CHAPTER 1: VAULT OF GOVERNMENT

PRESENT TIME (2055)

Styx and Helyx sprinted through the labyrinthine corridors, their chests heaving as they struggled to catch their breath. 

The impenetrable building housed the precious government data, and its layout seemed intentionally designed to confuse intruders.

It also had an appeal to it, with all the flickering lights coming from the edge of the walls.

Suddenly, its roof became aesthetically distracting with interstellar skies and nebulas' animation as some sort of background.

Styx looked at the roof with admiration filled with some sort of mix of hatred and nostalgia:

"This place… seems a bit different now."

Helyx rolled his eyes and held his brother's hand,

"Don't be distracted, Helyx! Focus!"

The midnight hour cast an eerie darkness, barely illuminated by faint blue lamps overhead and sporadic bursts of red alarm lights. 

The blaring sirens intensified, signaling their proximity to the target. 

Finally, as they rounded the last corner, Styx turned to Helyx, a triumphant gleam in his eyes, and declared, "Brother, we've done it! This is our moment!"

Helyx's gaze fixed upon the door, adorned with a formidable password lock, accentuated by a conspicuous sign that boldly proclaimed "Admin Room." 

Swiftly, Styx retrieved a tablet and a slender cable from his pocket, placing them into Helyx's waiting hands.

Helyx deftly connected the cable from the tablet to the corresponding socket on the lock. 

As if responding to their synchronized actions, a holographic projection materialized on the tablet's screen.

It depicted a young girl, donning a sleek black T-shirt, a hat concealing her hair and ears, and a vibrant purple headset completing her enigmatic appearance.

Helyx called out to the hologram, "Era, can you unlock the door?"

From the tablet emanated a robotic voice, brimming with determination. "I shall do my best! Give me a few seconds!" 

Screen of the password lock flickered, succumbing to intermittent glitches. 

Era swayed her hand as she opened her eyes wisely, her voice glitching,

:Ac-c-ce-s-ss G-gra-nt-t-ted!"

The once distinct numbers upon it morphed into pixelated forms, her digital essence wavering and faltering in a captivating display.

Styx's gaze darted to his left, catching sight of a growing a white light of a circle coming from a flashlight.

His voice strained with urgency as he called out, "Era! They’re coming, please hurry!"

The screen of the password lock abruptly shuttered, only to reveal a striking red star icon. 

The door was finally unlocked, Styx propelled his foot forward, forcefully kicking the door open while Helyx snatched the cable and tablet.

Styx and Helyx surveyed their immediate surroundings. 

A multitude of screens adorned the walls, each illuminated with an array of intricate codes and data.

Styx seemed surprised,

"Wow! There used to be only one computer here! Government really invested in the admin room since we left!"

Helyx nodded and continued,

"Which one is the main computer with access though?"

"Well, it's kinda obvious!" 

Styx pointed at the computer which was positioned prominently at the center of the room. 

The one with the largest screen, a key panel and a chair beside it.

Assuming his seat upon the chair, Styx settled himself, ready to fulfill his role. Helyx placed the tablet and cable into Styx's awaiting hands. 

As Styx powered on the tablet, he locked eyes with Era's holographic projection, a flicker of uncertainty coloring his expression. "Era, are you sure about this?"

Helyx turned to his brother and said, "Styx, we've discussed this, haven't we? Era has her own free will and emotions. Being an artificial intelligence doesn't change that. She wants to do this willingly."

"That's why we can't afford to lose her! It's too risky to use an AI with its own will and emotions to retrieve the data. What if she gets harmed or loses her humanity forever after the operation?"

Era responded, "I'll be fine, don't worry! I'll hide within the filaments of Verion's codes. I might lose my emotions and free will."

Her voice cracked a bit and glitched while continuing, "But if it means reducing people's suffering and ensuring the government gets what it deserves, I'm willing to sacrifice myself for it.” 

Her expression softened. 

“I’ll miss you guys,” she said, her voice quivering slightly. 

Styx's arms extended towards Era's holographic form, with tears streaming down his face. However, his arms passed through her, and he tumbled to the ground.

