I made it down to the tech level before Drakon, my boots making little sound against the cool concrete. The server fans hummed softly in the background, a steady, mechanical drone that filled the quiet corridor.
Michael looked up from his glowing monitors the second I walked into his office. "What's up?" he asked, spinning slightly in his chair.
"Let's wait for Drakon," I said, leaning against the edge of the doorway with my hands in my pockets.
"Okay," Michael nodded, pulling his hands back from his keyboard.
A heavy beat of silence settled between us, broken only by the rhythmic blinking of green and blue lights across his consoles. Michael shifted in his chair, rubbing the back of his neck as his expression softened with genuine regret.
"Hey, Kira..." he started, his tone quiet. "I
