After what should have been a short trip turned into a long one, Alaric returned to his room. His task of buying the batteries was done, and he placed the small bag on his desk.
His plan was to install the new batteries into his equipment right away. He had the small item already in his hand. But before he could open the battery compartment on the device, his phone vibrated. The screen lit up, showing an unknown number.
With a hint of hesitation, Alaric swiped the screen to answer the call.
"Hello, is this Alaric?" The voice on the other end sounded formal, clearly from someone accustomed to speaking in a professional manner.
"Yes, this is him," Alaric replied.
"Good, Alaric. We are calling from Northvale University. We've received a lot of positive feedback about your work, especially regarding your recent innovative project."
