2025-02-24 20:19:41System Intrusion Detected
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. ---
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
THE ASCENSION SYSTEM CHAPTER 10
The AttackThe first bullet zips past my ear, so close that I swear I feel the heat of its friction as it slices through the air. My breath catches. My pulse spikes. And then—everything slows.The world stretches into unbearable clarity as my enhanced reflexes take over, a gift I never asked for and a curse I can never escape. The system inside me does what it always does: it calculates. Within the span of a blink, a dozen potential escape routes manifest before my eyes. But before I can even act on them, something fractures in my vision—two versions of the same moment unfolding in tandem.One reality: I move too slow. The bullet finds its mark, ripping through my skull.The other: I roll left, just in time, just barely scraping by with my life intact.I don’t get to choose.The system does.I feel my body react before my mind even processes the decision. The muscles in my torso tighten, and I throw myself to the left, hitting the ground with a force that rattles my bones. The impact
THE ASCENSION SYSTEM CHAPTER 11
System EvolutionPain. Deep, burning pain.I gasped and forced my eyes open. Blood dripped down my forehead, mixing with sweat and stinging my skin. My vision was blurry, dark spots dancing at the edges. The air smelled like burnt metal and gunpowder. It was thick and hard to breathe. My whole body ached, every movement like fire running through my nerves.But I was alive. Barely.The agent who had almost killed me lay a few feet away, not moving. His body showed the brutal fight we had just gone through. He still held his gun, his fingers limp around it. I took deep, shaky breaths and scanned the room for more danger. The fight was over, but this war was far from finished.A message flashed across my vision.[System Alert: New Function Unlocked – Combat Assistance]Then another.[Reality Override – Locked]What did that mean? My head was spinning, but I had bigger problems. I had to survive first. I forced myself to stand, wincing as pain shot through my ribs. Breathing hurt—a sharp,
THE ASCENSION SYSTEM CHAPTER 12
The Overseers’ FootprintThe dim glow of my laptop screen flickered against the walls as I scrolled through the stolen files. Each document felt like a puzzle piece that didn’t quite fit. Then, a name caught my eye—Project Nexus. The moment I clicked on it, a chill ran down my spine. It felt like someone—or something—was watching me.The text on the screen was distorted, flickering, and rearranging itself as if the file was actively fighting to disappear. Sentences glitched, and whole paragraphs dissolved into static. My heartbeat pounded in my chest.“This isn’t normal,” I muttered.“What’s not normal?” Alex’s voice made me jump. He stood in the doorway, arms crossed, his face half-hidden in the dim light. He had that skeptical look again—the one that meant he didn’t trust my obsession with secrets.I pushed my laptop toward him. “This.”Alex frowned as he studied the screen. “Looks corrupted.”“No. It’s being erased. Someone doesn’t want us to know about Nexus.”His sharp eyes met m
THE ASCENSION SYSTEM CHAPTER 13
No Safe PlaceThe dingy basement reeked of burnt coffee and stale sweat, but it was the only place I could think of that was safe—at least, for now. The hum of old servers filled the space, blinking red and green like a pulse in the dark. I sat across from Elias Reed, a gaunt man with wire-rimmed glasses perched on his sharp nose, his fingers drumming impatiently against the desk."This better be worth my time, Tony," Elias muttered, cracking his knuckles before reaching for his keyboard. "I don't usually deal with ghosts.""I'm not a ghost," I said, though lately, it felt like I was. "Just a man being erased."Elias let out a dry chuckle. "Same thing." His fingers flew over the keys, navigating encrypted files like a surgeon working on open flesh. The glow of the monitors illuminated his face, and for a brief moment, I almost believed this was just another job for him. Just another puzzle.Then his hands stilled. His expression turned rigid."That's... impossible," he breathed.My gu
THE ASCENSION SYSTEM CHAPTER 14
The Second AttackThe city was suffocating tonight.Rain dripped from rusted fire escapes, slicking the pavement in an oily sheen. The air smelled of burnt rubber and electricity, a metallic tang that clung to my tongue. My pulse pounded in my ears as I moved through the alleys, keeping to the shadows. Every muscle in my body screamed from the last fight, but I couldn’t stop. I wouldn’t stop.Elias was gone. And I was next.I kept moving, listening. Watching. The city had its rhythm, its pulse—but something was wrong. It wasn’t just quiet. It was controlled. Engineered.Then I saw them.Six figures. No, eight. Tactical gear, matte-black armor designed to blend into the night. Their movements were synchronized and precise.This wasn’t a random ambush. This was a kill box.A voice crackled in my stolen earpiece. Cold. Mechanical.“Primary target acquired. Engage.”They moved in perfect unison. Th
THE ASCENSION SYSTEM CHAPTER 15
Escape and RevelationSmoke burned my lungs, every breath a reminder that I was running out of time. The alarms screamed overhead, red lights flashing across the steel corridors, casting jagged shadows that moved like ghosts. My boots pounded against the grated floor, every step echoing like a countdown to my own death.Elias was right behind me, bleeding, staggering—but he never slowed. His sharp, silver eyes burned with a determination that almost made me believe we could make it out. Almost.“Left,” he rasped, shoving me forward. “Stairwell—hurry!”The door was just ahead. Freedom was beyond it. And yet, I hesitated. My instincts screamed at me—something was wrong.Elias turned back, lifting his gun toward the security panel, but before he could fire, the metal barrier behind us slammed shut. The sound was final, like the lid of a coffin.His jaw tightened. He knew what this meant.“No,” I said. “We both go.”
