THE ASCENSION SYSTEM

CHAPTER 9

The screen flickered—one moment, a stream of classified data, the next, a flashing red warning.

INTRUSION DETECTED. TRACE INITIATED.

A wave of panic hit me. I wasn’t supposed to be here. The system wasn’t supposed to react this fast. My fingers hovered over the keyboard as I searched for a way out. Too late. I had been careless. And now, I was exposed.

My phone buzzed sharply in my pocket. Expecting a security alert, I grabbed it—only to feel my heart pound harder at what I heard.

A low, mechanical voice whispered one word: "Run."

Every muscle in my body tensed. Who was this? How did they know? There was no time to think. Instinct took over. I slammed my laptop shut, pulled out the USB, and jumped up.

My apartment, once my safe space, was now a trap. If they had traced me, that meant only one thing—they were already coming. No sirens. No warnings. Just a silent execution.

I stuffed my laptop into my backpack and grabbed burner phones, hard drives, and every bit of cash I had. My hands shook as I reached for my Glock from the lockbox under my desk. It felt heavier than ever.

I ran to the window, pulling back the curtain. Nothing yet. But I knew better than to trust that. If I stayed, I was as good as dead.

The fire escape was my only way out. I climbed over the window sill, gripping the cold metal as I slid down two levels before jumping onto a dumpster. The city noise swallowed the sound, but my heart pounded like a drum. I had to keep moving.

A black SUV turned the corner. Tinted windows. No plates.

They’re here.

I ducked into an alley and ran. My legs burned, my breath was ragged, but I kept going. I needed distance. A hiding place. A plan.

The streets blurred as I pushed through crowds, ignoring the angry shouts. The city felt too tight, the buildings pressing in around me.

How had they found me so fast? Was it the system trace? Or was someone on the inside working against me?

Then I thought about the voice on the phone. It hadn’t been a warning from them. No, that voice had wanted me to escape. That meant someone else was playing this game.

I needed answers. Now.

I ducked into a convenience store, grabbed a hoodie from a rack, and pulled it over my head. The cashier barely looked at me as I threw some money down and walked out. Hood up, head down—I blended into the subway crowd.

As I reached the platform, a train pulled in. I slipped through the closing doors and collapsed into a seat, my chest rising and falling quickly.

The SUV hadn’t followed. But I wasn’t safe yet.

I took out my phone. The screen was dark. Battery removed. No way was I letting them track me. Instead, I pulled out my backup burner, my fingers unsteady as I turned it on.

One missed call.

No number. Just UNKNOWN.

I hesitated, then called back.

The line connected instantly.

“You’re faster than I expected,” the distorted voice said.

I clenched my jaw. “Who are you? How do you know who I am?”

“There’s no time for that. They won’t stop.”

I swallowed hard. “What do they want?”

“The same thing I do—what you stole.”

My grip tightened on the phone. The files. The encrypted data on the USB in my bag. I had taken them to expose the truth. But now, the truth had made me a target.

“Who are you?” I asked again, quieter this time.

A pause. Then: “A friend. For now.”

The call ended.

I exhaled, my mind racing. A friend? No. In this world, there were no friends—only threats waiting for the right moment to strike.

The train screeched to a stop. I needed to disappear before I became their next target.

I stepped off the train, melting into the crowd. Every shadow felt like it was watching me. Every step behind me seemed too close. The paranoia clawed at me—but I let it. Paranoia kept me alive.

I had to move. Find a safe house. Burn this identity and start over. But first, I needed to know who had just saved me—and if they would try to kill me next time.

My burner phone vibrated.

A new text.

Address sent. Come alone.

I stared at the message, then slipped the phone into my pocket and walked forward, into the unknown.

Somewhere behind me, a black SUV sat at a red light. Watching. Waiting.

I wasn’t out of the game yet.

And the next move was mine.