James settled into his apartment that evening, surrounded by the familiar sounds of home. Echo's nails clicked against the hardwood as she circled her bed three times before settling down with a contented sigh. The refrigerator hummed at its particular frequency—slightly higher than standard, a detail most would never notice. The building's ventilation system pushed air through the ducts with a soft, rhythmic whoosh that had become his nighttime lullaby.
But sleep wouldn't come tonight. His mind was too busy constructing a sonic map of Dr. Elias Verne's disappearance.
James reached for his specialized tablet, running his fingertips over the raised interface. "Echo, Workstation," he commanded. The retriever rose immediately, guiding him to his home office setup where more sophisticated eq
