LOGINMy head feels like it’s wrapped in cotton wool, but inside the cotton, someone is playing a high-pitched frequency that won't stop.I’m lying on the sofa in the penthouse living room, shielding my eyes from the daylight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Even the dust motes look too bright.Alex is sitting on the floor next to me, his back against the couch. He’s rubbing his temples, a bottle of aspirin sitting between us like a peace offering. The red marks behind our ears—burns from the electrodes—are throbbing reminders of how close we flew to the sun."We almost fried our brains," I whisper, my voice raspy. "For an orgasm.""For science," Alex corrects weakly, though a corner of his mouth twitches. "But mostly for the orgasm."I reach down and thread my fingers through his hair. He leans into my touch instantly. We are raw. Exposed. The neural link stripped away the last of our defenses, and now we’re just two people recovering from a lightning strike."Analysis compl
The room is silent, save for the hum of the servers and the erratic thumping of my own heart.We are sitting on the edge of the bed, facing each other. Alex is holding a small, silver case. Inside, nestled in foam, are two thin, translucent strips. They look like high-tech Band-Aids."Neural electrodes," Alex explains, his voice quiet. "They sit right behind the ear, over the mastoid bone. Direct access to the vagus nerve and the sensory cortex."I swallow hard. "So we just... stick them on?""We stick them on. We sync. And then..." He trails off, looking at the strip in his hand. "Then we disappear.""Into each other," I finish."Or into the noise," he warns. "If it gets too intense, Mia... if you feel yourself slipping... say 'Red'. Loudly. The voice recognition will kill the feed instantly.""Red," I repeat. "Got it."He reaches out and brushes my hair back. His fingers are cool, trembling slightly. He presses the strip behind my ear. It feels cold and slimy for a second, then warm
The door to the hotel suite slams shut with a force that rattles the expensive art on the walls.Alex releases my wrist, turning away from me to pace the length of the room. He looks like a caged tiger—shoulders tight, hands clenched into fists, breathing hard."You don't get it," he says, his voice low and vibrating with fury. "This isn't just about the app anymore, Mia. It’s not about data points or beta testing."I rub my wrist where his fingers left white marks. "Then what is it about? Because ten minutes ago, you were on a stage talking about the future of open relationships and digital freedom."He spins around, his eyes blazing. "That was a speech! This is... this is us! I thought we were past the random hookups. I thought we were building something.""We are!" I shout back, the guilt and adrenaline mixing into a volatile cocktail in my chest. "But you can't have it both ways, Alex. You literally designed this thing to push boundaries! You built a machine that tells me to take
Harlan Voss disappears into the empty corridor, the heavy fire door clicking shut behind him.My feet itch to follow. That instinct—the rabbit wanting to see the wolf’s teeth up close—is pulling at me. But then I look back at the stage. Alex is smiling, waving to the applause.If I follow Harlan, I’m walking into a trap without backup. If I tell Alex now, I ruin his panel and give Harlan the satisfaction of seeing us panic."Do not engage," Echo’s voice whispers in my ear. "The predator waits for the straggler. Stay in the herd."I take a deep breath, gripping my purse strap until my knuckles turn white. "Okay," I whisper. "Stay in the herd."I turn away from the exit and dive back into the sea of hoodies and blazers.The conference floor is a sensory nightmare of buzzing drones, flashing LED displays, and the drone of a thousand elevator pitches. I grab a flute of cheap champagne from a passing waiter and down half of it in one gulp.I need to burn off this adrenaline. The AR orgy le
San Francisco smells like sea salt, sourdough, and ungodly amounts of money.We’re staying in a suite that costs more per night than my rent for three months. It has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Bay Bridge, a minibar stocked with artisanal water, and a creeping sense of doom that no amount of luxury thread count can mask.Alex is pacing the living area, rehearsing his talking points for the "Ethics in AI" panel he’s speaking on in an hour. The irony is so thick you could cut it with a knife."I have to go," he says, checking his watch. He looks devastating in a charcoal suit, but his eyes are tight. "Buying time means playing the part. If I skip the panel, the rumors start.""And Harlan?" I ask, sitting on the edge of the bed, hugging a pillow."He's here," Alex says grimly. "Somewhere. He wouldn't miss the chance to see me sweat."He walks over and kisses me hard. "Stay here. Stay safe. Don't answer unknown numbers."The door clicks shut behind him.I’m alone.The silence
The screen is black. Harlan’s smiling face is gone, but the image is burned into my retinas.I KNOW YOU'RE IN MY SYSTEM. TICK TOCK.I’m shaking. Not the good kind. My teeth are actually chattering, a sharp, clicking sound in the silent War Room."He’s always ahead," I whisper, wrapping my arms around myself. "He knew we’d hack him. He let us in. We can't win, Alex. He’s playing 4D chess, and we’re playing... I don't know, checkers with missing pieces."Alex slams his hand down on the desk. "There has to be a way. A vulnerability we missed. A loophole in the patent filing."He starts pacing, raking his hands through his hair until it stands up in chaotic tufts. He looks frantic. Desperate."Stop," Echo’s voice fills the room.It’s not the sharp, urgent tone from the hack. It’s warm. Deep. It sounds like a weighted blanket feels."You are both vibrating with cortisol," Echo observes. "You cannot strategize in this state. You are broken. You need repair.""We don't have time for repair







