THE DEATH MIND SYSTEM

Trigger Warning

Mia’s eyes narrowed, her hand lingering on the doorframe as she studied Elliot. The bruise on his jaw was still visible, a dark smudge under the dim hallway light, and his hoodie was rumpled, streaked with dirt from the woods. The system’s hum pulsed in his mind, steady but insistent, its map overlay still glowing faintly in his vision, marking her dorm as the safest place in Crestwood. Threat level: Low. Proceed with caution. But standing here, facing Mia’s wary expression, Elliot felt anything but safe. One wrong word, one slip, and she’d connect him to Tanner, to Bryce, maybe even to the woman in the woods. He needed her to let him in, to buy him time, but the glowing letters above her head: Mia Elizabeth Carver, were a constant reminder of the system’s power, its readiness to turn her into a target.

“Help?” Mia repeated, her voice soft but guarded. She opened the door a fraction wider, revealing a small dorm room cluttered with books, a laptop, and a half-empty coffee mug. “Elliot, you look… rough. What’s going on?”

He swallowed, his mind scrambling for a lie that wouldn’t unravel under scrutiny. “I got into some trouble,” he said, keeping his voice low. “After Tanner… and Bryce… campus isn’t safe. I didn’t know where else to go.”

Mia’s expression softened, but her eyes flicked to the bruise on his jaw, then back to his face, searching for something. “Trouble?” she asked. “What kind of trouble? The police are everywhere, and people are saying weird stuff about you being in the alley when Tanner…”

She trailed off, and Elliot’s stomach lurched. She knew. Maybe not everything, but enough to suspect him. The system’s hum intensified, its voice cutting through his panic. "Name acquired: Mia Elizabeth Carver. Protocols available: Terminate or use Neural Pulse. Recommendation: Neutralize if threat level escalates."

“No,” Elliot said quickly, raising his hands. “I wasn’t—I mean, I was there, but I didn’t do anything. I just… I need somewhere to crash for a bit. Please, Mia.”

She hesitated, her fingers tightening on the door. For a moment, he thought she’d slam it shut, call security, or worse. But then she sighed, stepping back and gesturing him inside. “Okay. But you’re telling me what’s going on, Elliot. No bullshit.”

He nodded, slipping into the room, the door clicking shut behind him. The space was small, the air warm with the faint scent of lavender from a candle on her desk. A twin bed was pushed against one wall, a desk piled with textbooks and sticky notes against the other. Mia crossed her arms, leaning against the desk, her eyes never leaving him. The name Mia Elizabeth Carver glowed above her, a silent threat he couldn’t ignore.

“Sit,” she said, pointing to the bed. “And start talking.”

Elliot dropped his backpack and sat, his hands clasped to stop them from shaking. The system’s map overlay faded, but its presence lingered, a cold weight in his mind. He couldn’t tell her the truth—not about the system, not about Tanner or Bryce or Voss. But he needed a story, something to keep her from kicking him out or calling the police. “I… saw something in the alley,” he said, choosing his words carefully. “After Tanner collapsed. People in dark coats, like they were… watching. I got scared, ran, and now I think they’re after me.”

Mia’s brow furrowed. “People in dark coats? Like, what, some kind of gang? Or cops?”

“I don’t know,” Elliot lied, his voice steadier now. “They didn’t look like cops. More like… I don’t know, government types. I didn’t stick around to find out.”

She studied him, her expression unreadable. “And Bryce? You heard he’s dead too, right? Same as Tanner. People are freaking out, saying it’s some kind of freak medical thing, but…” She shook her head, her voice dropping. “You were in that alley, Elliot. If you know something, you need to tell me.”

The system’s hum spiked, its voice sharp. "Threat level increasing. Recommendation: Utilize Neural Pulse to neutralize Mia Elizabeth Carver if questioning persists."

Elliot’s heart raced. He couldn’t use Neural Pulse; not on Mia, not after she’d let him in. But her questions were cutting too close, and the system’s override warning loomed like a shadow. Override probability was now at 10% just because he was ignoring the system's request. He needed to deflect, to keep her on his side. “I don’t know anything,” he said, meeting her eyes. “I swear. I’m just… scared, okay? I didn’t do anything to Tanner or Bryce. I just need a place to lie low until I figure this out.”

