Sound came before sight again. Adrian Cole recognized the pattern now. Morning voices were different from night voices. Faster. More movement. Less caution. He kept his eyes closed and listened.
Elaine Cole spoke softly nearby. Her voice carried fatigue but also relief. Someone answered her. A nurse. The exchange was routine. Adrian Cole stored the cadence and timing. Patterns mattered.
He opened his eyes briefly.
Light filtered in from the side. Curtains partially drawn. The room looked smaller than before. Less equipment. That meant discharge was close. Adrian Cole tracked the change without reaction.
The system remained silent unless called.
Adrian Cole focused outward instead.
People behaved predictably when they thought they were unobserved. Nurses relaxed when doctors left. Doctors simplified explanations when speaking to parents. Parents nodded even when they did not fully understand.
Elaine Cole hovered close. She checked breathing more than necessary. Her hands moved carefully. Protective instinct dominated her behavior. Marcus Cole stood farther back. Arms crossed. Eyes scanning. He watched the door more than the child. Guarding rather than nurturing.
Both roles were noted.
Time passed.
Adrian Cole did not rush to open the system. There was no need. He already understood how it worked. Watching people was more valuable right now.
A doctor entered. Middle aged. Confident posture. Calm tone. He spoke about health. Development. Normal ranges. Adrian Cole listened carefully. Nothing unusual was detected. That was expected. The system had not altered the body beyond immortality. At least not visibly.
Marcus Cole asked practical questions. Elaine Cole asked emotional ones. The doctor answered both. Adrian Cole noted the difference in response quality.
Authority responded better to structure than emotion.
Another pattern added.
Later, the room emptied. Quiet returned.
Adrian Cole opened the system.
Name: Adrian Cole
Age: 0
Status: Immortal
Shared Immortality: None
Currency Generation
$0.01 per second
$0.60 per minute
$36.00 per hour
$864.00 per day
$25,920.00 per month
$315,360.00 per year
Total Accumulated: $4,104.00
Spent: -$225.00
Current Balance: $3,879.00
No discrepancy. Time matched accumulation.
Adrian Cole closed it again.
Observation resumed.
The world outside the hospital room was hinted at through conversation. Weather. Traffic. Work schedules. Dates were mentioned. Adrian Cole focused on numbers.
Nineteen eighty two.
That mattered.
This was not a simple rebirth into an unknown era. The timing aligned with memory. History as Adrian Cole remembered it was unfolding again. Slowly. From the beginning.
But not everything matched perfectly.
Small details differed. Names sounded familiar but not exact. A company mentioned casually by a nurse did not exist in the same form Adrian Cole remembered. The difference was subtle. Easy to miss.
Adrian Cole did not assume error.
Possibilities were evaluated quietly.
Parallel world.
Divergent timeline.
Incomplete memory.
No conclusion was drawn. Acting on uncertainty was inefficient. More data was required.
Observation continued.
The room changed again. Bags were packed. Elaine Cole moved faster now. Nervous energy. Marcus Cole checked paperwork twice. Control through preparation.
Adrian Cole was carried. Hallways passed overhead. Lights moved in sequence. The hospital exit smelled different. Outside air carried weight.
The car ride was long. Engine vibration. Road texture. City noise. Adrian Cole memorized the route without understanding it yet.
A house came next.
The environment shifted. Space felt larger. Sound echoed differently. New smells. Familiar voices. Additional people. Family.
Adrian Cole did not cry. Attention stayed inward and outward at the same time. He listened. Watched. Learned.
The system remained untouched.
Currency continued accumulating as time passed.
The world was large.