Ethan Parker stared at the sea of monitors glowing with lines of code, the blue light flickering across his tired face. Twenty years in the industry, countless late nights, and a resume packed with accomplishments hadn’t prepared him for this.
The whispers about layoffs had started weeks ago, gaining traction with every all-hands meeting and every vague email from management. HelixTech, the company where Ethan had spent the past seven years of his career, was embracing AI in a way that made even seasoned engineers like him uneasy.
Title: Tomorrow’s Shadows
The dim glow of a single bulb swung lazily in the cramped apartment, casting long shadows on the peeling walls. Diego sat on the frayed couch, his hands clasped tightly together, his thoughts a storm he couldn’t calm. The whispers had started earlier that afternoon—warnings passed in cautious tones, glances exchanged with growing fear. Tomorrow, they said, immigration officers were coming. A sweep, they called it, to find people like him.
Angela locked the door to her modest home for the third time that evening. The deadbolt clicked into place, but it didn’t quiet the unease gnawing at her. She adjusted the curtains, making sure there was no gap for prying eyes. Outside, the streetlights cast eerie glows on the empty road, their flickers doing little to brighten the oppressive night.
The news had hit earlier that day like a thunderclap: President Trump had pardoned Enrique Tarrio, Stewart Rhodes, and others convicted in connection with the January 6 Capitol riot.
