Chapter 7: Into the Lion’s Den

The dim glow of the neon signs outside Ferris's lair cast long shadows across Kael's face as he led Seraphine and Niko back into the city streets. Each step felt heavier than the last, as if the weight of the deal they had just struck was dragging them deeper into the underworld they were trying to escape. Breaking into Vexis's archives was an impossible task, but it was the only way forward.

Niko's voice broke the silence. "So, a suicide mission, huh? Always a thrill working with you, Kael."

Kael shot him a look, the tension in his muscles visible. "I didn't hear you suggesting any better options."

Niko smirked, but his usual bravado was tempered by the reality of their situation. He glanced at Seraphine, who had been quiet since they left Ferris's lair. Her face was pale, her thoughts likely tangled in the fragmented memories she was fighting to reclaim.

"You alright?" Niko asked softly.

Seraphine nodded, but her eyes were distant. "I just... I keep feeling like there's something important I should remember. Something I've forgotten, but it's right there, just beyond my reach." She hesitated, looking at Kael. "What if what we're looking for in Vexis's archives is tied to me?"

Kael's jaw tightened. He had considered the possibility that the memory fragment Ferris wanted and the secrets locked inside Seraphine's mind might be connected. If Vexis had erased something vital from her past, it could be the key to unraveling their entire operation—and Ferris knew it.

"We're not leaving without answers," Kael said, his voice steady. "No matter what it takes."

Seraphine looked at him, a flicker of gratitude in her eyes, but also fear. She knew the risks—they all did.

As they moved deeper into the city, the streets grew quieter, the air thick with the weight of looming danger. They were nearing the district where Vexis's headquarters dominated the skyline. The sleek glass towers stood as symbols of power and control, but beneath that pristine exterior was a fortress of security systems, AI surveillance, and layers of encryption that guarded the secrets they needed.

"Ferris wasn't wrong," Niko muttered. "Breaking into Vexis's archives is damn near impossible. How do you even want to play this?"

Kael sighed. "We're not walking through the front door, that's for sure. Vexis has a series of data nodes that are used for offsite storage. It's less secure than the main building, but it's still a fortress."

Seraphine frowned. "How do you know about these data nodes?"

Kael's expression darkened. "I built part of their encryption system. Back when I still worked for them."

Niko raised an eyebrow. "You never told me that."

"Didn't think it was worth mentioning," Kael muttered, his eyes scanning the horizon. "But that's our in. I know the weak points. The only problem is that Vexis probably knows them too."

Seraphine's eyes lingered on Kael, her voice quiet. "Why did you work for them? Knowing what they were doing to people's memories, to their lives?"

Kael's breath hitched at the question. The memories of his time as a memory architect—the person he was before everything went wrong—flooded back, hitting him like a tidal wave. He had been naive, driven by ambition and blinded by the promise of shaping people's realities. He had believed he was helping them, giving them the power to rewrite their pasts. But it was all a lie. Vexis didn't care about helping anyone. They only cared about control.

"I thought I was doing something good," Kael finally said, his voice hollow. "But I was wrong. Vexis doesn't just erase memories, they erase people. They take what they want and leave behind shells of who those people used to be."

Seraphine looked at him, her own haunted past mirroring in his eyes. "You're not that person anymore."

Kael wasn't so sure.

They reached the outskirts of the industrial district where the Vexis data node was hidden. The area was deserted, a stark contrast to the bustling streets of The Verge. This part of the city was off-limits to most, kept quiet by the silent hum of surveillance drones that hovered overhead like mechanical vultures.

Niko scanned the area with a small device he had pulled from his jacket. "Looks like we've got two access points: one above ground and one through the sewers." He grinned. "I'm betting the sewers smell worse than death, but they're probably the least guarded."

Kael nodded, already calculating the odds. "We'll go underground. It's less risky than triggering alarms up top. But once we're inside, it's going to be tight."

Seraphine's face was set, her resolve firm. "We're ready."

They moved quickly, slipping into the narrow entrance of a drainage tunnel that led to the sewer system. The air was thick with the stench of rot and decay, but they pressed on in silence, their footsteps echoing off the damp walls. Kael could feel his pulse quicken, the familiar rush of a high-stakes mission pulling him back into old habits.

As they neared the data node's sub-level entrance, Kael signaled for them to stop. He crouched, pulling out a small device from his jacket and placing it on the metal hatch before them. The device emitted a low hum as it hacked into the node's perimeter security system.

Niko kept watch, his eyes darting around the shadows. "This place gives me the creeps. You sure about this?"

Kael didn't answer. His attention was focused on the security system, sweat beading on his brow as he worked. The seconds stretched into what felt like an eternity, but finally, with a soft click, the hatch slid open.

"We're in," Kael said, motioning for Seraphine and Niko to follow.

They descended into the depths of the data node, the air growing colder and more sterile. The walls were lined with flickering blue lights, and the faint hum of servers filled the space. Kael felt a pang of nostalgia—this was the kind of place he had once thrived in, before everything went wrong.

"Stay sharp," he whispered. "We need to get to the core without triggering any alarms."

As they moved deeper into the facility, Kael's mind raced. The stakes were higher than ever. Ferris had sent them on this mission, but something felt off. He couldn't shake the feeling that Ferris had more information than he was letting on—that whatever they were about to steal might not just be a memory fragment, but something far more dangerous.

They reached the core of the data node—a massive, pulsing server that stretched from floor to ceiling. Kael moved to the console, his fingers flying over the keys as he bypassed the encryption. The holographic display flickered to life, revealing a series of memory fragments stored deep within the system.

"There," Kael muttered, highlighting the fragment they needed. "This is it."

Seraphine's breath hitched as she stepped closer to the display, her eyes wide. "That's... that's me."

Kael froze. He hadn't expected this. The memory fragment wasn't just a random piece of data—it was part of Seraphine's stolen past.

Before he could react, the alarms blared, and the sound of heavy boots echoed in the distance.

"We've got company," Niko growled, drawing his weapon. "Time to go."

Kael's heart pounded as he downloaded the fragment onto a small drive and yanked it from the console. "Move, now!"

They sprinted toward the exit, but the sound of approaching guards grew louder. Kael's mind raced. They had what they came for—but at what cost? And more importantly, what was hidden in Seraphine's past that Vexis was so desperate to keep buried?

The answers, he knew, were just beginning to surface.