The alley twists in shadow as Cass and I sprint, our footsteps echoing against the cold concrete. We're fast—Cass, seemingly unphased, leads the way, pulling me deeper into the maze of streets.
But I can feel it, that gnawing sense that I'm being pulled in two directions. The more I run, the more the feeling intensifies—an unease deep in their chest.
What if everything I know is a lie?
Ahead, a gate looms—a metal barrier blocking our escape. Cass stops, pulling a small device from her pocket. A faint hiss of air escapes as the lock disengages. The gate swings open just enough for us to slip through.
“What’s on the other side?” I ask, breathless, looking around at the empty lot beyond the gate.
Cass doesn’t answer right away. She’s scanning the area, her eyes sharp and alert. Finally, she steps through, pulling me with her.
“It’s a safehouse. For now,” she says quietly. “But we need to keep moving. The people after you, they won’t stop until they find you.”
I nod, but the words feel like a weight—a warning. I glance at Cass, the question burning in my mind. “What about the virus you mentioned? The one inside me?”
Cass pauses, turning to face me, her expression unreadable for a moment. Then, with a heavy sigh, she speaks. “It’s more than just a virus, Rowan. It’s a program. Something designed to give you access to… other things.”
I furrow my brow. “Other things? What does that mean?”
Cass’s eyes darken. “It’s a weaponized consciousness. Your mind was altered. You were hacked, Rowan. The memories they wiped weren’t just of your past—they were to make sure the program didn’t activate.” She steps closer, lowering her voice. “It was built into your system. The triggers, the coding, everything. If they manage to activate it—you’ll become the weapon you were meant to be.”
My heart skips a beat. The world seems to tilt, the edges blurring as the weight of her words settles in. I was designed for this. I wasn't just a soldier—I was a tool.
“But why don’t I remember?” I demand. “Why would they let me keep my memories of anything else, but not that?”
Cass shakes her head slowly. “Because they couldn’t risk it. If you had the programming, you’d never forget. You’d know what you were. You’d have access to everything they embedded in you.” She pulls something from her jacket pocket—a small device, like a remote. “They tried to lock you out of it. To keep you from becoming a threat. But it’s still there.”
My hands tremble as I reach for the device. “So I can stop it? The activation?”
“No,” Cass says sharply, her voice cutting through the air. “But you can stop them. You can choose not to let it happen. You still have control, Rowan. You just need to remember.”
At that moment, a distant rumble shakes the ground—a low growl of approaching vehicles.
They’re coming.
I look at Cass, a new understanding settling in. “How do I stop this?”
Cass exhales, her face hardening. “We don’t have much time. But if you want to break the program, we need to find the source—the place where it all started. There’s only one place that can deactivate it, and I’m the only one who knows how to get there.”
A loud bang echoes in the distance—closer now.
“We don’t have much time. Move,” Cass orders, turning toward the far side of the alley.
ESTÁS LEYENDO
The Fractured Code: System Crash
Novela JuvenilBOOK 1: In a world where every thought, action, and memory is controlled by the Program, true freedom is nothing more than a myth. Society operates under the illusion of choice, but behind the scenes, an omnipresent system dictates every outcome. Ro...
