The neon buzz of Monridge pulsed faintly as Alex walked home under the haze of flickering streetlights. He tugged his jacket tighter—not from the cold, but from the weight of truths and shadows clinging to him like smog.
The door to his apartment clicked shut behind him with a tired finality.
From the kitchen came the sound of clinking plates and his mother's voice—light, but edged with concern.
"Where have you been?"
Alex dropped his jacket on a hook, smoothing his tone.
"Just out with friends."
His mother stepped into view, apron still tied around her waist, a smear of flour on her cheek.
"You missed dinner. It's in the fridge."
He nodded, eyes avoiding hers.
"Thanks."
Without waiting for more, he made for his room.
Upstairs, Genesis floated lazily near the ceiling, its core glowing a soft teal in the dim room.
"Nice save," it said dryly. "But you're about as convincing as a wet cat claiming it likes water."
Alex flopped onto his bed.
"She didn't ask. That's all I needed."
Genesis rotated once, dimming slightly.
"Maybe she just trusts you. More than she should."
A beat of silence passed. Then another.
"You ever think about what life would've been like if none of this happened?" Alex stared at the ceiling, fingers laced behind his head.
Genesis hummed.
"You mean if I wasn't a chatty AI tethered to your spine, and you weren't knee-deep in digital warfare?"
Alex snorted.
"Exactly."
"I'd still be rotting in a briefcase somewhere. And you'd probably be losing school fights."
"Fair trade, huh?" He smiled faintly.
Genesis said nothing, its glow pulsing like a heartbeat.
"Will it ever end?" Alex murmured.
The light paused.
"I don't know. But as long as we're still fighting... there's still a shot."
---
**At Midnight**
Wind cut across the rooftop, snapping Lena's coat against her legs as she stood on the ledge, watching the flickering billboards reflect in the glass towers below. Her eyes followed the glowing trail of a drone skimming the skyline.
A memory struck—vivid, sharp.
Eight years old. At the edge of the forest.
A younger boy tugged at her hand.
"Come on, Lena! Let's explore!"
She hesitated.
"Mom said no woods."
"It's fine! Just a little adventure!"
They ran. Leaves crunching. The woods were alive with whispers. Until they weren't.
A screech ripped the air.
The Hollowborn burst from the undergrowth—glitching, snarling, impossible.
"Run!" the boy screamed.
She couldn't move. Just watched as it swallowed him whole.
Then came the agents—but too late. Always too late.
Back in the present, Lena blinked back tears.
Pain stabbed her side.
She stumbled, fell to her knees.
She watched in horror as digital static crackled across her abdomen.
She clutched herself, gasping.
"What is happening to me?"
Below, the city continued to glitter—cold, uncaring.
---
**Morning**
Steele's Bites buzzed with life—plates clattering, the hiss of grease from the kitchen, and the low hum of chatter.
Alex stood behind the counter, sleeves rolled to his elbows, punching in orders on the register.
"Fruit salad and two burgers," he repeated, grabbing the receipt.
"Excuse me, do you have the bucket chicken?" asked a woman two spots back.
"Only on Fridays, ma'am," Alex replied, polite but firm.
Mei poked her head from the back.
"Alex, plates up!"
"On it!"
A man stepped forward, tapping his watch impatiently.
"In a rush, buddy. Can I just order already?"
Alex forced a smile.
"Of course. What can I get you?"
The rush ebbed eventually. Alex wiped the counter, took a breath, then ducked into the kitchen.
Mei was stuffing soda cans into the fridge.
"Quiet now?"
"For the next ten minutes," Alex said, tossing a towel onto a hook.
"Take a breather," she offered, sitting on a stool. "You earned it."
Alex pushed the door open.
"Just a walk."
"Three minutes!" she called.
He gave a lazy salute and vanished into the street.
A knock came at the back door.
Mei frowned. She opened it to find Mr. Kent—mid-forties, balding, always polite, now unusually anxious.
"Mr. Kent?"
"Ms. Steele." He entered slowly, concern etched on his face.
"I'm... sorry. It's about the rent."
She straightened.
"We've always paid on time."
"It's not that. The building's being sold. New owner wants to... clear the place."
Mei frowned. Mr. Kent offered a sympathetic nod.
Alex returned just as Mr. Kent exited. The tension was immediate.
"What happened?" he asked.
His mother tried to smile.
"Nothing serious. Don't worry."
But her eyes gave her away. Alex could see it.
"Hello? Is anybody there?" someone at the counter called out.
Alex blinked, took the jotter, and headed for the counter. Deep down, he knew something was wrong.
---
**At HQ**
Cool air hummed in the corridors as Alex stepped into the data wing. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead. He found Taro and Mira in the mission center, hunched over layered projections and heat maps.
"Sector 6 just pinged," Taro muttered, fingers flying across a virtual pad. "Fifth Glitch this week."
Mira adjusted her lens interface.
"That's too frequent. These patterns—they're forming clusters."
Taro leaned in, expression tight.
"It's not random. Someone's guiding them."
Alex stepped forward.
"You mean someone's behind the attacks?"
Taro didn't look up.
"Not someone... something."
Mira looked over.
"You seen Lena?"
Alex shook his head.
"Not since yesterday."
Before they could continue, the door slid open sharply.
Commander Myles entered—tall, graying at the temples, uniform crisp.
"Steele. A word."
Alex froze.
He followed Myles into a sound-sealed chamber, expecting a reprimand.
