Julian was carrying his crumpled designer jacket over one arm, his silk travel blanket loosely stuffed into an overflowing tote bag. His hair was messy, his posture slumped, and he held two crushed boarding stubs tightly in his hand. As he shuffled down the narrow aisle toward the exit, his eyes locked onto Leo standing calmly by the open partition of Suite 1A. Julian slowed to a complete halt, his expression shifting from dull fatigue to utter, wide-eyed bewilderment.
He stared into the suite, taking in the scene: the HD media screen displaying a quiet landscape, the motorized seat resting in a flawless position, and the digital controls working seamlessly. He stared at Leo’s relaxed, unbothered stance, clearly trying to piece together how the “broken” pod had suddenly cured itself.