Luke's POV
Living with Jared for a week had reinforced his reputation for being lazy, though I had to admit that his bursts of focus were undeniably impressive. Today, he had left early to recruit more workers, leaving just Stephen and me in the house. As I descended the stairs, I spotted Stephen carefully packing blueprints into his bag. Curious about his plans, I inquired further and discovered he was en route to Dandance, a major smartphone company, to present his blueprints. Intrigued by the idea of accompanying him, I suggested tagging along, and Stephen readily welcomed the company.
Upon arriving at the grand Dandance headquarters, we were directed to a meeting room where we were to meet with the board of directors. After an hour of patient waiting, our moment finally arrived. Stepping into the expansive room, we exchanged pleasantries and Stephen delved into his explanation. His blueprints laid out a groundbreaking concept that harnessed the power of paramagnets to levitate a phone above the ground. The potential benefits spanned from environmental conservation to cost reduction. The board members' genuine interest was palpable as Stephen presented his case with unwavering confidence. He was convinced that they would see the potential and decide to purchase his blueprints.
Yet, the atmosphere shifted as the directors retreated to deliberate. The outcome was a mix of hope and disappointment—they acknowledged the innovation's brilliance but feared its impact on their profits and doubted its marketability. Stephen's face fell, his disappointment visible to all. He requested the return of his blueprints, and the directors begrudgingly complied. Exiting the building, a sense of dejection lingered in the air.
Walking down the bustling street, Stephen subtly suggested a change of route, revealing that we were being tailed. Clearly, the company wasn't willing to let us walk away with the blueprints. We altered our pace, attempting to blend into the crowd, but our pursuers persisted. Urging us to increase our speed, they dogged our steps. Swiftly turning into an alleyway, an impulsive decision fueled by desperation, we were met with a barrage of gunfire. Taking shelter behind a crate, Stephen swiftly ignited the blueprints, a last-ditch attempt to obliterate the evidence. With my hands raised in surrender, I followed suit. Despite Stephen's assurances that the blueprints were now ashes, our assailants maintained their menacing stance. In an intense standoff, the situation escalated further as a police officer intervened, demanding compliance. The once-bustling street had transformed into a chaotic battleground, where the line between safety and peril was blurred and our destiny hung by a thread.