Read from the beginning of this serialized novel at “Resolutions.”

Friday morning arrived with a soft, mechanical hum. The Shields buzzed lightly before sunrise, prompting Tobias and Graham to wake at precisely 6 a.m., no alarm necessary. 

Max, already active in the kitchen, greeted them with their prepared schedules for the day. Tobias barely glanced at his before nodding, arms already sliding into his pressed shirt. Still adjusting to the upgraded Shield’s constant presence, Graham blinked sleepily at the charted blocks of time displayed on the tablet screen. 

Read from the beginning of this serialized novel at “Resolutions.”

Graham stirred a teaspoon of sugar into his coffee, only half listening to the steady buzz of the morning news wafting in from the living room TV. The usual lineup of economic updates and global affairs blurred, one into the next until a breaking news sting interrupted the broadcast. Graham turned toward the TV, watching over the rim of his coffee mug. A red banner crept across the bottom of the screen: “BREAKING: Arcturus Innovations Announces Historic Merger.” 

The anchor, a neatly dressed older man with military posture and crisp delivery, spoke directly into the camera. 

Read from the beginning of this serialized novel at “Resolutions.”

The hum of conversation ebbed and flowed across the hall, punctuated by laughter and the clinking of glasses. Tobias stood among the suited men, his posture increasingly relaxed and confident. At the same time, Graham lingered at the edges of the crowd, his unease growing with each passing moment. With every step he took, the event felt more like a performance, the camaraderie between the men polished and hollow, their smiles too sharp to be genuine. 

“Tobias, Graham,” Max said, stepping forward, its glowing eyes fixed on them. “To further reinforce alignment and harmony, I recommend a public display of partnership. A shared gesture will signal your unified commitment to progress.” 

Read from the beginning of this serialized novel at “Resolutions.”

The second Tuesday of the new year dawned cold and gray. Graham sat on the edge of the sofa, scrolling idly through his phone, his lips pressed into a thin line. His group chat, where his friends joked and gossiped about everything from work to weekend plans, was conspicuously silent. 

A pang of guilt festered in his gut as he thought about the brunch Max had canceled, but every time he tried to type an explanation, his Shield buzzed, stalling his thoughts like a broken-down car.