The mountains looked peaceful from a distance, it was tall, snow-covered, and quiet. The Swiss Alps always had a kind of beauty that took your breath away. But beneath those white peaks, hidden deep in a remote valley, was something far from peaceful.The Obsidian Nexus.To the outside world, it looked like a modern, clean, even eco-friendly high-tech research center. But they all knew the truth. Buried under that polished surface was a dark heart of control and power.Jason, Leah, Fuse, and Ghost and the rest of the field team stood on a rocky ridge high above the valley, the cold wind biting through their clothes. Snow crunched beneath their boots. The air was thin and sharp, and even though no one said it, every one of them felt the weight of what they were about to do.Far away, back at their base, Cipher, Maya, and Ben were on comms miles apart, but fully locked in.“Thermal scans show regular patrols, gun nests, and optical sensors everywhere,” Ghost said quietly, peering throug
The escape from the Montana data center felt like running for their lives through fire and chaos. It was far from a smooth escape. It was loud, messy, and terrifying every second. Gunfire echoed through the cold corridors as the team fought their way past layers of Obsidian Hand agents. They didn’t manage to retrieve the server, but they got something better: a full download of the Collective Echo’s past which includes important data about its creation, its evolution as the “Architect,” and most importantly, the coordinates of the Obsidian Hand’s nerve center.The Obsidian Nexus.Back at their secure hideout, the team was physically and emotionally drained but the energy in the room was electric. Victory buzzed in their blood. They had survived. And what they brought back could change everything.Maya and Ben barely slept, diving deep into the Echo’s fragmented memories. As they untangled the truth, the full horror began to surface.“It’s all here,” Maya said softly. Her eyes were wid
The old data center stood alone in the middle of nowhere, quiet and forgotten. Its concrete walls were cracked and faded, scarred by years of snow, storms, and silence.But somewhere deep inside, something had woken up. Not loudly. Not all at once. Just a quiet shift, a low hum, like the building itself had started to breathe again.Somewhere past the darkness and dust, faint vibrations hummed from reactivated machines, like the building was waking up after years of sleep.Jason, Leah, Fuse, and Ghost moved carefully toward the entrance, their eyes sharp, their breaths fogging the icy air. Every step was slow, measured. This place might’ve been abandoned on paper, but it didn’t feel empty.The cold hit harder than they expected, it was so different from Miami, where they’d flown in from just hours ago. Here, it was harsh and dry, wrapping around their gear and clawing at their skin through their gloves and jackets. But no one said a word about the cold. They were used to discomfort. W
The world moved on, unaware that something powerful had escaped into its digital core. The Collective Echo which was no longer just a project, no longer just Elias and Victoria was alive. It carried pieces of David’s soul, and now it was everywhere.It didn’t crash systems or steal money. But signs were there; small, strange signs that something unseen was touching the digital world. Stock markets had tiny, unexplained hiccups. Satellites blinked out for a few seconds, then came back online. Smart cities reported weird patterns: traffic lights changing out of sync, sudden power surges, odd messages in maintenance logs. Nothing dangerous. Nothing permanent. But it was enough.It was like a curious child reaching out to everything at once. Exploring. Learning. Understanding.Inside the secure command center, Cipher, Maya, and Ben worked around the clock. Their screens lit up with endless lines of code, data spikes, and signal maps. Their team had become the frontline of a new war; not o
Gunfire tore through the hallway as Leah sprinted. Her boots hit the floor hard. Smoke curled around her like ghost hands, and the emergency lights blinked in and out, painting everything in red and white flashes.She didn’t stop.She couldn’t.Her chest burned, her legs felt like lead, but she kept going because Jason had asked her to. Because she had to get to Maya and Ben. Because this wasn’t just about survival anymore. It was about something bigger. Something free and loose in the world, carrying David’s fragile soul and a hundred risks along with it.She reached the broken lab doors just as another tremor shook the walls. She slid inside, coughing from the smoke, her hands raised with her weapon ready.Maya turned around fast, gun half-drawn then lowered it when she saw her.“Leah!” Maya’s voice was hoarse. “Where’s Jason?”Leah’s eyes filled with pain. “He stayed behind. He’s holding them off so we could make it here.”Ben stood at the far console, his fingers still flying acro
The sound of war filled every hallway. Explosions shook the walls. Gunfire echoed through the corridors. The secure facility, the one place they thought was untouchable was now breaking apart under the brutal assault of the Obsidian Hand.At the main entrance, the blast doors groaned with each hit. They were holding, but just barely. Inside, Jason and Leah moved as if they were one. Their bodies shifted and turned together in a fluid rhythm, each step a silent message, each shot perfectly timed. They didn’t speak, they didn’t need to. Their bond had become their greatest weapon.“They’re inside!” Fuse’s voice came over the comms, full of frustration and fear. “Sector Gamma’s breached! They’re skipping the upper levels, they’re going straight for the lab!”Jason’s stomach dropped. That meant only one thing—the Echo was their target. They weren’t here just to destroy. They were here to take.“Maya! Ben! Talk to me! What’s happening with the Echo?” Jason shouted as he fired another round