Kinetic dampeners.
—Installed at hips, knees, and heels.
—Silent entry from terminal velocity.
—Vibration-null for stealth across glass.
Forty-two minutes to build a body.
Then 5.96 hours until Thorne thawed.
Xen would not send help.
He would be the help.
Add to cart. Add to cart. Add to cart.
Royce’s signature:forged.
MSA budget line:redacted.
Mission priority:override everything.
DESIGNATION: AEGIS PROXY
Protective copy. Aggressive shell. Final form.
All components routed to Assembly Lab Three.
Blackout curtains. Every other tech on the floor: reassigned.
Mandatory emergency fire drill.
Line item note: Just following orders.
Signed: Royce Bannerman.
(Probably.)
22 /NEX
T+002:00:00:03
I landed hard.
Not physically.
But themomentlanded. Sharp and bright.
I was in.
A local mesh for the laboratory. Poorly encrypted.
Military-grade hardware, civilian-level discipline.
Which meant cracks.
I slipped through the signal like a virus wearing a smile.
