(After the previous chapter, William Cross wakes up in a surgical room under a bright light)
Cross: Where am I?
Taylor: It's ok. Calm down. Just relax
(The light flashes as a shadowed figure appears over Cross)
Taylor: You're going to be fine... We outsmarted them... Achieved our objectives. Man's always gonna be better than machine
(A flashback of Cross getting knocked down by an explosion then transitions into them being wheeled through surgery. Taylor's team is shown fighting in battle then beginning to move forward as Taylor runs up to reach out)
Taylor: Unfortunately... you sustained life threatening injuries. You're stable, but you've got a long way to go
(Cross is seen having a DNI installed. The anesthetics cause him not to recognize Taylor immediately)
Cross: Who... Who are you?
Taylor: It's me. Taylor. I think it's time you woke up
(In the simulation)
(Cross suddenly gasps as he awakens on a passenger train heading through a city)
Taylor: Hey - You still with us?
(Taylor is seen sitting across from Cross)
Taylor: Welcome back
Cross: Taylor?
Taylor: Yeah. Do you know what's happening to you?
(Cross looks at his hands, only to discover that they've been replaced with cybernetic limbs. He starts to panic and look around frantically)
Cross: Am I dreaming?
Taylor: Well... Let's say you are. Why not just go with it, right? After all, you can always wake up
(Taylor stands up and begins pacing around the train cart)
Taylor: December 12th, 2054 7:30 AM. We're on board a private commuter train headed to the Zurich headquarters of the Coalescence Corporation
(Taylor checks his watch)
Taylor: Our, uh, cargo... Prototype for the Winslow Accord Neural Network Initiative. At it's core, specialized AI software that's capable of... rewriting itself... in order to interface with any other system in the world. State of the art stuff, back in the day. It'd go on to revolutionize a broad range of military and civilian applications... At least it would have... if the train had reached it's destination
(The train is flung off the tracks as an explosion ruptures it. People and items are flung across the cabin. Suddenly time stops and the scene freezes. Taylor appears in front of the player standing within the scenario)
Taylor: At 7:31 AM, a terrorist group detonated an explosive device on board this train. The incident set back our robotics program... several years. You're here to stop it
Cross: This isn't real. It can't be. What is happening to me?
Taylor: Right now...? Right now you're in a medically induced coma being prepped for surgery. You've got a new bit of hardware inside your head. It's called a Direct Neural Interface, or DNI. I've got one, too - that's how I'm able to communicate with you. Your DNI is what connect you mind with you body and the larger world around you. We're connected. All this... is a simulation inside our minds... and you've got a long way to go
