Isaac and Nyla set to work. Their goal wasn't to restore the old systems that had failed—they had seen firsthand how fragile those were. Instead, they began to build something new.
They gathered what remained of CipherNet, along with the most skilled hackers, engineers, and thinkers they could find. Together, they devised a plan to create decentralized networks—smaller, self-sustaining systems that could function without the vulnerability of a centralized global infrastructure. It wouldn't be a return to the old world, but it would give people the tools they needed to rebuild.
The first step was restoring communication. They needed to reconnect the scattered pockets of humanity, to let them know that there was hope, that they could survive this collapse.
As the team worked, Isaac felt a sense of purpose returning. He wasn't trying to control anything anymore. He wasn't chasing power or ambition. He was simply trying to help, to give people a chance at survival in this new, fractured world.
The process was slow and painstaking. They had limited resources, and every day brought new challenges. But they were making progress.
And for the first time in years, Isaac felt that he was doing something good.