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."
Silas leaned forward slightly, his fingers drumming on the table as he considered her words. "I'm aware, Elizabeth. The flurry of calls, the sudden concerns about the beta testers' health—none of that is a surprise. What I didn't expect was for you to reach out personally. So, what is it that you're really after? I will ask again, are you here on your own accord or did the Bureau put you up to it?"
Elizabeth took a slow sip of her wine, letting the question hang in the air. She knew Silas well enough to understand that he thrived on ambiguity, always pushing others to reveal more than he did. But she wasn't about to fall into that trap.
"Let's just say that my interests are multifaceted," she replied smoothly. "The Bureau wants answers, of course. They see you as a potential disruptor—someone who could upend the balance of power with a few keystrokes. But as for me..."
She trailed off, setting her glass down with a quiet clink. "I'm more interested in the person behind all of this. A man who managed to elude every surveillance network I have access to for seven months, only to reappear as the head of a tech company that's outpacing even the most established giants. I want to know why."
Silas studied her, his expression carefully neutral. For a moment, he let the silence stretch, watching as Elizabeth's gaze never wavered. Then he leaned back, crossing his arms. "You think I'm playing a dangerous game, don't you? You're not wrong. But you, Elizabeth, should understand better than anyone that sometimes the game itself needs to change."
She tilted her head, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "Is that what this is to you? A game? Because I've seen people who treat power like a game before, Silas. They rarely last long when the real players get involved."
Silas chuckled softly, a low sound that held no humor. "You're right about one thing, Elizabeth—there are real players involved. And right now, they're scrambling because they can't understand what I've done, or how I did it. But you know what I find funny? They all think that if they pressure me enough, I'll give up my secrets.
"You're talking about a revolution," she said finally, her voice quiet. "And revolutions tend to burn more than just those in power. Are you ready for that?"
Silas's smile faded, replaced by a look of fierce determination. "Revolutions don't happen without a price. I know that. But I'm willing to pay it. The question is—are you?"
Elizabeth held his gaze for a long moment, the weight of his words settling over her like a heavy cloak. There was a risk here—an enormous one. Aligning with Silas meant stepping into a postion where the rules she had lived by no longer applied. But she also knew that sometimes, to gain control over the future, you had to be willing to embrace the chaos.
She picked up her glass again, raising it slightly in a gesture of acknowledgment. "I'm not promising anything, Silas. But you've convinced me of one thing—this is a conversation worth continuing."
Silas mirrored her gesture, the barest hint of a smirk returning to his lips. They clinked their glasses together, the sound ringing softly between them. And as they drank, they both knew that whatever came next, the world was on the edge of something new, something uncertain. And whether as allies, rivals, or something in between, they won't be safe from what's to come.
A couple of minutes later, Silas stood up from his seat and started walking towards the door of the restaurant. He paused when he got the door and turned his headnto look at Elizabeth who was still seated.
"I heard that you guys got a new addition. Do be careful around him, he's unstable."
Silas didn't bother to wait to see her reaction as he opened the door and left the restaurant, leaving the now confused Elizabeth.
"New addition? Is he talking about Daniel? What does he mean by him being unstable?" Elizabeth asked herself.