It was the next day already.
The basement office of NeuraNest smelled of stale coffee and solder, light flickered from the single bulb that buzzed like a trapped fly. The monitors gave everywhere bluish light, and on the tables were pizza boxes and tangled cables.
Darren Steele stood at the room's center, hands in his pockets, scanning the setup, calm but piercing, like a hawk circling prey. Beside him, Amelia clutched her leather notebook, her hazel eyes locked on the duo across from them.
Evan Kimura and Lila Torres.
They were both finishing up on their demo, faces painted with nervous and wary expressions.
"Alright, I think that's enough time," Darren said with finality. "You got my attention yesterday, not necessarily my patience. Now show me why I'm here. Run the demo — the full breakdown with no fluff."
Lila nodded, her fingers dancing over the keys, pulling up a dashboard on a scratched monitor.
"It's ready."
