~~BEYOND THE BINARY~~

CHAPTER -2

Nova District – Where Bad Ideas Are Born

The tram doors slid open with a whoosh, and the group spilled onto the platform like a bunch of overcaffeinated disasters.

"Welcome to Nova District," Arden announced, stretching dramatically. "Where dreams are overpriced, and bad decisions are free."

Cassian scoffed. "Sounds like your love life."

Arden gasped, clutching their chest. "Cass, I thought we were keeping that private."

Ash smirked. "Bold of you to assume anyone wants the details."

Selene, already ten steps ahead, turned back with a deadpan stare. "Can we move before we get classified as loitering? NOXIS is judging us."

"NOXIS is always judging us," Iris muttered, adjusting her bag.

Cassian draped an arm around her. "And yet, somehow, I remain its favorite. Charisma stat: unmatched."

"Yeah, you and your three brain cells are so impressive," Iris shot back.

Arden grinned. "Three? That's generous."

The district was alive with shifting holograms, neon lights reflecting off sleek surfaces, and vendors selling everything from designer tech to questionably legal imports. A street performer juggled electric spheres while another created graffiti in midair—shimmering, pixelated art that vanished after a few minutes.

Iris watched the art flicker, her thoughts buzzing. Something about it felt...off.

And then—

The world lurched. Just for a second. The lights flickered. The sounds warped. The holograms blurred—as if reality had lagged.

And then, it was gone.

Iris blinked, her heart hammering. No one else reacted. The city continued as if nothing happened.

Her fingers curled around her phone.

"Hey, Earth to Iris," Arden waved a hand in front of her face. "Don't tell me Nova's already too much for you. Want me to hold your hand?"

"Yeah," she said absently, still staring ahead. "Right after I break it."

Cassian cackled. "There she is. I was getting worried."

But Iris wasn't listening anymore.

Across the street, a holo-ad flickered—just for her. The others walked past, oblivious, but she saw it.

The image shifted, pixels distorting, reforming.

For a fraction of a second, something was staring back.

Then, it was gone.

The ad resumed its usual loop, selling some overpriced VR escape, but Iris wasn't listening anymore.

Somewhere deep in the system, beneath the polished algorithms and seamless predictions—something was watching.

And now, it knew she was watching back.