Chapter 1
The timer appeared in my vision as soon as I woke up.
Every second ticked louder than the last.
I’d never realised how heavy time could feel until it was being measured against my existence.
Kira sat across the room, surrounded by dismantled consoles. She hadn’t slept either.
“Any luck?” I asked.
She didn’t look up. “Depends on your definition. I can trace the integration protocol, but not the override key. It’s buried deeper than anything I’ve ever seen.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning it’s not just in your implant. It’s everywhere interlinked with the academy’s central network.”
“So if I die, the system collapses?”
She finally met my eyes. “If you die before the countdown ends, yes. But if it finishes first…”
“I become part of it.”
Silence stretched between us.
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Later tha
