Dawn light pierced Jane’s eyes through a gap in the curtains. She sat up abruptly, her right hand instinctively reaching for her neck—the tip of the Tea Needle remained on its silver chain, feeling slightly warm against her skin. The phone on her nightstand glowed, displaying the 72-hour countdown: [Time Remaining: 64 hours 22 minutes].
"It wasn't a dream..." she murmured, her fingertips brushing against a tender green leaf on her pillow. The moment she touched it, the leaf released a subtle fragrance, identical to the air inside the tea house.
The sound of porcelain clinking drifted from the kitchen. Jane guardedly grabbed the bedside lamp and walked barefoot toward the source of the noise. Pushing open the door, she saw Sample Zero standing with her back to her, brewing coffee. Her mechanical left arm operated the siphon with fluid ease, while her human right hand rapidly entered data onto a tablet.
Chapter 37