Alaric and Donny finally arrived at Alaric's private office just a little past two in the afternoon. The sky had cleared, now bright with streaks of thin, curling clouds.
Alaric swiped his ID card to open the door, and the moment it swung open, the scent of coffee and cool air-conditioning greeted them. The office wasn't large, but it was cozy.
Dominated by white and light grey tones, the space felt clean and modern. Its minimalist design was complemented by shelves lined with small prototypes, neatly displayed digital blueprints on the walls, and a few framed awards — tokens of pride, but nothing flashy.
Donny headed straight for the sofa in the corner of the room, facing the window. He dropped onto the plush surface with a relaxed plop, swinging his legs and unscrewing the bottle he brought from the car.
