The scream from inside the interior doors pierced the relative monotony of the demonstration.

It never failed to surprise Bri, how many humans crave drama and excitement, gawking at an accident on a highway, or streaming hurricane news for locations nowhere near them. The passengers gave up all pretense at pretending to listen to the boring lifeboat spiel and piled inside the glass doors to see what had happened.

Bri hesitated, but only for a second. Trained personnel be damned-what if she was the closest? She pushed forward into the crush of bodies, but hands caught her arms from both sides. Noah and Anri held her in a tug-of-war of instinct—Anri’s grip tight but unthinking, Noah’s firm and deliberate.

“I know CPR. Let me through, she said, her voice cutting, sharp, through the noise. “I’ve done this before.” Anri looked at her, really seeing her. Her statement stunned him into silence, but Noah reacted instantly. He released her arm only to grab her hand. “This way, he commanded, already carving a path through the throng as Asune cried out,“Wait for me.”

Bri glanced back, but Anri hadn’t moved. He was rooted to the spot, his gaze fixed on her but his eyes glassy and unfocused. The chaos of the scene seemed to have dissolved around him, leaving him stranded in a silence only he could hear.

She filed the image away—Anri, utterly disconnected—but the man on the floor demanded her focus. At the bottom of the first flight of glass stairs was an older, white-haired gentleman in a blue Hawaiian print shirt and khaki shorts, with white foam coming out of his mouth.

A white-haired woman, likely his wife, was kneeling beside him. One of the black-haired male AI bots was kneeling beside the man, checking for a pulse.

“Is he alive?” she asked the bot. Her voice elevated. “Tell me. Is he still breathing?”

“He has a pulse,” the bot stated, looking up as a man descended the stairs, flanked by two more bots. He moved with an unhurried authority that drew every eye, his long white coat immaculate over black slacks. “I’m Dr. Constantine Nero, the ship doctor,” he said, his voice carrying a thick accent as he knelt. His hands were quick and efficient, checking the man’s pulse before feeling for head injuries. He looked less like a doctor and more like an actor playing one, a fact confirmed by the whispers rippling through the female onlookers.

“Has he had seizures before?” The Doctor asked. The woman nodded. “It’s been a long time though. They just changed his medication; he was excited because he could finally have a couple of drinks.”

“It doesn’t look like he hit his head, which is good. But his arms might be broken. Our bots here are going to take him to medical bay, and we can get him patched up.

Asune seemed completely unfazed, although she seemed more antsy than usual.

“Ok. It’s time to roll. I can feel the boat moving. It’s making me a little nauseous.”

“Sure it's not the alcohol?” Bri looked at her with skepticism.

“I can handle my liquor, thanks.” Asune pressed a hand to her stomach, her usual confidence faltering. “This feels different. Just… the motion. It’s like the floor is tilting.” Bri watched her, a flicker of doubt in her mind. “But the ship just started moving.”

“We have to get ready for dinner. I need a shower. Badly. You want to meet in the room?”

Bri stared, shocked not just at Asune but at the crowd. As if a man convulsing on the floor was a minor interruption, people were already scattering. Half the students sprinted for the elevators, while the rest drifted in pairs and trios, hunting for the fastest route back to their cabins.

“Yeah. I’ll stay for a bit.” She needed some space, and she felt the need to watch the scene even after the excitement was over.

Noah moved to stand by her; but Asune grabbed Noah and whispered in his ear. He looked annoyed but didn’t say a word. Out loud she said, “I need a steadying hand. I’m stealing Noah for a bit.”

“Save me.” Noah tried an attempt at puppy dog eyes. But it failed miserably.

Bri laughed. “Your begging needs a bit of work. It really doesn’t fit your image.”

Asune dragged Noah away talking the entire time.

Why did it feel like everyone was in on a secret except for her? Did they not trust her? Watching them go, a familiar coldness settled in her stomach. The whispered conversation, Noah's annoyed but compliant look—it was a private language she wasn't fluent in. Another circle drawn with her standing just outside it.

She watched as the bots loaded the man on a stretcher and carried him with the ease of lifting a paperweight.