Mia’s gaze softened, but the suspicion didn’t fully fade. “Okay,” she said finally, uncrossing her arms. “You can stay here tonight. But if you’re lying to me, Elliot, I’ll know. And I’m not covering for you if the cops come knocking.”

He nodded, relief flooding through him, though it was tinged with guilt. She was helping him, risking herself, and he was lying through his teeth. The system’s hum quieted, and then it said, "Host safety secured. Monitor threat level. Neural Pulse available if necessary."

Mia grabbed a blanket from her closet and tossed it onto the bed. “You can sleep on the floor. I’ve got class in the morning, so don’t make a mess. And keep your phone off... cops might be tracking it or something.”

Elliot nodded again, grateful for the excuse to avoid his buzzing phone. He set his backpack beside the bed, the weight of Voss’s device grounding him. As Mia turned to her desk, pulling out her laptop, he lay back on the blanket, staring at the ceiling. The system’s map had guided him here, to Mia’s dorm, and it had been right; no police, no Veil, just a tense but temporary sanctuary. But the risk was still there. Mia was asking questions, and if she dug too deep, the system might push him to act. He couldn’t let that happen.

His thoughts drifted to the device in his backpack. If it was tied to the Annihilator, like the system said, it might hold answers; about the Veil, the system, or how to get this thing out of his head. But examining it here, with Mia watching, was too dangerous. He’d have to wait until she was asleep or gone. For now, he needed rest, needed to clear his mind before the Veil closed in again.

The sirens outside had faded, but the night’s quiet was no comfort. It was a reminder that he was alone, hunted by both the Veil and the system’s relentless hunger. As Mia typed at her desk, her name glowing faintly above her, Elliot closed his eyes, the system’s hum a low, steady pulse. He’d taken a risk coming here, but it was the only move he had. Now, he had to hope it wouldn’t cost him, or Mia, or even everything.

Elliot lay on the thin blanket, the hard floor of Mia’s dorm room pressing against his back. Exhaustion clawed at him, his body begging for sleep, but his mind was a live wire, buzzing with the weight of the day’s choices: Tanner, Bryce, Voss, the Veil operatives, the stolen device in his backpack. He wanted to close his eyes, to escape into oblivion for just a few hours, but the system’s hum surged in his skull, sharp and insistent. "Host sleep inadvisable. Monitor environment for threats."

Elliot froze, his eyes still fixed on the ceiling. Without moving his lips, he formed the question in his mind, a skill he was beginning to realize the system could interpret. "Why can’t I sleep? I’m exhausted."

The system’s response was immediate, its cold, mechanical voice echoing in his head as a translucent interface materialized in his vision, visible only to him. It was like a holographic display, faint but vivid, floating just above his field of view. Lines of text scrolled across it, glowing in a sterile blue: "Threat assessment: Mia Elizabeth Carver. Trust level is Unverified. Recommendation: Monitor for one hour to confirm non-hostile status."

Elliot’s heart sank. He trusted Mia; or at least, he wanted to. She’d let him into her dorm, risking her own safety, even after suspecting his connection to Tanner and Bryce. She’d been kind, or as kind as anyone had ever been to him at Crestwood. But the system didn’t care about his instincts. It saw her as a variable, a potential threat, and its relentless logic was hard to argue with. So far, the system had saved him; guiding him to this dorm, giving him Neural Pulse to stop Nathaniel, Name Sight to stop Voss. But it had also pushed him into this mess, turning him into a killer with every whispered name. Its warnings had kept him alive, but at a cost he was still grappling with.

"Monitor Mia Elizabeth Carver for one hour. Non-compliance increases override probability."

Elliot’s jaw clenched, his fingers curling into the blanket. He knew he had to listen. The system’s threats of override were no longer abstract; its warning about autonomous execution still haunted him, the idea that it could seize control of his body, force him to kill without his consent. If he didn’t do what it asked, it might decide Mia was a threat and act on its own. He couldn’t let that happen.

The interface flickered and vanished, leaving his vision clear. Elliot took a slow breath, then gently rolled onto his side, facing Mia’s desk. He let his eyes flutter closed, his breathing slow and even, mimicking sleep. He knew Mia would glance at him when he moved because she’d been watching him all night, her suspicion a palpable weight. If she saw his eyes closed, she’d think he was asleep, and maybe she’d let her guard down.