THE ASCENSION SYSTEM CHAPTER 16
Hunting for the TruthI had expected this to be easy. A name, a location, and a few well-placed questions should’ve led me straight to Dr. Valeria Kane. Instead, I found nothing.No records. No address. No trace that she ever existed.I leaned back in my chair, staring at the blurry photograph of her that I’d managed to dig up. Short black hair, piercing gray eyes, a sharp intellect written all over her face. A scientist who once worked for Project Nexus before vanishing into thin air. Either she didn’t want to be found, or someone had made damn sure she wouldn’t be.I cracked my knuckles and exhaled. "You’re out there, Kane. I just have to look in the right places."The dingy motel room smelled like old cigarettes and I regretted it. My laptop hummed on the table, a dozen tabs open—government databases, classified reports, underground chatter. But every lead hit a dead end. Whoever erased her did a damn good job.But not perfect
THE ASCENSION SYSTEM CHAPTER 17
The Overseers Move FirstThe pain was the first thing I felt. A deep, splintering ache at the base of my skull radiates outward like a shockwave. My vision swam as I tried to push myself up from the cold, wet ground. Gravel bit into my palms. The lighthouse loomed in the distance, its rotating beam slicing through the fog.I had no idea how long I’d been out.Dr. Kane was gone.I wiped my face. Blood smeared across the back of my hand—dripping from my nose, pooling in my ears. A sharp ringing buzzed in my skull, distant and unnatural, like a sound that didn't belong to this world.Then I remembered.That voice."You were never meant to exist."It hadn’t been spoken. It had been placed inside my mind. A weightless, formless presence had invaded my thoughts, speaking with the finality of a death sentence.I staggered to my feet, breathing hard. My body felt wrong—like something had reached inside me and t
Latest Chapter
CHAPTER 40
The Overseers’ OfferThe world dissolved around me.One second, I was reaching for Kane, begging her to remember. The next, I was nowhere.Not darkness. Not light. Not even the static void I had grown used to when the system reset itself. This was something else. Deeper. A place between places, where time didn’t flow and space didn’t hold shape.The air was thick, heavy, pressing against my skin like unseen hands trying to crush me into nothing.Then, I saw them.The Overseers.They stood in a line, stretching into infinity, figures draped in shifting code, their bodies flickering between forms—human, machine, something beyond either. Their faces were featureless, but I could feel their eyes on me, studying, measuring.And then I saw them.The frozen figures standing behind them, trapped mid-motion, their bodies flickering with incomplete memories. My heart slammed against my ribs.They were all me.Hundreds. Maybe thousands. Versions of myself, erased, rewritten, trapped in a moment
CHAPTER 39
Kane’s ChoiceThe world was unraveling.It wasn’t just the usual flickers at the edges of my vision, the skips in time that made me question whether I had just blinked or lost an entire second of my life. No—this was different. Bigger. The walls around us pulsed, shifting like waves of data crashing against the fragile shore of reality. The system was reacting, rewriting, adapting.Zero wasn’t moving. Not yet. He stood at the center of it all, watching, waiting. His face was unreadable, but his stance said everything. If I made the wrong move, if I hesitated for even a second, he would end this.I wasn’t sure if I was ready for what that meant.Kane didn’t hesitate. She never did.“Elias,” she snapped, her voice sharp, urgent. “Failsafe. Now.”Elias looked at her, his fingers hovering over the tablet. “Are you insane?”“Do it.”He hesitated, just for a second, just long enough for the weight of what she was asking to sink in. I didn’t know what the failsafe would do, but the look in E
CHAPTER 38
Zero’s BetrayalThe air around us shifted, carrying the faint hum of something unnatural. A disturbance, subtle but undeniable. It crawled beneath my skin, setting every nerve on edge.Kane, ever perceptive, caught it too. Her hand hovered near her weapon, muscles coiled, ready. Elias was already scanning the hallway ahead, fingers twitching against his tablet.Something was waiting for us.Then, the shadows twisted.A ripple ran through the air, distorting the space in front of us like heat bending over asphalt. And from that shifting darkness, he stepped forward.Zero.For a moment, the sight of him made something in my chest tighten—an old reflex, an instinct carved from trust. He looked exactly as I remembered. Same sharp eyes, same knowing smirk, the same way he carried himself like he was always one step ahead.But something was wrong.His movements were too precise. His presence, too still. The flicker of life in his expression was nothing more than a well-crafted illusion.I r
CHAPTER 37
A Code Written in BloodThe vault smelled like cold metal and something else—something rotten, like data that had spoiled. The walls pulsed with dim red lights, stretching into endless rows of glass cases. At first glance, they looked empty.They weren’t.I stepped forward, breath fogging against the glass as I peered inside. A face stared back at me. Eyes wide. Mouth slightly open, like he’d been caught mid-sentence. A man frozen in time.Not dead. Not alive.Just gone.Kane moved beside me, her fingers hovering inches from the glass. “What the hell is this?”Elias was already moving, his bag slung over his shoulder as he pulled out a tablet. “A graveyard,” he muttered, running his fingers over the control panel. “Or a prison, depending on how you look at it.”My stomach twisted. “They’re trapped?”“They’re rewritten.” His voice was grim. “The system didn’t just erase them. It repurposed them.”I forced myself to look again. The man in the glass had no scars, no wrinkles, nothing tha
