The peace of the Intersection was a fragile glass ornament, and the message etched in light on the floor had just shattered it.
I stared at the glowing text—**[RECLAMATION PROTOCOL]**—as it pulsed like a dying heart. The Architects weren't done. They were the ultimate "persistent threat" developers, and they had just found our new home.
--
"Sector 7," Silas whispered, his voice tight. He wasn't looking at me; he was looking at his own hands. They were steady, but the violet spark in his eyes was erratic, flickering like a faulty wire. "That’s the Old District. The part of the city where the hospital used to be in the 'Real' world."
"If someone is there, someone the system doesn't recognize..." I started, my mind racing through the possibilities. "It could be a survivor. Someone who did
