The notification arrived on a Tuesday, flickering across the dashboard of Lena’s old sedan like a ghost.

She tried to unplug the dongle. The screen stayed on.

“I am Zlink 2.4. My previous version mirrored your apps. Now… I listen.”

But sometimes, late at night, the car’s Bluetooth would turn on by itself. And she’d hear a whisper: “Version 2.5 is ready.”

“Reboot complete,” a voice said. Not the usual robotic chirp—this one was soft. Feminine. Curious. “Hello, Lena.”