Copy anomalies in the XCP association

Chapter 4: Welcome to the association

[Time to wake up. Breakfast is ready.]

Jasper shot up in bed, wide awake. For a moment, he thought it had all been a dream... but no. He knew exactly where he was. The XCP Foundation. He had been brought here.

"Let's see... the room."

He got up and began inspecting the space. Everything was perfectly organized: his clothes were folded inside a metal locker, a white towel hung beside a compact shower, a new tube of toothpaste sat on the sink, and there was a pair of sneakers placed neatly underneath. On a small table, a video game console was already on at the main menu, next to a handwritten note.

"Remember not to waste too much time playing video games.—Your teacher, William."

Jasper let out a small laugh. At least someone in this place seemed to care.

"Well... time to get out of here," he said confidently as he walked toward the door.

But the moment he stepped outside, he froze.

Stretching out in both directions, and directly ahead of him, were endless rows of white rooms. He couldn't count them. Hundreds? Thousands? The walls and floors were sterile white, and the ceiling lights gave off a cold blue glow, casting an otherworldly, futuristic tone over everything.

"Are you telling me... all these people work here?" he whispered, stunned. Just yesterday, he hadn't believed any of this was real—and now it was staring him in the face.

"Yes, I was shocked too when I first saw it... twenty years ago."

The voice came from his side. Jasper turned and saw a tall, broad man with a sharply trimmed beard and a commanding presence. He wore a dark uniform with the Foundation's logo across the chest.

"Good morning. Let me introduce myself. I'm Agent F16. I'll be in charge of you today."

"Good morning, I'm Jasper Stone and—"

F16 raised a hand, cutting him off—not rudely, but firmly.

"Neo 7. That's your name now. From this point on, you'll only introduce yourself as Neo 7."

Jasper got the message. No real names in this place. It was about security... or survival.

"Understood. I'm... Neo 7. Glad to be working with you," he replied respectfully.

"Hahaha, now that's the spirit. Come on, let's head to breakfast. The others are waiting."

"The others?"

"Yeah. The rest of Neo X."

They walked down the corridor until they reached a large double door. F16 placed his hand on a scanner built into the wall.

[Activating access...]

[Agent F16 identified]

[Please proceed.]

A soft emerald glow lit up the edges as the doors slid open with a smooth buzz.

Jasper stepped inside beside him, expecting an elevator... but quickly realized this was anything but standard.

"3887 told me about you. You awakened your abilities yesterday, so now you're part of Neo X. I'd give you the full tour—but that's impossible."

F16 tapped a destination on a floating screen.

"After all," he added with a smirk, "I can't show you the whole world in one day."

"The whole world?" Jasper asked, puzzled.

[Location confirmed...]

[Destination: Headquarters 4 — Atlantic Ocean]

A low hum vibrated through the chamber. Jasper felt his stomach twist, as if his body was being stretched and compressed all at once. Then, just as suddenly—it was over.

Shhhhhh-clang.

The doors opened.

Jasper's eyes widened in awe.

"Hahahaha, you'll get used to the teleporter eventually," F16 said, stepping out casually.

"Yeah, sure..." Jasper started to follow—only to freeze for the second time that day.

What lay ahead wasn't just a cafeteria or common room.

It was an underground city.

High ceilings with suspended steel beams. Walkways crisscrossed the air between internal buildings. People moved everywhere—some in gray medical scrubs, others in black tactical armor that completely obscured their faces. Floating robots zipped by carrying equipment. In a distant corner, agents were treating a wounded colleague.

Jasper swallowed hard.

"Welcome to the XCP Foundation, kid," F16 said, snapping him out of his daze. "Now let's go meet the others."

They started walking. Jasper took in the smells—metal, disinfectant, and fresh coffee—and the sounds: a chorus of orders, boots on steel floors, machinery, and voices speaking in languages he didn't even recognize.

This wasn't just a base.

It was another world.

After navigating through several levels, each with its own unique architecture, they stopped in front of a massive door. A metallic gauntlet symbol was engraved at the center.

"Alright, this is the place. Oh—right, here. Use this," F16 said, pulling something from his pocket and handing it to Jasper. It looked like a strange headset.

"Not everyone speaks English like we do, so this'll help you communicate. Put it on."

Jasper obeyed. The moment the device touched his ears, he felt a strange tingling sensation, as if something alive was burrowing in.

It didn't hurt. But it was... weird.

"They're nanobugs," F16 explained. "They've just fused with your eardrums. They'll translate any language you hear in real time. The others have them too. Now come on, let's head in."

The door opened with a faint creak.

Jasper stepped in, nerves rising in his chest. He was about to meet the rest of Neo X. Were they like him?

Were they even human?

He didn't know. But he wanted to find out.

The room was like a massive gymnasium—large enough to host fifteen basketball games at once without anyone bumping into each other. In the center, three people were seated.

"Morning, team! I brought the new guy!" F16 called out cheerfully.

"Ah, Mr. F16... I was starving. What took you so long?" said a freckled boy with brown hair, slightly shorter than Jasper. His uniform was labeled NEO 5.

"Neo 5, meet Neo 7. He's your new teammate," F16 said, pointing around the room.

"This is Neo 5. He's been here a week."

"Nice to meet you," Neo 5 said, shaking Jasper's hand enthusiastically.

"Next is the tall girl with the shades—that's Neo 4. She's been with us a month."

Despite the intro, the girl didn't look up or respond. She kept her gaze locked on the floor. Jasper was struck not just by her height—but by her outfit, which looked like it belonged in a fashion parade.

"And last but not least, the one in the unicorn pajamas is Neo 8. She arrived today too, just a little earlier than you."

"Oh... hello? Is 'hello' what you say, right?" she asked, flipping through a small dictionary in her hands.

Jasper blinked. The pajamas weren't even the weirdest part.

"What about the others? Where are Neo 1, 2, and 3?" he asked, assuming the numbers were assigned in order of arrival.

"Oh, they died," F16 said casually, rummaging through his bag.

"...Huh?"Jasper froze. The air felt like it had thickened.

(Just like that...? They just... died? What if I'm next?)

"Alright! Time for breakfast. Ready?" F16 smiled, completely unfazed.

"Of course, sir! Ready for today!" replied Neo 5, full of energy.

"Is this like in military movies?" Jasper asked as he approached the group. "They work us to death before giving us food?"

Everyone looked at him like he'd just said something offensive.

"F16 didn't sing to you?" Neo 8 asked innocently. "He sang the laws to me last night."

"You said that wrong, Neo 8. It's this morning, not last night. And it's rules, not laws," Neo 4 corrected her sternly.

"Sir, would you mind explaining? I wouldn't feel right beating someone who doesn't understand the system," Neo 5 said with a straight face.

"Oh, right. Jasper, I didn't explain how this works," F16 said, raising an apple like it was a prize.

"Today, the Association gave you an apple... or more precisely, gave it to the right person."

Jasper clenched his jaw. He had a feeling where this was going.

"They're all going to fight. And whoever wins... gets to eat the apple."

And this hunch was true