Reboot My Heart

Chapter Four: Fractured Trust

The room was quiet, save for the soft hum of the city outside. Kian and Elena stood close, their hands intertwined, the weight of their shared pain and newfound resolve hanging heavy in the air. For a moment, it felt like the world had narrowed to just the two of them, the chaos outside fading into the background.

But the moment was fleeting.

A sharp knock on the door shattered the silence, and Kian instinctively stepped in front of Elena, his golden implant flickering to life. The door opened to reveal Captain Selene Drake, her expression tense.

“We need to move,” she said, her voice low and urgent. “Marcus knows Elena’s here. He’s coming.”

Elena’s breath hitched, and Kian felt her grip tighten on his hand. “How?” she whispered.

Selene’s jaw tightened. “He’s got eyes everywhere. The System’s compromised, and he’s using it to track us. We don’t have much time.”

Kian nodded, his mind racing. “Where do we go?”

“There’s a safe house outside the city,” Selene replied. “It’s off the grid—no System access. We’ll be untraceable there.”

Elena hesitated, her eyes darting between Kian and Selene. “What about my father? If Marcus is coming for me, he’ll go after him too.”

Selene’s expression softened, but her tone remained firm. “Your father’s already been moved to a secure location. Right now, we need to focus on getting you out of here.”

Kian squeezed Elena’s hand. “She’s right. We need to go.”

Elena nodded, though her fear was palpable. Together, the three of them moved quickly through the dimly lit corridors of the Elite Division headquarters, their footsteps echoing in the silence.

The safe house was located in the ruins of Old Neo-City, a crumbling relic of a time before the System. As they approached the outskirts of the city, Kian couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease. The towering skyscrapers gave way to dilapidated buildings and overgrown streets, a stark reminder of the world the Federation had left behind.

“This place… it’s like stepping into another world,” Elena murmured, her voice barely audible over the hum of the hovercraft.

“It’s the only place Marcus can’t reach us,” Selene replied, her eyes fixed on the road ahead. “The System doesn’t extend here.”

Kian glanced at Elena, noting the way she clung to the edge of her seat, her knuckles white. He reached over and placed a reassuring hand on hers. “We’ll be safe here. I promise.”

Elena met his gaze, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and gratitude. “I trust you.”

The words warmed Kian’s heart, but they also carried a weight he wasn’t sure he was ready to bear.

The safe house was a modest structure, hidden among the ruins and shielded by overgrown vegetation. Inside, it was sparse but functional, with enough supplies to last them weeks if necessary.

As Selene secured the perimeter, Kian and Elena settled into the main room. The tension between them was palpable, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air.

Finally, Elena broke the silence. “Kian… I need to tell you something.”

He turned to her, his heart skipping a beat. “What is it?”

She took a deep breath, her hands trembling. “When Marcus took me… he didn’t just manipulate me. He… he used me. To hurt you. To hurt the Federation.”

Kian’s stomach churned, but he kept his voice steady. “What do you mean?”

Elena’s eyes filled with tears. “He made me believe you were the enemy. That you had betrayed me. And I… I believed him. I helped him. I gave him access to the System, to my father’s files. I didn’t know what he was planning, but I… I played a part in it.”

Kian’s heart ached at the pain in her voice, but he didn’t pull away. Instead, he reached for her hand, his touch gentle. “Elena, you were manipulated. He used your fear, your trust. This isn’t your fault.”

She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “But it is. I should have seen through him. I should have trusted you.”

Kian pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. “We all make mistakes. What matters is what we do now. We can’t change the past, but we can fight for the future.”

Elena clung to him, her sobs muffled against his chest. For the first time in what felt like forever, Kian felt a flicker of hope.

The moment was shattered by the sound of Selene’s voice, sharp and urgent. “We’ve got company.”

Kian and Elena pulled apart, their eyes wide with alarm. Selene stood at the window, her crimson implant glowing faintly as she scanned the horizon.

“What is it?” Kian asked, joining her.

Selene’s expression was grim. “Marcus. He’s found us.”

Kian’s heart sank as he followed her gaze. In the distance, a fleet of hovercrafts was approaching, their lights cutting through the darkness like beacons.

“How?” Elena whispered, her voice trembling.

Selene’s jaw tightened. “He must have tracked us before we went off the grid. We need to move. Now.”

Kian nodded, his mind racing. “There’s a tunnel system beneath the ruins. It leads to the old subway. We can use it to escape.”

Selene hesitated, then nodded. “Lead the way.”

The tunnel was dark and damp, the air thick with the scent of decay. Kian led the way, his golden implant casting a faint glow to light their path. Elena followed close behind, her hand gripping his, while Selene brought up the rear, her weapon drawn.

As they moved deeper into the tunnel, the sound of footsteps echoed behind them, growing louder with each passing second.

“They’re moving on us,” Selene muttered, her voice tense.

Kian’s heart pounded, but he forced himself to stay calm. “We’re almost there. Just a little further.”

But as they rounded a corner, they were met with a dead end. The tunnel had collapsed, blocking their path.

“No,” Elena whispered, her voice filled with despair.

Kian’s mind raced. “There has to be another way.”

Selene stepped forward, her crimson implant flaring to life. “Stand back.”

She raised her hand, and a surge of energy shot from her implant, blasting through the rubble. The force of the explosion sent them stumbling back, but when the dust settled, the path was clear.

“Let’s go,” Selene said, her voice firm.

They hurried through the newly opened passage, the sound of their pursuers growing louder. But as they emerged into the old subway station, they were met with a sight that made Kian’s blood run cold.

Standing before them was Darius, his crimson implant glowing ominously in the darkness.

“Going somewhere?” he asked, his voice dripping with malice.