2026-02-11 23:14:21
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Michael's phone buzzed insistently as he climbed the stairs to his apartment, each vibration sending another wave of irritation through his already frayed nerves. The second quarterly assessment had been a disaster, and the last thing he needed was more spam calls or more notifications of his siblings' psychological warfare.But when he finally looked at his phone, he froze. Seventeen new messages from the same unknown number that had been haunting him for weeks.Message 1: "Neural pathway degradation accelerating. Time running short."Message 5: "Her cognitive matrix is fragmenting. You've noticed the episodes."Message 17: "Contact me before it's too late. She doesn't have long.""Bloody hell," Michael muttered, scrolling through the increasingly urgent messages. Each one contained details about Ava's condition that no outsider should know. Details that chilled him to the bone because they were accurate.He deleted the messages with savage swipes, but his hands were shaking. Who was
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Once again they were all gathered at the auditorium of the Medici Manor. Michael adjusted his tie nervously as he entered through the side entrance, having specifically avoided the main foyer where photographers clustered like vultures. The past few days events had worn him down to his core. But he was glad he'd managed to use Octavian's loan to fund Mara's coffee shop."Jesus Christ," he muttered under his breath, surveying the crowd. "This is like a zoo."Frank looked... different. He was still frail, but seemed to have added a few more pounds since the last assessment. His eyes hadn't lost their sharpness as they scanned the room. "Ladies and gentlemen," Frank finally said. "Welcome to our second quarterly assessment. My children will present their achievements, and you, as representatives of Denver's business community, will witness the future of Medici name."The applause was polite but hungry. These people smelled blood in the water and were here to watch the feeding frenzy.
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Michael's heart hammered against his chest as he heard the distant sound of something shattering from the building's lower levels. Professor Nakamura looked up from his workbench, his face creasing with concern."How many floors down?" Nakamura asked, his voice tight."Three," Ava replied, her optical sensors tracking movement through the walls. "They're moving fast. Coordinated breach on multiple entry points. Professional military formation."The sound of heavy boots echoed through the building's stairwells, growing louder with each passing second. Michael hissed in annoyance as the reality of their situation sank in. Whoever these people were, they weren't here for a friendly chat."Ava, can we get out through the roof access?" Michael asked, grabbing his jacket.She shook her head, her expression grim. "Negative. Thermal imaging shows three snipers positioned on adjacent buildings. They've planned this extensively."Nakamura was already moving, shoving some equipment and hard dri
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The video call connected with a soft chime, and Michael found himself staring at what looked like a retired beach bum rather than a distinguished professor. The elderly man on screen wore a garish Hawaiian shirt covered in oversized palm trees and surfboards, his gray hair tousled as if he'd just woken up. Behind him, Michael could see a cluttered apartment filled with technical equipment and coral beads."Lizzy-chan!" Professor Nakamura's face lit up as his eyes found Lizzy. "It's been too long! How are your art studies going? Still painting those beautiful portraits?""I'm doing well, Professor. Thank you for taking the call on such short notice." Lizzy's voice carried a fondness that surprised Michael. "I have someone I'd like you to meet. This is my brother, Michael Sullivan."Michael leaned into the camera's view. "Hello, Professor Nakamura. Lizzy speaks very highly of you.""Ah, any brother of Lizzy's is a friend of mine," Nakamura said with a bow of his head. "Though I must say
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Michael sat in his cramped living room, staring at the local news broadcast on his phone. The reporter, a polished woman with perfectly styled hair, spoke excitedly about yesterday's incident. "In a shocking turn of events, Maxwell Medici was arrested last night following what appears to be a family dispute that escalated into alleged breaking and entering. The incident occurred at the apartment building of Michael Sullivan, the recently acknowledged illegitimate son of billionaire Frank Medici..."Michael switched off his phone. "Family dispute," he muttered. "That's what they're calling attempted burglary now?"Ava remained motionless in her charging position by the window, her silver-blue eyes dim and unfocused. She'd been in low-power mode for nearly fifteen hours now, and Michael felt uncomfortably lonely without her. The silence in the apartment was broken only by the occasional hum of her systems.A sharp knock at the door made Michael jump. He approached cautiously, peering t
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Michael opened his apartment door to find three men standing in the hallway. They looked like they'd walked out from that Matrix movie, with their long identical suits and slicked hair."Michael Sullivan?" the lead agent asked, holding up a leather badge wallet."That's me.""Agent Bernard, FBI Financial Crimes Unit. These are Agents Sanchez and McClain. We need to discuss some suspicious activity you're involved in."Michael stepped aside, gesturing them into his apartment. "Of course. I'm happy to cooperate with any investigation."The three men filed in, their eyes scanning the space with barely concealed disappointment. Whatever they'd expected, Michael's studio apartment clearly wasn't it."Nice place," Agent Sanchez said with a smirk. "Very... humble for a billionaire."Agent Bernard shot his colleague a warning look. "We're here about the thirty million dollar scandal. Can you explain the source of these funds?"Michael settled onto his couch, projecting calm while his mind rac
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