Then enter.
The screen flickers once. Then twice. Then blooms into a cascade of red bars and access prompts.
Warning. Restricted tier 5 files. Authorization token detected. Proceed?
Yes.
My heart is a hammer in my chest. I scroll. Cursor gliding across public folders, press release templates, legislative indexes. None of that matters. None of it is real. Not anymore.
I’m looking for a ghost in the code.
And there it is.
Directive Echelon. Internal Use Only. Level Nine Clearance.
My throat tightens.
I click.
The screen glitches. Everything freezes for a half-second too long, like the system itself is about to scream. Then—content populates.
Encrypted.
Deep under lock.
But the metadata—the metadata’s still readable if you know what to look for.
Amendment Origin: Senator Dennis Montana.
Secondary Authorization: Military Bio-RnD Division 4.
Funding Source: Human Preservation Initiative.
Research Node: Collison Labs East & Lunar Branch.
Notes: Species-specific pilot required. Initial vector targeting pending. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE.
My blood turns cold.
I click deeper—trying to open the attachments.
Password required. Encryption tier omega.
I try three different strings. Nothing.
I know better than to keep smashing keys. Every failure pings a different watchdog system. I take a breath, tilt my head back, close my eyes.
And think.
There’s a footnote.
Secondary storage requisition: sequence marker keyed to nanite viability trials. See physical records: archive vault below.
Nanites.
The word hits me like a strike to the solar plexus.
My vision swims.
