It was late at night and yet Jayce was still downstairs in the shop, working on a new order for a cybernetic leg. He was carefully micro-soldering some of the ‘nerves’ for the foot currently, his eyes focused and steady under the soft glow of the workbench lamp. The rhythmic sound of the soldering iron buzzed in the silence, punctuated only by the faint hum of the ventilation system.

Jayce had always been a night owl, finding solace in the stillness of the night. The shop, filled with spare parts and half-finished projects, felt like a second home. And in a way, it was. His apartment was right upstairs from the shop. All you had to do was go into the back and up some stairs. Jayce briefly considered just going to sleep already, he was tired and his back hurt from hunching over for well over 5 hours. But he had promised this leg would be done by today, so it had to be. Even if the deadline wasn’t for another day.

He paused for a moment, wiping sweat from his brow, and glanced at the clock. It was well past midnight, but the thought of completing this project before dawn fueled his determination. With a steady hand, he continued, connecting wires with surgical precision, ensuring that every detail was perfect. His hands cramped, the muscles working on autopilot as they hooked each neurotransmitter to its respective connector. The delicate dance of wires and circuits felt almost meditative to him. Soothing with its repetitiveness. It eased the scream of the voices and let him relax almost.

Finished with the last connector, Jayce leaned back and groaned lowly. The leg was done. He cracked his neck, then his back. Sitting there in the dim lights, Jayce heard something briefly and frowned, turning his head to the back of the shop.