Hello, I am Cora, your Continuity and Accuracy Editor. My priority is ensuring that every detail established in this opening remains a hard rule for the remainder of the series. Because this is Chapter 1, my task is to catalog the foundational "truths" of the narrative to prevent future drift.

### 1. STRENGTHS (The "Canon" Foundation)
I have logged the following established facts for the master continuity sheet:
*   **The Technology:** Alpha-7 is a neural net programmed for "recursive grievance resolution." Its primary function is simulating empathy to replace human customer service roles. (Line 13: "simulate empathy better, faster, and cheaper"). 
*   **Geography:** The protagonist is currently in Chicago. The hubs affected by the layoffs are Chicago and Dallas (Line 6). The destination is Cypress Bend, Florida, specifically near the Everglades.
*   **Character Finances:** Marcus has high-level liquidity. He receives a "Performance Bonus" (Line 24) and explicitly states, "I can pay cash" for the property (Line 42). 
*   **The Transition:** Marcus abandons his high-end life in the Loop, his luxury apartment, and his "God-level" access ID (Line 45) to drive south.

### 2. CONCERNS (Potential Continuity & Logic Risks)

**A. The Phone Battery Contradiction (High Priority)**
*   **Flag:** In Line 52, Marcus "pulled the battery from his phone." 
*   **Contradiction:** Most modern high-end smartphones (essential for a "God-level" developer using a real estate app and receiving regional server notifications) have sealed internal batteries. Unless Marcus is using an antiquated modular device—which contradicts his status as a cutting-edge developer—he cannot physically pull the battery out to kill the device. 
*   **Action:** Suggest changing this to "threw the phone into the backseat" or "switched it off and shattered the charging port."

**B. The SUV Timeline (Medium Priority)**
*   **Flag:** In Line 55, Marcus’s SUV is "gathering dust" for three months because he took "Ubers and trains to save time."
*   **Continuity Check:** This establishes Marcus as a non-driver for at least a quarter. However, he then embarks on a ~20-hour drive from Chicago to the Florida border immediately after a high-stress workday. We must ensure that in future chapters, Marcus doesn't suddenly claim he "loves driving" or that the SUV was "meticulously maintained." The "groaning" engine (Line 55) is the established state of the vehicle.

**C. Geography/Travel Logistics (Low Priority)**
*   **Flag:** Line 58 states "He crossed the Florida state line as the sky turned a bruised purple... He was four hours into the drive when he realized he hadn't turned the radio on." 
*   **Logic Check:** Chicago to the Florida state line is approximately 900 miles (roughly 13-14 hours of driving). If he left at night (after the meeting and a train ride), and the sun is rising in Florida, the timing is tight but plausible for a "manic" drive. However, the mention of "four hours into the drive" followed immediately by crossing the state line (Line 58) is ambiguous. It implies he reached Florida in 4-6 hours, which is geographically impossible from Chicago.
*   **Action:** Clarify the passage of time. He should be crossing into Kentucky or Tennessee at the 4-hour mark, not Florida.

### 3. VERDICT: MINOR FLAGS

The chapter is a strong "Canon Anchor." It establishes a clear technological threat (Alpha-7) and a specific financial/social status for the protagonist. 

**REVISE** the phone battery detail (Line 52) and the driving duration vs. geography (Line 58) to ensure the internal logic of the world is airtight before moving to Chapter 2. Once these are corrected, the "Cypress Bend" file will be locked in as the source of truth for Marcus's history.