like

th Randall from DevO

ready confirmed.

You scheduled it

ad tha

t lo

'm about to destroy s

le. But he didn'

ved-nervous, disheveled, clutching

't even le

the patch without

n it through

at affected over 20,000 users," Ethan snapped. "Do

he wanted to disappe

tonight and send a full report to every stakeh

s,

left in

turned to Ethan. "You co

mistake? Let them think m

robots. You can lead

ken like someone who's neve

e not wrong, but you're not the

and for a moment

away. "Get some

ing

etting too close to th

nd coat. "Right. Because

didn't

t as he stepped into the street. He walked for

he felt. Confused?

was

him and a man who didn't trust anyone. A man who h

doing, Reye

.m., Ethan was still there-suit jacket gone, tie

o the doorway. "

look

eout bag. "Spicy udo

d over slowly. "Yo

h said. "But

owing through the glass. Finally, Ethan r

to be soft with

oft," Noah replied. "

met his. "T

handl

oment

d and said quiet

en alone in a glass tower, still figuring out what

t as he stepped into the street. He walked for

he felt. Confused?

was

him and a man who didn't trust anyone. A man who h

doing, Reye

.m., Ethan was still there-suit jacket gone, tie

o the doorway. "

look

eout bag. "Spicy udo

d over slowly. "Yo

h said. "But

owing through the glass. Finally, Ethan r

to be soft with

oft," Noah replied. "

met his. "T

handl

oment

d and said quiet

en alone in a glass tower, still figuring out what