The Manhattan skyline stretched before Michael as he stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Buzzer Tech temporary headquarters. Fifty floors up, New York City sprawled in every direction—a concrete and glass jungle that never truly slept. The early morning sun glinted off the Hudson River to the west while the East River shimmered to the east, both waterways embracing the island like protective arms."New York," Michael murmured, taking a deep breath. "You've developed a lot in the future."Even now, the city was almost unrecognizable from his childhood memories—gleaming new towers where decaying buildings once stood, revitalized neighborhoods that had once been avoided after dark, infrastructure innovations that had transformed how the metropolis functioned. Yet in his previous timeline, even greater changes had occurred in the decade after his death—changes he now had the opportunity to shape or redirect."Talking to yourself again?" Sophia asked, entering the room with a garm

Michael straightened his tie as he walked into the Buzzer Tech conference room. The sleek glass walls offered a view of the bustling development floor below, where engineers worked on prototypes that would change everything. Olivia and Megan were already seated at the polished table, tablets and documents spread between them."The Asian numbers are in," Olivia announced without preamble, sliding a tablet across the table. "And they're absolutely insane."Michael caught the device, his eyes widening as he scrolled through the data. "Forty-seven percent growth in Japan? In one month?""That's just Japan," Megan added, barely containing her excitement. "South Korea hit sixty-three percent. Taiwan's showing similar patterns. We can't manufacture fast enough to keep up with demand.""The neural interface technology is resonating differently in Asian markets," Olivia explained, pulling up comparative charts. "Cultural acceptance of human-technology integration is much higher there. What Ame

The elevator to Liana Garcia's private studio required a special key card and biometric scan. Michael adjusted his black mask as they ascended to the fortieth floor, the city lights blinking below them through the glass walls. Sophia stood beside him, her usual confidence tempered with nervous energy."Remember," she whispered, "she's going to test you. Liana doesn't work with anyone unless she's absolutely certain they understand her vision."Michael nodded. He'd spent the entire day researching Liana Garcia's work, studying her previous collaborations, understanding what drove one of the most demanding artists in the fashion world. The Black Investor needed to be more than just technically competent tonight—he needed to be visionary.The elevator doors opened to reveal a space that was part laboratory, part art gallery, part fashion atelier. Mannequins displayed impossible garments that seemed to shift and breathe in the ambient lighting. Fabric samples hung from the c

Fashion Week had arrived with the force of a cultural hurricane. Michael stood in the shadows backstage at Lincoln Center, watching the controlled chaos that preceded Liana Garcia's show. The venue buzzed with unprecedented energy—photographers jostled for position, fashion journalists whispered into phones, and industry insiders tried to catch glimpses of what everyone was calling "the most anticipated show of the decade."The backstage area was a maze of hanging garments, makeup stations, and nervous energy. Models moved between stylists like dancers in a choreographed performance, their faces masks of professional concentration. But Michael could feel the underlying tension crackling through the air."This is insane," Sophia whispered, appearing beside him with a tablet clutched in her hands. "The media coverage is beyond anything we anticipated. CNN, BBC, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar—everyone's here."Michael scanned the backstage area, his enhanced perception cataloging t

Michael's phone had been buzzing nonstop for three hours. By the time he made it back to his apartment, the notifications had reached the thousands. Every major news outlet, fashion magazine, and technology blog was covering the Fashion Week show that had "changed everything overnight."He scrolled through the headlines on his secure tablet, each one more dramatic than the last:"NEURAL FASHION REVOLUTION: The Dress That Reads Your Mind" "BREAKTHROUGH OR BREAKDOWN: Technology Meets Couture" "THE FUTURE IS WEARABLE: Inside the So Black Phenomenon"But it was the video clips that truly captured the magnitude of what had happened. Louise's walk down the runway had been recorded from dozens of angles, shared millions of times across every social platform, and analyzed frame by frame by fashion experts and technology commentators.The dress itself had become iconic within hours. The flowing colors, the responsive patterns, the way it seemed to pulse with Louise's heartbea