The air between Silas and Elizabeth remained charged, their eyes locked as the initial pleasantries fell away, revealing the underlying currents of tension and curiosity. Elizabeth swirled the wine in her glass, but her focus remained on Silas, scrutinizing every shift in his expression, every pause between his words. He was a puzzle she was yet to solve, and she hates unsolved puzzles.
"So, Silas," she began, her tone light but her words laced with intent, "you've certainly made a splash with this VR Pod of yours. But you must know that this kind of attention doesn't come without a price. The world's most powerful entities—governments, corporations, even organizations and agencies like the BEM—are all very interested in your next move."