She watched as the doctor disappeared with the wife talking the entire time, following the bots and stretcher.`

Bri let the people move past her. She didn’t want to deal with the crush of bodies, the wall of perfume and sweat that built up in the elevators.

“Got you.” Anri’s voice beside her made her jump. He offered a faint smile, but the earlier blankness still lingered in his eyes. “Sorry about that back there. Spaced out for a minute.” He watched the stretcher disappear. “Guess they really aren’t human. I had almost started to think it was makeup and a marketing gimmick.”

“I think it is legit.” Bri shrugged. “Looks like the world is changing.”

He shook his head as if to clear it.

“Anyway. I need something to drink. Want something?” Anri asked.

“Sure. I’ll walk with you. I could use some water. Not ready to turn into Asune yet.”

The elevators were full. “Let’s take the stairs to the main bar on the 5th floor.”

“I could use the exercise.”

He laughed, a warm sound as they walked.

The Glitz Bar’s name flashed in 1950s-style bulbs. Inside, the carpet swallowed their footsteps, a deep cobalt blue that seemed to pull light from the air. They took seats at the bar in high-backed silver chairs that gleamed like small thrones. Every surface was positioned to reflect light until it was almost blinding.

It was stunning. Bri tapped the glass. “Is this real diamonds encased in glass?”

Anri gave it a closer look. He tapped it. “Yes diamonds. No glass. I think it might be resin.”

A bot appeared with an affected British accent. “You are correct. This single bar is valued at over one hundred million dollars.”

Bri choked. Anri looked unfazed. The life of the uber rich. “Niizawa Reikyo Absolute Zero.” He looked to her.

“Just a water.”

“You are a cheap date. We should go out more.”

She rolled her eyes. It surprised her how she seemed so at ease with Anri. He felt familiar.

The bot opened a wine fridge stocked with sake, breaking open a new black bottle with a gold top pouring it into a large wine glass, pushing it gently across the glowing case. It looked expensive.

Anri pushed it to her first. “Try a sip. This is particularly hard to get. I had heard this bar and the Japanese restaurant on board specialize in sake.”

She hesitated. She wanted to refuse. Oh well. When in Rome or on a cruise. “It tastes like honeydew. It is good.” She pushed it back.

The bot handed over a glass of water.

“Hey. Are you coming to the formal dinner? I heard the menu’s insane, and there’s a chocolate fountain on every table. I’m giving a welcome speech. I’d like you to accompany me.”

Bri hesitated. “Shouldn’t you be going with your girlfriend? I was going with Asune.”

Anri nodded, “I broke up with her a month ago. It’s nothing for you to worry about,” he continued, unfazed.

“Cool. In that case, I’ll come down and walk you both down. It’s easy to get lost.”

Bri smiled noncommittally. So he couldn’t take a hint. But she also didn’t want to be stuck with Asune all night either. The fight between Eve and Asune was bothering her.

Anri gave a little salute taking her non-response as affirmation.

She let it go. Bri finally called it after twenty minutes. “I’m assuming Asune is out of the shower now, I should get going.”

“I’ll walk you back. I think we are just a floor above you.”

They started walking. “We?” She asked.

“Yeah, my brother and I. I was going to have a whole presidential suite to myself.” He waggled his eyebrows.”

Bri closed her eyes for a second stifling a laugh. “Jeez. You are incorrigible.”

“It’s hard to imagine my brother taking over a week off of work to go on vacation or to keep me out of trouble.”

“Although, in fairness, he’s been acting weird for the last few months, so I have no idea why he really came.”

They didn’t run into anyone else they knew on their way to the elevator bank. The corridor lights dimmed to mimic dusk outside. It was cool, yet something felt off at the same time.

As she turned the last corner, she ran into a large chest. Big hands steadied her. Not a student. Michael. “Are you ok?” He asked. She paused.

A familiar silhouette waited right next to him at the elevator bay—tall, broad-shouldered, the hair at his temples silvered by design, not age.

Baron. Her stepfather.

He smiled, the way he always did—practiced, predatory. “Brianna,” he said, voice warm and insidious, “I was just coming to check on you.”

Bri’s hands clenched. Her chest felt tight like she couldn’t get enough oxygen. She forced herself to breathe.