CHAPTER 36
The Fractured SelfThe road ahead stretched endlessly, a ghost of a world flickering in and out like it couldn’t decide if it wanted to exist. My boots kicked up dust, but even that felt artificial, like it was programmed to react the way I expected. Kane walked beside me, silent, her sharp eyes scanning the ruins ahead. Elias trailed behind, muttering calculations under his breath.I knew where we were going. The Overseers’ domain. A place where reality wasn’t a certainty, where time looped back on itself and people became echoes.But for some reason, I couldn’t remember why we were going there.I frowned, shaking my head. Something was missing—like a word on the tip of my tongue, slipping further away the harder I tried to catch it.Kane noticed. She always did. “What’s wrong?”“I…” I opened my mouth, but hesitation stopped me cold. What was wrong? I couldn’t explain it, but I felt lighter, like pieces of me were missing.“Tony,” she pressed, voice firm but not unkind. “Talk to me.”
CHAPTER 35
A World Outside the SystemThe world around us wasn’t fully formed. Buildings stood half-finished, their structures dissolving into static at the edges. The sky above flickered between shades of gray and deep violet, glitching in and out like a bad signal. It was a place that wasn’t supposed to exist—an abandoned zone, untouched by The Overseers.Kane and I stood in the middle of the street, our breaths visible in the eerie cold air. She kept a tight grip on the device we’d stolen, her knuckles white from the pressure.“This place feels wrong,” she murmured. “Like it’s waiting to disappear.”I agreed. The world here wasn’t stable. It was like standing on the edge of a dream, just before waking up.Then, a figure emerged from the shadows. A man, dressed in a dark, tattered coat, his face partially hidden beneath the hood. He stepped forward with a calculated slowness, his hands raised in a gesture of peace.“I was wondering when you’d find your way here,” he said.Kane tensed beside me
CHAPTER 34
The Core’s CoordinatesThe screen flickered, casting a cold blue glow over Kane’s tense face. Lines of encrypted data scrolled rapidly, filling the air with the soft hum of technology at work. My fingers danced across the keyboard, heart pounding as I decrypted the last layer. Then—Coordinates. A list of possible locations. The Core.Kane exhaled sharply beside me. "This is it." Her voice was quiet, but beneath it, a current of urgency rippled through.I swallowed. "We finally have something real."But before the words could settle, a chill ran through the room. The lights dimmed, not flickering—shifting, like the walls themselves were second-guessing their existence. Kane and I locked eyes. Outside the window, the city moved in ways it shouldn’t. A building that had been across the street was now beside us. People walked in slow, deliberate steps, their faces expressionless, heads subtly tilting in unison."The Overseers," Kane murmured, reaching instinctively for the knife at her b
CHAPTER 33
The Price of RebellionThe air here was heavy, thick with the weight of things that didn’t belong.I could feel it pressing down on my skin, humming through my bones—a silent scream buried in the fabric of reality. Kane and I moved cautiously through the remnants of what had once been someone’s last stand. The place had the same eerie stillness as the hideout before, but worse. This wasn’t just abandoned.It was frozen.A street half-formed, cutting off into an expanse of nothing. A doorway leading to nowhere, hanging in the air like it had been sliced from existence mid-thought. Cars, chairs, even the dust in the air—stuck in a single moment, refusing to move.Like time had decided to give up.Kane ran a hand over a rusted terminal embedded in the wall, her fingers pressing against dead keys. "Whoever they were… they didn’t get far."I crouched near a stack of papers scattered across the cracked pavement. Words scrawled in desperate handwriting, some neat, others jagged and frantic.
CHAPTER 32
The First RemnantI woke to the taste of blood in my mouth.For a second, everything was wrong—blurry, twisted. The world flickered like a broken screen, and shadows stretched in directions they shouldn’t. My heartbeat was loud, too loud, like it was trying to hammer its way out of my chest. Then, just as quickly as it started, the distortion snapped back into place, leaving me gasping on a cold, cracked floor.Kane's voice cut through the haze. "Tony."She was crouched beside me, eyes sharp, body tense. There was dust in her dark hair, and a thin cut ran along her jaw, but she looked intact. Alive."You're okay," she said, like she was trying to convince herself. "I caught you before you hit the ground. Mostly."My head throbbed. I forced myself upright, biting back a groan. "Define 'mostly'?""You didn’t die. You’re welcome."I let out a weak, breathy laugh. "Guess I owe you one."She stood, scanning the room we’d landed in. It was some kind of hideout—low ceilings, metal walls, the
