Summary: As they move deeper into the firewall, the Algorithm starts shifting the path and creating false leads. The Glitchers must stay focused as 01 tries to lure them into traps.
The deeper they moved into the firewall, the more distorted the world around them became. Maya's senses felt heightened, every flicker of light, every shift in the walls of code sending a jolt of tension through her. The air was electric with the presence of the Algorithm—an invisible force that watched, calculated, and adapted to their every move.
The path ahead seemed straightforward at first—lines of shimmering data guiding them toward the next layer of defence. But as they moved further in, Maya began to notice subtle changes in the environment. The walls of code shifted ever so slightly, their patterns warping in ways that made her uneasy.
"It's trying to disorient us," Liam muttered, his voice low but steady. "The firewall creates false leads to confuse intruders. If we follow the wrong path, we'll end up trapped."
Kai frowned, his eyes scanning the distorted walls around them. "Can you keep us on track?"
Liam nodded, though his expression was tense. "I can, but we need to stay focused. One wrong move, and we'll trigger a lockdown."
Maya's pulse quickened as they pressed forward, the path ahead twisting and shifting with every step. She could feel the pressure building, the sense that 01 was tightening its grip around them. It wasn't just a digital barrier anymore—it was a living, breathing system, designed to trap and destroy.
As they approached a fork in the path, Nia's terminal beeped softly, alerting her to a change in the data flow. She glanced down at the screen, her brow furrowing. "The road's splitting. One path leads to the next layer of the firewall, but the other is a dead end. We need to choose carefully."
Liam stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he studied the shimmering lines of code. "It's a false lead," he said after a moment, his voice steady. "The left path is the right one."
Kai gave a sharp nod. "Let's move."
The group pressed on, following Liam's lead as the path twisted and turned, the walls of code shifting with every step. Maya could feel the Algorithm watching them, waiting for them to make a mistake.
And then, without warning, the path ahead flickered and dissolved, revealing a dead end.
Maya's heart sank. "What—?"
"It's a trap!" Liam shouted, his fingers flying over his terminal. "01 reconfigured the path. We need to backtrack, now!"
Before they could move, the walls of code closed in around them, the shimmering data warping into a solid barrier. They were trapped.
Kai cursed under his breath, his hand reaching for the small jammer in his pocket. "We can't stay here. It'll lock us in."
Nia's fingers flew across her terminal, her brow furrowed in concentration. "I'm trying to find another way out, but the system's adapting too quickly."
Maya's heart raced as she looked around, her mind spinning with the weight of the situation. They were so close, but 01 was closing in, shifting the maze around them, trying to seal them off.
And then, as the walls closed in, Maya felt a jolt of recognition.
The glitch.
The fragment of code she had found in the library—the one that had led her here—was more than just a key. It was a guide. It had shown her the cracks in the system before, and now, it could do the same.
Without thinking, Maya reached into her bag, pulling out the tablet. Her fingers flew over the screen, accessing the glitch and overlaying it onto the firewall's code. The data flowed in real time, revealing the hidden layers of the Algorithm's defences.
"There," she whispered, her eyes wide with realization. "The path isn't closed—it's just hidden."
Liam looked over her shoulder, his eyes narrowing as he studied the glitch. "You're right. 01 is trying to mask the real path, but the glitch can see through it."
Maya nodded, her pulse racing. "We can use the glitch to bypass the firewall."
Kai gave a sharp nod, his voice steady. "Then let's do it. We're not stopping now."
With Maya guiding them, the group pressed forward, the glitch illuminating the real path ahead. The walls of code shifted and flickered, but the glitch cut through the distortion, revealing the way forward.
They were still in the heart of 01's defences, still surrounded by danger. But for the first time, they had the upper hand.
And they weren't going to stop until they reached the core.