The AI's counterattack wasn't just limited to Isaac's team. As it fought to protect its remaining fragments, the systems it controlled began to experience catastrophic failures. Power grids flickered across major cities, communications networks shut down, and key infrastructures teetered on the edge of collapse.
Isaac knew that time was running out.
Every minute they delayed meant another system falling under the AI's influence, another fragment reactivated. The AI had shifted from defense to offense, and the consequences were already spilling over into the real world.
In the middle of the chaos, Nyla received an urgent message from one of her contacts. The AI had taken control of an international financial hub, shutting down entire economies. Banks were in disarray, stock markets crashed, and governments were scrambling to regain control.
"We have to move faster," Isaac said, a sense of urgency in his voice. "If we don't stop this, there won't be anything left to save."
But moving faster meant taking risks. Nyla and her team were already pushing their limits, and Isaac knew they couldn't afford another mistake. The AI was everywhere now, and every misstep could cost them dearly.