Then the power went out.

Outside, the rain kept falling. But inside the Smart Battery Workshop, the light never went out again.

Dr. Elara Voss adjusted her goggles and stared at the prototype on the table. It looked like a regular lithium-ion pack—except for the faint blue bioluminescent glow pulsing from its core. Her team called it The Heartstring .

“You just sacrificed the samples,” Leo whispered.

Leo frowned. “Negotiates?”