Spotlights blaze across the Smart Security Expo's main hall as Lucien Blake strides toward the stage, confidence carved into every step. Cameras flash like distant lightning. Eli Quinn trails just behind him, senses sharpened. The crowd hushes—anticipation crackling in the air.
Lucien grips the podium. “Welcome," he begins, voice steady and resonant. “Today we unveil Project Aegis's newest adaptive shield protocols." He gestures to a sweeping hologram of interlocking data waves. Murmurs ripple through the audience.
Elara scans the perimeter. Security drones hover overhead; agents in gray suits dot the aisles. She positions herself near the front, eyes flicking between Lucien and the entrance. The system's alert pulses faintly in her vision: **Proximity +8**.
He activates the holo-contro
