The world was too loud.
Ace walked away from The Gilded Cage, his new hearing dialed up to a volume he couldn't control. He could hear a rat scratching inside a dumpster three alleys over, the low murmur of an argument coming through a closed window, and even the steady hum of electrical wires buzzing like angry hornets. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to focus and to push the noise away. It was like trying to drink from a firehose.
<< AUDIO ENHANCEMENT LV.2: FILTERING PROTOCOLS ENGAGED. >>
In moment of desperation, he sent a mental command. The overwhelming rush of sound finally began to fade into a quiet, manageable background hum. He discovered he could still choose to focus and pick out a single conversation from a block away, but the constant assault on his ears was over. He leaned against a brick wall, breathing heavily. The System's rewards were never gentle.
