Michael sat in the corner booth of a quiet Italian restaurant three blocks from Sullivan Solutions' new office. He'd chosen this spot specifically because it had multiple exits and a clear view of the street. These days, he never ate anywhere without checking the exits first. Brother North's training had drilled that into him.The waitress refilled his coffee for the third time, shooting him concerned looks. He'd been nursing the same sandwich for forty minutes, checking his phone every few seconds. The text had been simple: "Meet me at Romano's. I have information about your android. Come alone. - D.R."Diego Reyes. The name made Michael's jaw clench. Wagner's man who'd helped with Ava's upgrade, who'd watched silently as Wagner activated that Phoenix protocol, who'd stood by while Michael lost the only... the only friend he'd ever had who truly understood him.The bell above the restaurant door chimed. Michael looked up to see Diego enter. His eyes scanned the room with before spott

The glass doors of Sullivan Solutions Tech gleamed in the morning sun as Michael reviewed security footage from the previous night on his tablet. Alexis sat across from him at the conference table, her red hair catching the light streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows. She was explaining something about the new clients when the receptionist's voice crackled through the intercom: "Mr. Sullivan, you have visitors. It's Phillip Medici and his...lawyer."Michael felt his jaw tighten. Then he said, "Send them to Conference Room B. And ask Marcus and Tony to join us there."Alexis raised an eyebrow and said, "This should be interesting."Michael straightened his suit jacket, another gift from Alexis that cost more than most people's monthly rent. The expensive fabric felt like armor as he walked down the hallway, his confidence growing with each step. Marcus Thompson and Tony Rivera fell into step behind him, their presence subtle but unmistakable. Both men wore perfectly fitted bus