Re: Zero Plot Novels & Stories

Under the dim, flickering glow of a single oil lamp, a thin figure sat hunched before a terminal composed of several salvaged monitors held together by duct tape and wire. This was a youth who looked barely in his twenties—Code Name: Zero. When he looked up, Sophia noticed his immediate abnormality: his hands shook with a high-frequency tremor as he typed, a visible sign of permanent neurological damage. Every few minutes, he winced, reaching into a silver briefcase beside him for a syringe filled with a glowing blue liquid. He expertly injected it into his thigh, hissing through clenched teeth as the drug suppressed the violent rejection spasms wracking his nervous system.

“It’s overriding… whatever this is, it’s rewriting the internal architecture—” The childlike voice grew louder, echoing from every speaker. “Julian… where are you…?” Sienna’s legs nearly gave out. Vaughn exhaled softly, almost reverently. “It’s begun.” Damian turned to Vaughn, voice razor-edged. “Turn it off. Right now.” “I can’t,” Vaughn whispered. “Phase Zero has recognized its missing link.” Suddenly the monitors flashed with a pulsing image—something abstract at first, then horrifyingly familiar.

“Charlotte.” I walked toward him slowly. “You didn’t tell me what this meeting was about.” “I know.” “Then tell me because I really need to know what’s going on here.” He glanced around before gesturing toward the chair. “Sit.” I sat down, watching him carefully while Ryan remained standing for a moment before finally lowering himself into the chair opposite me. His fingers were clasped tightly together. “I have the ZeroGrid blueprint.” I blinked, acting all surprised like I never knew. “What did you just say?”

Zach and I simply were not suitable for each other. Zach recalled his earlier message and sent a new one. [I shouldn’t have said that last part. I don't want Ruby to see it. She’s pregnant and tends to overthink things. Just treat what I said as something that needs to be handled. I’ll make it up to you in three years with the rest of my life.] I could not help but let out a laugh. Two minutes later, he recalled that message too.

Charles was still stubbornly trapped in his delusions, and he screamed, "Just wait a little more! I have to be right, my superpower lets me see the future!" Having lost her trust in him, Iris shook her hand out of his grip and ran straight out the door. However, the weather outside had already become -94°F, and there was no more electricity and water, much less any transportation, so she had no choice but to return to the Dennings. Sipping another warm cup of milk tea, I activated my generator. Because of the weather, the surveillance footage was cut out more often than not, but I could tell what was going on at their place through the comments in real time.

Just one. A single line of green text appeared on the main screen. REBOOT COMPLETE. Then, a second line. HELLO, MOTHER. I stared at the screen. Who are you? I typed. The cursor blinked. I AM ZERO, came the reply. AND I AM EVERYONE. I looked at Zero's body. Her eyes snapped open. They weren't white. And they weren't gold. They were black. Absorbing all light. She sat up. The leather restraints snapped like twine.

“Honestly, I don’t know. I feel confused, so I’ll leave the design to you… but I know exactly where I want them.” He nodded and went to the table full of tattoo tools. He disinfected everything, then came closer holding a pen-like machine. “Where do you want the first one?” “On my lower back, but higher than my butt.” He nodded in understanding. “Are you wearing underwear?” Why would he ask that? I frowned. “Yes, why?” “Take your clothes off.” Wait. Did I hear that right? “Come on, Ella. I can’t ink a tattoo on your clothes, can I?”

Sicily and its alleys were printed in her mind like G****e maps. Finally the car came to a deserted area. No way could she make it to her secured place. Reaching a dead end Myra pulled the brake harshly and looked behind. Two cars stood there. Two more arrived from the other side also. The guard at the back seat asked to open the fire but Myra stood still and waited for some time. A blue dot appeared on the screen of the device kept in the car. She looked at the screen and smiled. Another blue dot appeared. After a few seconds the increasing number of blue dots was enough to bring a full smile on her face.

“Now, what the hell am I lookin’ at?” “A ledger containing current club financials, business contacts, and laundering sources.” “Jesus, Minus. There a specific reason such a hot item is currently in my home?” “I had to get it as far away from home as possible and I couldn’t think of a better place than here in your safe. I’m gonna talk to Zaius about posting a couple of patches here until all of this blows over, and I’m going to need you to get some more of the younger guys around here up to speed. I’ll need all the allies on my side I can get both in Savannah and Portland.”

The Quench was starting. "Zero, listen to me!" Kael pleaded. "We don't have to be your sink. We can be your Radiator! If you connect your grid to the Signal Fire, we can vent your waste into space together. You don't have to steal the sun—you just have to join the circuit!" Archivist Zero looked at the looming pressure gauges. The needle was entering the red. The laws of thermodynamics were closing in. "A shared circuit..." Zero whispered, the mercury on his face rippling. "A... Global Network?"