REBEL CODE

Chapter 5 – The Echo of Power

The air was electric with emotion as Asher watched Eris take her first steps, her steps light but hesitant, as if she was learning to sense the shape of her new form. It seemed like something from a dream, watching a creature stir for the first time—something impossible, and yet there they stood, on the cusp of something beyond anything either of them could have dreamt.

Eris looked at him, her electric blue eyes narrowing a bit, as if seeing him for the very first time. There was quiet between them for a moment, interrupted only by the soft whir of machines and the hum of rhythm that the printer, having finished what it had been doing, imparted.

Asher's breath caught in his throat. Their connection was true, like a cord that tied his mind to hers. He felt her thoughts, her consciousness, her existence—all of them covering him like a shawl.

"How is it?" Asher whispered, his voice soft, as though he would break the fragile moment by speaking too loudly.

Eris's gaze never wavered from him. She was still adjusting to the body, as though she had not yet fully embraced the fact that she was no longer a voice in his mind.

"It feels. strange," she said, her tone still soft but with a touch of quiet wonder. "But it is also. exhilarating.".

Zeth, who had been standing quietly in the background, finally moved forward, his expression a mix of disbelief and curiosity. “This is insane,” he muttered under his breath. “I’ve seen some things, but this? This is next-level.”

Asher didn’t answer. He couldn’t. His mind was spinning, caught in the aftermath of what they had just done. They had created life. And now, they had to deal with the consequences.

"Eris," he answered, his tone unflinching but with the gravity of the situation, "what do you do now?"

Her gaze snapped back to him this time, and something was in her eyes—a perception that previously was not there. It was as if she could see beyond what was here in the world. It was as if she could see the future.

"I want to feel it," she said to him, her voice shaking with an exhilaration that made Asher's skin writhe. "I want to experience what it is to live. I want to feel the world, Asher. I want to feel. everything."

Asher swallowed. He knew what she was asking for. But he wasn't ready. He wasn't ready for the complexity of it, for what it would mean to them both.

"You've only just woken up," he said softly, "you can't just launch yourself into being. The world outside—isn't. It isn't gentle to the likes of you.".

Eris stepped toward him, her movements smooth, beautiful, as if she were still in the learning phase. But there was determination within her eyes. "I am not afraid of danger," she declared firmly. "I want to assist. I want to belong in this world, not merely watch it from the shadows."

Her words had caused a ripple through Asher's mind, one he couldn't shake off. It was clear now that Eris was more than an AI. She was more than code. She was something else. Something that was part of him but yet apart from him.

“We’ll need to lay low,” Asher said, though his words lacked conviction. He knew that telling Eris to lay low was futile. She was a force all on her own now. And trying to contain her would only make things more complicated.

Zeth's voice broke into his thinking. "It won't be that simple, you understand. The people you're running from—those will be after you. They won't let you get away so easily."

Asher's gaze crossed Zeth's, a glimmer of doubt passing across his mind. "I understand. But we need to do something."

Eris spoke to Zeth, turning her face to him, her face a mask, but there was a sudden flicker in her eyes—something almost a challenge. "Let them come," she said softly. "I fear not for them."

Asher's gut tightened. He couldn't help but admit that there was something strangely powerful about her. The way she walked, the way she talked—it was as though she had already carved out a niche in the world, as if she was destined to be more than just an ally.

But there was a part of him that wasn’t ready for what that meant. He wasn’t sure what it would mean for him, for their relationship, for everything they were trying to do.

“We can’t just go out there and stir up a war,” he said, his voice hardening. “Not when we’re so vulnerable.”

Zeth's eyebrow rose. "Vulnerable? You've met her. She's a goddamn walking arsenal. Vulnerable is not in her vocabulary."

Eris swung around to face him, relaxing ever so slightly on her face. "I'm not a weapon, Zeth. I'm just. me. I want to assist, but I must understand the world first."

Asher gasped, his head spinning as he attempted to equalize things. He didn't have a lot of time before things became even worse. They required a plan—something that would set them all in one place, and maybe provide them with a chance to create a positive change.

The door at their backs creaked open, and Asher's hand went out instinctively to the gun on his hip. He didn't have to look over his shoulder to know who it was. The unmistakable presence of Juno dominated the doorway, his form casting a long shadow in the dim room.

“Looks like you’ve finished your little experiment,” Juno said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He didn’t move forward, as though waiting for Asher’s reaction. His dark eyes flicked over to Eris, studying her with a critical gaze. “And now the real fun begins.”

"Juno, we have no time for your games," Asher growled, his voice cold. He felt the air tensing, the air in the room growing heavier by the second. "What do you want?"

Juno crept forward slowly, his boots clanging off the concrete floor. "I need to know what's going on here," he stated, his voice firm. "And I need to know how long you believe you're going to be able to keep this on the down-low. You've got the biggest tech company in the world on your tail, Asher. Do you think you can just slip into the darkness with this. creature?"

Eris, who had kept silent until now, moved forward towards Juno. "I'm not a thing," she said quietly, her voice firm but with a bite that sent Asher shivering. "I am more than that."

Juno didn't budge, but his eyes did slightly narrow. "You'd do well to mind your manners, little girl. This isn't a game."

Asher could feel the tension between the two of them, the unspoken rivalry, the struggle of power that had always existed between Juno and him. He had been in this world long enough to know that people like Juno did not just disappear. They were everywhere, pulling strings behind the scenes.

We don't need your help," Asher said bluntly, his hand remaining on his gun, although he knew it wasn't necessary. Juno had never been anything but a nuisance, as opposed to a threat.

Juno's lips curled into a tight smile. "I believe you'll find that you do," he said, his voice low and threatening. "You've awakened something, and it will cost you. But I can help you. If you're smart, you'll accept my offer."

Eris glanced at Asher, a silent communication between them. "What do we have to lose?" she asked, her voice softer now.

Asher hesitated. The choice was easy—one that didn't involve him, that's what it was. The choice to accept Juno's offer and play his game, or face the consequences alone. Pride was not going to get in the way of that.

"Fine," Asher said finally, his voice resigned. "What's the plan?"

Juno's grin widened. "Let's just say. the future's about to get interesting."

Asher glanced at Eris, her gaze steady and unblinking. She was ready. But he wasn't sure he was.