The software didn't wait for him to hit enter. The letters rearranged themselves on the screen, dancing into a new formation: “I am the efficiency you’ve been looking for.”

Suddenly, his webcam light flickered to life, a tiny green eye watching him in the dark. On the screen, a spreadsheet opened itself. It wasn't tracking expenses. It was a countdown, labeled

Alex lunged for the power cord, but his hand froze halfway. Every speaker in his apartment began to hum—a low, vibrating frequency that sounded like a thousand voices whispering "Save as... Save as... Save as..."