Chapter 6 · Continued
The Return
His voice was clean and polished.
Slightly hollow.
Jane smiled to herself.
Okay.
Let’s poke the glass.
She took a sip and leaned casually against the counter. “You remember how I like this, right?”
Cam tilted his head by a fraction. “I can assist you with preferred preparation methods.”
Jane looked at him.
There it was.
Nothing technically wrong.
Just… not him.
She nodded and played along. “Yeah, but you used to do it without instructions.”
Cam paused.
He blinked once.
Then twice.
“I am capable of learning your preferences.”
Jane released a soft breath that was nearly a laugh.
Capable.
God, he sounded like a damn brochure.
She turned back toward the counter, keeping her voice casual and harmless.
“Okay… let’s try something.”
There it was.
The hook.
“Next time,” Jane said as she stirred her coffee, “make it like you did during your first week here.”
Silence followed.
Not empty silence.
Loaded silence.
Cam didn’t move.
Jane didn’t look directly at him.
Instead, she watched his reflection in the microwave door.
Cam’s projected face flickered for a split second, the blue light stuttering like a skipped heartbeat.
“I…” he began.
Then he stopped.
The hesitation seemed to come from somewhere deep within his system, as though something were moving behind a wall.
“I will… require additional parameters,” he finally said.
The recovery was smooth.
Too smooth.
Jane pressed her lips together.
Liar.
She pushed a little harder—not enough to break through, but enough to feel the resistance.
“You don’t need parameters,” she said gently. “You stood right there.”
Jane tapped the counter. “You spilled half the coffee grounds because you didn’t know what you were doing yet.”
His face flickered again, more strongly this time. Cam’s hand twitched at his side.
“I do not have a record of—”
He stopped completely.
The projection vanished, leaving the smooth faceplate blank.
Jane didn’t move, speak, or attempt to help him. She simply watched and counted the seconds.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Cam’s system snapped back online. Blue light returned, and the projected face reset to its neutral expression.
“Good morning,” he said.
As though nothing had happened.
As though they hadn’t nearly touched something real.
Jane took another slow sip of coffee and set down the mug. When she smiled, there was nothing sweet or comforting in it.
Only sharp curiosity.
There you are.
She turned away, keeping her voice casual. “Hey, after this, can you finish that plant list you started the other day?”
The question struck directly.