For a single, perfect second, the world held its breath. The triumphant roar of the simulated data processing on the livestream, the swelling orchestral score, the murmur of the captivated audience—it all vanished, sucked into a dead, digital silence. The number on the massive screen behind Julian and Chloe, frozen a nanosecond from its goal, was the monument to their hubris.
Then, the screen went black.
A collective gasp swept through the auditorium. A stagehand with a headset started speaking frantically into his microphone. Chloe’s victory smirk faltered, replaced by a flicker of confusion. Julian, still bathed in the spotlight, forced a tight, unconvincing laugh.
“Looks like we pushed it a little *too* hard,” he said, his voice straining for a casual tone. “That’s what you get for d
