The cool night air, usually a welcome relief, brought no comfort. Instead, it was a chilling reminder of the danger that still clung to Jayden and Carl like a suffocating blanket. Jayden, his formidable strength was long past its limits, his muscles started screaming in protest, and it continued his clumsy, desperate hop. Carl, the unconscious man, was slung awkwardly over his shoulder like a sack of impossibly heavy bricks. Every single step was agony, a monumental struggle against the creeping exhaustion that threatened to pull him down. Carl’s weight was immense, a dead weight that pulled at Jayden's core, making him stumble and nearly collapse with each labored stride across the uneven, shadowy terrain of the abandoned lot behind the warehouse.Jayden’s breath came in ragged, tearing gasps, burning in his throat as if he’d swallowed hot embers. He looked around wildly, his eyes were darting through the oppressive darkness, desperately trying to find any semblance of cover, a

Jayden sat hunched over his laptop, the glow of the screen painted his face in the dim light of his rented apartment. The single-story unit was small, a single bed was in one corner, a worn-out couch in another, and a table piled with tech gear in the center. Rain still drummed softly against the window, a familiar rhythm in the quiet city. He took a long, slow sip from the juice box beside him, the tart liquid was a sharp contrast to the dull ache of fatigue in his muscles. His mind, however, was wide awake, raced through the data he’d pulled from the memory shard. Project Revenant was an intricate web, far more complex than he’d imagined.He typed furiously, the lines of code were scrolling past. His fingers danced across the keyboard, it was a blur of motion as he delved deeper into the fragmented data. He was looking for a pattern, a vulnerability, anything that could give them an edge against the Khybers this time. The thought of Carl’s panicked call, of the fabricated dat

"It's more than useful, Mr. Richmond," Jayden said, his voice was now firm, and infused with a renewed sense of purpose. He pushed himself upright in his chair, the fatigue from his earlier exertion was seemingly forgotten. "It's the only way. Think about it. We've been trying to brute-force our way in, to break down their walls. But what if the solution isn't about breaking, but about exposing? They rely on people believing their fabricated reality. If we can show that reality is flawed, that it has these hidden imperfections, then the whole system starts to unravel from within.""But Jayden," Mr. Christopher interjected, his brows were furrowing, "even if you can detect these 'imperfections,' how does that stop Project Revenant? That's a system designed to rewrite consciousness, to control people on a fundamental level. How does a few glitches in memory timelines counteract that kind of power?""Because, Mr. Christopher," Jayden explained, with a voice that was picking up speed, an

It was an unknown number. He usually didn't answer unknown calls, but something in him urged him to pick up.“Hello, who is this?” he asked, his voice was low, trying not to disturb the ongoing performance."Mr Jayden, it is Yusuf Khyber."Jayden jerked, leaning forward in his seat, his laughter was instantly forgotten. His eyes, moments ago crinkled with mirth, now narrowed with a mixture of surprise and sudden focus. Carl, who was still wheezing with laughter beside him, seemed not to notice Jayden’s sudden tension. The sound of Captain Corporate Crusader was loudly interrogating a head of lettuce filled the hall, it was a stark contrast to the quiet intensity that had just settled over Jayden.“Oh, Yusuf,” Jayden replied, his voice was barely a whisper, his gaze was darting around the dimly lit hall as if searching for something unseen. “What’s up?”There was a brief pause on the other end, a faint rustle of what sounded like fabric, before Yusuf’s calm, almost unnervingly stead

“What are you talking about?” Yusuf asked, there was a slight furrow in his brow, his usually calm voice was now tinged with a rare hint of confusion. He had laid out every crucial piece of the puzzle, every element he believed Jayden had requested. What could possibly be missing?Jayden’s gaze hardened, it was a silent warning. His expression made it clear he wasn’t in the mood for games or evasions. The air in the vehicle, already thick with unspoken tension, seemed to hum. Then, a subtle but profound change began to ripple through Jayden. A faint, ethereal sky-blue glow started to pulse from his eyes, it was a light that seemed to emanate from deep within him. It wasn't harsh, but it was undeniable, almost as if miniature stars had ignited in his pupils. A low, almost imperceptible buzzing sound accompanied the light, it was a gentle thrumming that seemed to resonate in the very bones of the car. And then, the veins on Jayden’s hands, resting loosely on his lap, began to puls