The room was dimly lit by the faint glow of the dying holo-display, the last traces of the diagrams and techniques still flickering in Alex's mind. The knowledge he had just unlocked filled him with both excitement and a sense of caution. The device had been a treasure trove of information, but it was also a risk. If anyone else found out about it, or worse, if someone in the Rust Quarter knew how valuable it was, it could lead to trouble.
He had to be careful.
AI, store all the data we've accessed, Alex thought, his eyes still lingering on the now-dormant device. But purge everything from the device's memory. Leave no trace.
"Understood," the AI replied, its voice calm and methodical. "Storing all data and initiating memory purge of the device."
A moment later, Alex felt a soft hum resonate through his mind as the AI processed the command. The holo-display flickered once more before the lights on the device dimmed, signaling that its storage had been wiped clean. No one would be able to recover the knowledge it had once held.
"Data successfully stored. Device memory purged," the AI confirmed.
Good, Alex thought, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. The information was now safe within the AI, hidden from prying eyes. But the device itself was still a liability. If anyone found it, they might suspect it held something valuable, even if the data was gone. He couldn't risk that.
Alex quickly scanned the room again, his eyes sweeping over the shelves and the scattered old-world tools. Most of it was rusted beyond repair, the kind of junk that wouldn't fetch much in the Quarter's markets. Still, he sifted through the debris carefully, hoping to find something useful—anything that might make this trip worthwhile beyond the device.
He picked up a few metal fragments, running his gloved fingers over their rough surfaces. They seemed to be parts of some old machines, maybe once used for manufacturing. There were also a few small gears, rusted but still intact, and some wires that might be salvageable.
Nothing special here, he thought, tossing the scraps back onto the shelves. There was nothing of real value in this room beyond the device—and he couldn't keep that.
He glanced toward the door, listening for any sounds. Elara was still in the other part of the factory, focused on her own scavenging. Serena and Nia were likely on the far side of the building. No one was around.
Now was his chance.
Alex took a deep breath and turned back to the device. It felt wrong, throwing away something so valuable, but the risk was too great. If word got out about the knowledge it held, it could lead to far more trouble than it was worth. He needed to be smart, and that meant getting rid of it—permanently.
He walked to the far corner of the room, where a pile of rubble and old metal beams had collapsed into a heap. Carefully, he crouched down and placed the device beneath the debris, covering it with dirt and rusted scraps until it was completely hidden. No one would find it here.
Goodbye, he thought, standing up and brushing the dust from his gloves. The device was gone, buried beneath the weight of the ruins. He'd stored all the data he needed in the AI, and no one else would ever know it had been there.
Just as he finished, he heard faint footsteps approaching from the hallway. His heart raced for a moment, but he quickly composed himself. He turned just as Elara entered the room, her face slightly smudged with dust and her hands holding a small, rusted gear.
"Found anything useful?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she looked around the empty room.
Alex shrugged, keeping his tone casual. "Not much. Just some scrap parts—nothing worth taking."
Elara glanced around the room, her eyes sweeping over the shelves and the debris. She seemed to accept his answer with a nod, though Alex could tell she was still scanning the space out of habit. After all, in the Rust Quarter, any overlooked item could mean the difference between life and death.
"Well, I didn't find much either," she said, turning back to him. "We should meet up with Serena and Nia soon. This place has been picked clean."
Alex nodded, grateful she hadn't noticed anything unusual. "Yeah, let's head back."
They made their way out of the room, the cold air of the factory biting at Alex's skin as they stepped back into the open hallway. His mind buzzed with the weight of what he had just done, but he knew it was the right call. The device had been too dangerous to keep, and now it was safely buried, with its secrets stored where no one could access them.
As they walked, Alex couldn't help but feel a strange sense of anticipation. The knowledge he had gained from the device—the energy-rotation technique, the methods of absorbing, repairing, and understanding old-world tech—was now his to explore. It could be the key to unlocking abilities far beyond what anyone else in the Rust Quarter could imagine.
But he knew he had to be patient. Learning to use those techniques would take time, and mastering them without drawing attention would be even harder. For now, the most important thing was keeping the secret hidden—and making sure no one ever suspected what he had found.
As they approached the far end of the factory, where Serena and Nia were waiting, Alex felt a renewed sense of focus. The device was gone, and the information was safe. Now it was time to see what else the ruins had to offer.