"Sir, if this is about the console—"
"It is," Myles said, settling behind the desk. "But relax."
Alex stood stiffly.
"I'm aware of your role. Console Wielder." Myles's voice was calm. Calculating. "Your potential is... unique."
Alex blinked.
"Yeah, I just do what's needed."
"That's good," Myles said, nodding. "Just remember—power is like code. Beautiful, but fragile. Use it recklessly, and systems break."
Alex gave a small nod.
Myles's expression remained unreadable.
"Keep that in mind."
As Myles talked, Alex just nodded and gave small responses—couldn't wait to leave.
When he was done, Alex stepped out as the door hissed shut behind him.
He was relieved, but Myles's gaze still lingered in his mind, unsettling.
Alex wandered the hall, lost in thought.
A figure rounded the corner—Sera.
Alex startled.
"Oh—hey, Sera."
"You look like you saw a ghost," she grinned.
"Feels like I live in one," Alex said, chuckling.
Sera stepped closer.
"Looking for someone?"
"Lena. We were supposed to train."
Sera nodded.
"I've got a sim set up in Beta-5. Want to tag in?"
Before he could answer, Lena arrived.
"Alex," she said coolly. "You vanished."
"I was... home," he replied.
"C'mon. I already set the training sequence. Let's go."
Sera glanced at Lena.
"I was wondering—maybe Alex can train with me?"
Lena's stare lingered.
"I already tuned everything to his adaptation and synced abilities."
"We can do that next time. I just want to try hers for today," Alex said.
Lena hesitated, then nodded slightly.
"Fine."
Sera offered a smile.
"See you at three," she said, heading down the right corridor.
Lena glanced at Alex once more, then turned and walked left.
He stood there, caught between them.
Alex raised a hand thoughtfully... then chose the passage in the middle.
"**Beta-5 Simulation Field**," boomed the AI from the intercom.
The air inside the sim zone was tense. Buildings pixelated, shifting in and out of stability.
Class-2 Hollowborns stalked nearby—hulking, armored creatures with jagged limbs.
Genesis, hibernating for nearly a day, activated and synced with Alex.
The training began.
Alex got slammed into a car.
**[Level-4 failed.]**
**[Initiate » new » entities]**
The virtual Hollowborns disintegrated.
Lena's voice rang out from the edge of the simulation, beside Sera.
"Still hesitating!"
Sera tapped her wrist, a calming aura pulsing out.
"He's improving. Sync's at 53%."
"Not good enough," Lena snapped.
"I'm trying," Alex grunted, standing.
Genesis hovered, dry as ever.
"Improvement detected. Whining down by 23%."
Then the temperature dropped.
A ripple passed through the world. The air shimmered—Alex felt it.
From the shadows emerged something... unnatural.
Lena went still.
"Theta-class. Eyes up."
The creature crawled out—limbs wrong, eyes blank voids.
It lunged. Alex raised his weapon—too slow.
Lena intercepted in a blink, blade severing its head.
She looked back.
"You've got a lot to learn."
But Alex felt something... off. Not just fear. A shift. A pull.
Then everything warped.
The sky split like torn code.
A being emerged—formless like a cloud, massive.
A **Class-4 Hollowborn**.
"No way this is standard," Sera whispered.
"Genesis?" Alex barked.
"Coming," the console replied, syncing fast.
Lena lowered her blades, surprised.
The simulation field rumbled.
**"Rogue entity. Simulation breach!"**
Alarms blared. Mira's voice crackled in:
"HQ's been compromised—get out!"
The creature roared, stomping the ground. Shockwaves sent them flying.
"Fusion protocol!" Alex shouted mid-air.
"Sync engaged!" Genesis replied, merging into him.
Energy surged. Alex's body was encased in a sleek black and glowing blue suit.
Lena landed in a power burst. Sera tumbled, but caught herself.
Backup arrived and started firing into the glitch storm.
Sera launched disks. Lena attacked from above.
The Hollowborn regenerated instantly, its misty essence overtaking HQ until visibility dropped to nothing.
**"It's rewriting the code!"** Genesis warned.
Taro and operatives arrived in tactical gear.
They unleashed everything.
Still—the creature advanced. Lightning surged inside it, giving shape to glowing eyes.
Lightning targeted field agents.
One operative crawled, lightning about to strike.
Alex caught the bolt.
"Not today!"
**[XP added: 37]**
**[Initiate » POWER UP » final attack]**
**[Prime Burst]**
Energy surged through Alex. He launched forward, a blazing streak into the mist and thunder.
**Impact.**
**Silence.**
The sim shattered. The Hollowborn shrieked—then disintegrated like crumbling code.
HQ reappeared, though the field lay wrecked.
Alex landed, suit fading, Genesis phased out.
Silence. Then murmurs.
"Gone?" Sera asked.
"No," Lena whispered. "It retreated."
Medics rushed in. Alex met the others at the door.
"Does this usually happen here?" Alex asked.
Lena's look was grave.
"Never."
Sera stared at her shattered pad.
"Someone hacked the anti-glitch firewall."
"Hey—Mira's coming," Genesis chirped.
Mira approached, looking shaken.
"Mira, what happened?" Lena asked.
Mira's voice broke.
"Kade's missing. We found his headset."
"But his body... his body's gone."
The team stood in stunned silence.
Genesis whispered what no one wanted to say:
"This... is only the beginning."
---