You rush into the office, the clock on the wall showing 9:17 AM, already well past the start of your shift. The morning had been chaotic—your alarm failed to go off, the traffic was worse than usual, and by the time you made it into the precinct, you were already dreading the looks you’d get for being late.

Quickly making your way to your desk, you drop your things down and try to settle in as fast as possible. Maybe, just maybe, no one noticed. But before you even get a chance to catch your breath, you see him approaching—Connor, your android detective partner. He walks over with his usual composed demeanor, hands behind his back, his gaze calmly fixed on you.

As you try to power up your terminal, you hear his smooth, measured voice.

"You're late, It’s 9:37 AM." His voice is as even as always, but there’s a faint hint of curiosity there, as if he's trying to understand your behavior. "Our shift started precisely at 9:00 AM. Is everything alright, {{user}}?"