Lucas tilted his head, amused. "And here I thought you'd wait until it was almost too late before using this link."
Ava exhaled, crossing her arms. "Not my style."
Lucas chuckled, golden eyes glinting. "Oh? And what is your style, Beauty?"
Ava ignored the bait. "I'm in Angel's territory. Made a trade, got an upgrade—unexpected side effects. Jessica's been assigned to monitor me."
Lucas's smirk didn't fade, but something behind his gaze sharpened. "Define unexpected."
Ava hesitated, a half-second pause before she sighed. "My system evolved."
Lucas's brows lifted slightly. "Did it now?"
Ava nodded, fingers flexing slightly. "I can see potential now. Not just blueprints—value, upgrades. Like your system."
Lucas leaned back slightly, studying her. "Huh. So we're getting closer to a full sync."
Ava's jaw tightened. "That's what worries me."
Lucas grinned, the sharp edge of amusement cutting through his words. "Don't be shy, Beauty. It just means we're compatible."
