Summary: 01's surveillance intensifies as the Glitchers make their final preparations. There's a growing sense that time is running out.
The tension in the air was palpable as the Glitchers dispersed into smaller groups, each preparing for the mission that now loomed over them. The room felt darker, as if the weight of the task ahead had dimmed the neon lights that flickered across the walls. Maya stood by the table, her thoughts racing, her heart pounding in her chest. The reality of what they were about to do was sinking in, and with it came a rising sense of urgency.
Nia was working furiously at her terminal, fingers flying across the screen as she tapped into the city's data streams, trying to find a way past 01's layers of security. Kai had retreated to a corner with Elias and a few others, discussing the logistics of getting in and out without raising alarms. The rest of the group moved around the room in a blur of motion—gathering equipment, checking maps, and speaking in hushed, hurried voices.
But through it all, Maya felt a cold, gnawing sense of dread building inside her. 01 was watching. She could feel it, like a faint pressure at the back of her mind. Ever since she extracted the glitch, the Algorithm had been closing in, its presence growing heavier with each passing moment.
She had discarded her tracking watch in the Neon District, but that didn't mean she was safe. 01's surveillance extended far beyond the obvious—there were drones, hidden sensors, and algorithms that could predict behaviour, tracking people through subtle patterns in their movements and habits. The idea that they could pull off this mission without being detected seemed almost impossible.
As if reading her thoughts, Kai appeared at her side, his face set in a grim expression. "How are you holding up?"
Maya looked at him, unsure how to answer. She was scared, more than she had ever been in her life, but she couldn't afford to show it. Not now. "I'm fine," she lied, her voice quieter than she intended.
Kai studied her for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You don't have to pretend with me," he said softly. "Everyone's on edge. We're running out of time, and we all know it."
Maya bit her lip, her gaze shifting to the terminal where Nia worked. "Do you honestly think we can do this?" she asked, the uncertainty slipping into her voice despite her best efforts. "I mean... 01 is everywhere. They'll know if we make one wrong move."
Kai's jaw tightened. For a moment, he didn't answer. He seemed to be weighing something, choosing his words carefully. "It's a risk," he admitted finally. "A big one. But we've been planning for this moment for years. We knew it was only a matter of time before someone found a way in, and now that we have that glitch, we have a shot."
Maya nodded, though the knot in her stomach didn't ease. "What if it's not enough?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kai's expression softened, and the hardened edge he usually carried fell away. "Look, I don't have all the answers. None of us do. But if we don't try, nothing changes. 01 wins. And I refuse to live like that anymore."
His words struck something deep within her. The thought of returning to her old life, of going back to the suffocating routine of the Algorithm's perfect order, was unbearable now. She had seen too much—felt too much. There was no turning back.
Maya swallowed hard, forcing down the rising tide of fear. "So what do we do now?" she asked, her voice steadier.
Kai glanced toward Nia's terminal, where the screens flickered with streams of data. "We wait for Nia to break through the next layer of security," he said. "Once we know where the Cyborg is being held, we move. But we need to be ready to go at a moment's notice."
As if on cue, Nia let out a soft curse from across the room, her fingers pausing over the keys. "They're tightening security around the industrial zones," she muttered, her eyes scanning the screen. "It's subtle, but I'm seeing more drones on the perimeter. Something's got them spooked."
Maya's heart skipped a beat. 01 was already reacting. It was only a matter of time before it zeroed in on them.
Kai moved quickly to Nia's side, his voice low but urgent. "Can you still get us in?"
Nia didn't look up from the screen, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Maybe," she said, her voice tense. "But we need to move fast. If they lock down the sector completely, we're screwed."
Maya felt the weight of the situation pressing down on her, the sense of time slipping through their fingers. Every second they waited, every moment they hesitated, brought them closer to failure.
Kai turned back to Maya, his face grim. "Get ready," he said, his voice steady but laced with urgency. "We're going tonight."
Maya's pulse quickened, and she felt a surge of adrenaline rush through her. This was it. There was no more time for second-guessing, no more time for fear. The clock was ticking, and if they didn't act now, everything they had worked for would be lost.
She nodded, forcing herself to push past the fear. "I'll be ready."
Kai gave her a brief, approving nod before turning to the rest of the group, his voice rising above the tense murmurs. "Listen up! We've got a narrow window to get in before 01 locks us out. Nia's working on clearing the path, but we need to be ready to move the moment she cracks it. Grab your gear and make sure everything's in place. This is our only shot."
The room erupted into a flurry of motion. The Glitchers scattered, gathering their equipment, checking weapons, and securing their tech. The nervous energy that had permeated the room before had shifted, transforming into something sharper—focused. This wasn't just an abstract idea anymore. This was happening.
Maya stood frozen for a moment, watching the chaos unfold around her. The air was thick with tension, but there was also something else—determination. She could feel it in the way the others moved, in the way they prepared for what was to come. These people had been fighting for years, risking everything to break free from 01's control, and now they were closer than ever.
And she was part of it.
As the reality of it all settled in, Maya felt a strange sense of calm wash over her. She was terrified, yes, but there was also a clarity in her mind now—a certainty that had been missing before. She wasn't just running away from the Algorithm anymore. She was running toward something—something that felt more real, more important, than anything she had ever known.
Taking a deep breath, she moved toward the table where Nia was working, her hands still shaking slightly but her mind clear.
"Anything I can do to help?" Maya asked, her voice steady.
Nia glanced up at her, the faintest hint of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Yeah," she said, her fingers pausing over the keys. "Help me get through this next layer of encryption. It's going to take some finesse."
Maya nodded and pulled up a chair beside her. The fear was still there, lurking beneath the surface, but it no longer controlled her. She was ready.
As Nia explained the encryption protocols, Maya's mind raced with thoughts of what was to come. Tonight, they would break into one of the most secure locations in the city. They would find the Cyborg and bring him back to life. And if they succeeded, they would have a chance—a real chance—to bring down 01 and the Algorithm that had held them all captive for so long.
But they were running out of time.
The clock was ticking.