Months turned into a full year. The world kept moving forward, strong and mostly unaware of everything that had happened behind the scenes. The global economy slowly recovered, helped quietly by the breakdown of the Obsidian Hand’s secret control over global finance. News stations shifted focus. The rumors about rogue AIs and ancient conspiracies faded into the background, becoming stories for fringe groups and late-night forums.

But for Jason and Leah, life didn’t return to what it was before. It never could.

Jason had fully changed Walker Enterprises. It was no longer just a tech company, it became a global leader in responsible innovation. He made sure it stood for...