Era narrowed her eyes. 

"Were you trying to hug me?" she said while smiling warmly.

Helyx also tried to smile while suppressing his inner pain. “You can’t be serious in a moment like this, Styx!”

Styx plugged the cable into the screen. Era closed her eyes, and with a helpless smile, she vanished.

She traveled through the cable and into the screen seamlessly, leaving behind a surge of electrifying energy which illuminated the room in a fleeting blaze. 

A group of armed men in black masks stormed into the room through the open doorway. 

They aimed their guns at the two brothers, and the beams of intense white light emanating from the weapon muzzles converged, radiating a brilliant luminosity that engulfed the entire expanse of the room

.

Both brothers raised their hands up high…waiting. 

The leader of the group spoke, "This is as far as you go! Attempting to steal government data leads to either a lifetime imprisonment or execution! If you don't come with us, we will kill you right here!"

Styx shouted at the artificial intelligence suddenly, "Era! Use the force field, now!"

Before anyone could do anything, Era's avatar separated from another avatar with blue, red and green hair and eyes. 

As the two A.I models separated from each other they held their hands together as they stared through the room and emanated a red energy wave across, activating and accessing everyone's brain at once through hypnotizing sound waves.

And they went unconscious one by one, falling to the ground like dominoes. Styx gave Era one final look before joining them. 

*****************

The man in the black suit, his slicked-back black hair and glasses giving him a determined look, clenched his fist and struck the wall with a forceful blow, his powerful voice reverberating through the room. 

The intense atmosphere caused a shiver to run down the spines of everyone present, including the individuals seated around a round table, where a laptop occupied the center.

Two women dressed as maids stood among them.

Swiveling his chair around, the man faced the group at the table, stress visible in the veins on his face. 

He interlocked his hands on the table and cast a menacing gaze upon them.

At that moment, the golden letters adorning his suit shimmered and reflected his name: SUBARU.

Subaru called out to the two tall women wearing servant attire, one with long blonde hair and the other with short pink hair.

"Inori and Rhen, please leave," he requested.

Inori opened the door, gracefully curtsied while gently holding the hem of her long dress, and exited the room. 

Rhen, appearing hesitant and trembling with shyness, closed the door behind her.

Only three individuals remained in the room, including Subaru.

Taking a deep breath, Subaru addressed the others, "They have incapacitated anyone with brain implants, and to make matters worse, they managed to gain access to our data by broadcasting live simultaneously on every television channel!"

Subaru's fists tightened, and he turned towards Kai, a thin man with short blue hair.

"It's evident that someone has breached the admin room, Kai! What were your security guards doing, for God's sake!"

Kai responded, "Before anyone could reach them, sir, they disabled everyone's brain implants, including the staff, by swiftly accessing the main computer!"

"Disabling one million brain implants at once? This couldn't have been done by a human!"

Gabriel, a man with long blonde hair and green eyes, raised his hand, seeking Subaru's permission to speak.

"Go ahead, Gabriel," Subaru nodded.

Gabriel adjusted his glasses and continued, "Thermal cameras, heat and sound sensors, recording devices…

He held his right hand in the air, then swayed across the air,

"Everything was compromised, except for one camera in the admin room. Boss, there may be some truth to your claims. Please examine this recording we retrieved from that camera."

Gabriel fetched the laptop from the center of the table and placed it in front of Subaru. He pressed the power button, and a video appeared, displaying a bird's-eye view of the room.

The conversation between Styx and Helyx, leading up to the moment Era gained access to the computer, had been captured. 

As the codes on the computer screen became visible and the resolution sharpened, the image suddenly distorted, and a red star appeared in the center.

Upon seeing this symbol, Subaru's eyes widened with recognition. He was familiar with this artificial intelligence.

"ERA! We met again, huh?" Subaru exclaimed.

Subaru's laughter started nervously, transitioning into hysterical laughter, then a menacing growl of anger, and finally a chilling cry that expressed his profound determination. 

Clenching his hair tightly between his fingers, he muttered his deceased son's name with unwavering desperation:

"Zenith, I will exact revenge for you from this world!"