Jayden spent the morning at the Emerald City park, grinding through his System-mandated Daily Quest. The repetitive burn of lifting and running helped clear the lingering adrenaline from his system. By the time he returned home, the house was quiet, and he dedicated the afternoon entirely to Jessica and Tasha. They ordered massive boxes of deep-dish pizza, commandeered the living room, and spent hours battling each other in immersive VR fighting games. For a few precious hours, there were no Pioneers, no syndicate, and no EVA. There was just laughter, trash talk, and the simple warmth of family.
When Harleen and Jacob finally returned from work that evening, the house filled with the comforting aromas of a home-cooked dinner. They ate together around the dining table, sharing stories of their day. It was perfect. It was exactly the kind of life Jayden was fighting so desperately to protect.