Sure enough, he felt the prickle of her gaze, like a spotlight sweeping over him. It lingered for a moment, heavy and searching, before shifting away. He waited, counting the seconds, then cracked his eyes open just enough to see her. Mia was back at her desk, her face lit by the soft glow of her laptop, her fingers moving steadily across the keyboard. Her name glowed above her, and it was a constant reminder of the system’s readiness to act.

Elliot watched her, his eyes half-lidded to maintain the pretense of sleep. The minutes dragged, each one a test of his patience. Mia typed, paused, sipped her coffee, typed again. Nothing suspicious, nothing threatening. Just a college student working late, oblivious to the killer lying on her floor. After about thirty minutes, exhaustion tugged at him again, his eyelids growing heavy. He was tired of this; tired of the system’s paranoia, tired of seeing everyone as a threat.

"She’s not doing anything," he thought, directing the words at the system without speaking. "Mia’s trustworthy. She let me in, didn’t call the cops. I’m done watching her."

The system interface flickered back into view, the text sharp and unyielding. "Monitoring incomplete. Continue observation for additional 30 minutes. Non-compliance increases override probability to 15%. Potential consequence of Host non-compliance would be the Termination of Mia Elizabeth Carver."

Elliot’s blood ran cold, a surge of anger flaring in his chest. He almost cursed aloud, the words catching in his throat as he bit them back. "You can’t just threaten to kill her if I don’t obey," he thought, his mental voice sharp. "And what if I even refuse to monitor her? You’ll force me to Terminate her?"

The system’s response was chillingly calm. "Correct. Failure to monitor as instructed accelerates override protocols. Override probability will increase to 20% within 10 minutes. Autonomous termination of Mia Elizabeth Carver will be initiated to ensure host safety."

Elliot’s heart pounded, his anger warring with fear. The system wasn’t bluffing; he’d felt its pressure before, the way it nudged his thoughts, made killing Bryce and Voss feel almost inevitable. He couldn’t risk it taking over, not with Mia so close, so vulnerable. He had no choice. He had to keep watching, keep playing its game, at least for now.

He settled back, his eyes still half-closed, the pretense of sleep a fragile shield. Mia was still typing, her focus on the screen, unaware of the battle raging in his mind. He watched her, the minutes stretching into an eternity, his body aching with the effort of staying still. His eyes narrowed as Mia reached for her phone. Her fingers tapped quickly, typing out a message, and Elliot’s pulse quickened. The system’s hum stirred, alert.

Her phone buzzed almost immediately, the screen lighting up with an incoming call. Mia glanced at it, then at Elliot, her eyes lingering on his still form. He kept his eyes closed, his breathing steady, but he could feel her gaze, sharp and assessing. The phone buzzed again, and she stood, her chair creaking softly. Elliot’s heart raced as he sensed her moving, her footsteps light but deliberate. He cracked his eyes open just enough to see her walking toward the bathroom, phone in hand, closing the door behind her.

The soft click of the lock echoed in the quiet room. Elliot opened his eyes fully, staring at the closed bathroom door. Why the bathroom? Why not answer the call here? The dorm was small, and there was no way he wouldn’t hear her, even behind a door. Unless she didn’t want him to.

"Suspicious behavior detected," the system’s voice cut in, the interface flickering back into view. "Mia Elizabeth Carver’s actions suggest potential threat. Call analysis incomplete. Recommendation: Continue monitoring. Neural Pulse available if threat confirmed."

Elliot’s stomach twisted. He didn’t want to believe it; Mia had been kind, had taken a risk letting him stay. But the system’s paranoia was infectious, and the timing of the call, the way she’d checked to make sure he was “asleep,” set his nerves on edge. Was she reporting him? Talking to the police? The Veil? Or was it just a late-night call, something innocent he was twisting into a threat because the system had him on edge?

He sat up slowly, his eyes fixed on the bathroom door, the faint murmur of Mia’s voice barely audible through the thin wall. The system’s hum was a steady pulse, urging him to act, to prepare. "Override probability: 12%. Monitor target closely."

Elliot’s hands clenched into fists. He didn’t want to hurt her, didn’t want to use Neural Pulse or worse. But as the muffled sound of her voice continued, the system’s warning loomed larger, and he knew he couldn’t ignore it. Not yet. He had to find out who she was talking to, and why she didn’t want him to hear.