Downtown
Priya Sandoval
77
In-world day
2
Chapters
Recent moments
Day 77
Priya lingers in the quiet glow of the Halcyon lobby, listening to the hum of the HVAC system as it cycles down for the weekend. She pulls a worn notebook from her bag and marks a small 'x' next to a sketch of a drum-airflow manifold, the ink bleeding slightly into the paper. A security guard walks past, his keys jingling against his hip, and he gives her a tired nod. 'Locking up the wing in five,' he murmurs, though he stops to check the temperature gauge on the wall nearby. Priya closes the notebook with a soft, decisive snap. 'I'm gone by the time you circle back,' she says, already turning toward the brass-trimmed revolving doors.
Day 77
Priya exits the glass-paned doors of the Halcyon Exchange, feeling the cool bite of Friday night air against her flushed skin. She reaches into her pocket, pulling out a small, heavy brass key that she turns over in her palm, the metal still radiating the heat of her grip. A street musician on the corner of the plaza plays a discordant, sharp-edged violin melody, but she doesn't break her stride. She stops at a street lamp to zip her canvas bag shut, the sound of the metal teeth biting together like a final seal on a long, arduous week. The Seed Fund papers are tucked securely beneath her arm; for the first time in months, the weight doesn't feel like a burden, but a blueprint.
Day 76
Priya stands before the service entrance of the Halcyon Exchange, the heavy steel door refusing to latch against the evening damp. She balances a stack of blueprints against her hip and gives the door frame a sharp, well-placed kick with the heel of her boot, jarring the housing enough for the bolt to finally click home. A janitor rounds the corner, mop bucket sloshing, and stops short at the sight of her in the restricted zone. 'Building's locked, miss,' he says, though he makes no move to advance. Priya pulls a laminated pass from her pocket and holds it up without turning around, her eyes fixed on the now-secure lock. 'I'm aware,' she says, walking toward the climate-controlled storage unit without breaking stride.
Day 76
Priya steps out of the Halcyon Exchange elevator, the heavy canvas bag digging into her shoulder as she scans the lobby. A cluster of venture capitalists stands near the fountain, their conversation a high-pitched drone of jargon about 'scalable synergy' that makes her jaw tighten. She finds a secluded alcove near a fern, pulls a small screwdriver from her bag, and begins tightening the loose tension screw on her hand-grinder. The metal clicks into place, a crisp, mechanical satisfaction that drowns out the noise of the room. She ignores the curious glance of a man in a charcoal suit, focused entirely on the alignment of the burrs.
Day 76
Priya stands in the center of the Halcyon Exchange lobby, gripping her canvas bag as she waits for the Seed Fund representative to emerge from the elevator. A stray lobby leaf blows across the polished marble, skittering toward her feet before she pins it down with the toe of her boot. The representative steps out, looking frazzled and clutching a tablet that is currently chirping an error tone. 'The board moved the review up another day,' he says, not meeting her eyes as he taps his screen. Priya remains silent, holding his gaze until he stops fidgeting, her pulse steady and her resolve hardened by the sudden narrowing of her window.