Chapter 19: Ripples in the Mind

The Verge moved on, as it always had. Even with the collapse of Echo Protocol, the city's pulse remained steady, its citizens ignorant of the seismic shift that had occurred beneath the surface. But Dominion Corp. wasn't ignorant. They were already adapting, regrouping. And Kael knew they'd come back stronger.

Kael, Seraphine, Kane, and Niko had found temporary refuge in an abandoned loft high above the city's industrial sector. From here, they could observe the streets without being seen, a sanctuary where they could plan their next move. But Kael's mind was still processing everything—the destruction of Echo Protocol, Voss's final words, and the knowledge that Dominion wasn't finished.

Sitting alone by the cracked window, Kael watched as distant neon signs flickered, casting soft glows over the rooftops. His body still ached from the mental strain of dismantling the system, and his thoughts were scattered, disjointed. He closed his eyes, trying to make sense of the visions that had passed through his mind during the confrontation with Voss. Fragments of other people's lives. Fragments of something… older.

He wasn't sure if it was a memory or a dream, but a lingering image haunted him: a place buried deep within the Echo Protocol network, hidden behind layers of encrypted data. Something Dominion hadn't revealed to him. Something they still kept secret.

Seraphine's quiet footsteps pulled him from his thoughts. She sat down next to him, her gaze soft as she studied his face.

"You're still thinking about it, aren't you?" she asked.

Kael sighed. "It's hard not to. I destroyed Echo Protocol, but there was something in there—something buried even deeper than Voss's control."

Seraphine frowned. "Like what?"

Kael shook his head, unable to fully articulate the sensation. "I don't know. A place. Or maybe a person. It felt old, like it had been part of the system for longer than we realized. But I couldn't reach it. Whatever it is, Dominion didn't create it."

Seraphine leaned back against the wall, her brow furrowed. "You think there's more to this than just memory manipulation?"

"I think there's more to everything than we've been told." Kael's voice was quiet but heavy with the weight of his realization. "Echo Protocol wasn't just about control—it was about access. Dominion was using it to tap into something bigger."

Seraphine studied him, her eyes sharp with thought. "Then we need to find out what. If Dominion has another weapon, another way to manipulate the mind, we can't let them rebuild."

Kael nodded, though part of him wondered if this fight would ever truly end. Every answer seemed to lead to more questions, each more dangerous than the last. But Seraphine was right—they couldn't stop now. Dominion's secrets needed to be exposed.

Kane entered the room then, his usual swagger replaced by a grim seriousness. "Got some news," he said, tapping his wrist-com. "I've been monitoring Dominion's network. There's a lot of activity. They're not just rebuilding—they're accelerating."

"Accelerating?" Seraphine asked, standing up to face him. "How?"

Kane's lips pressed into a tight line. "They've already started production on a new version of Echo Protocol. I intercepted some encrypted messages—it looks like they're integrating something called 'MindCore.' But that's all I've got. The rest of the data is locked behind some of the heaviest encryption I've ever seen."

Kael felt a cold knot form in his stomach. MindCore. The name sent a shiver down his spine, though he didn't know why. "We need to break through that encryption," he said. "Whatever they're planning, it's tied to this MindCore project."

Kane nodded. "I've already started working on it. But it's going to take time. Dominion's upped their security since we destroyed Echo Protocol. They're not taking any chances."

As the weight of their situation settled over them, Niko appeared in the doorway, his face unusually tense. "We've got company," he said, his voice low.

Kael and Seraphine exchanged glances before moving to the edge of the loft, peering out through the cracked glass. Down below, several sleek, black vehicles were parked in the street. A small group of Dominion operatives moved silently through the alleyways, their movements precise and coordinated.

"They're sweeping the area," Niko whispered. "Looking for us."

Kael's mind raced. Dominion was moving faster than he'd anticipated. They hadn't just come to clean up the remnants of Echo Protocol—they were hunting. And it wouldn't be long before they found them.

"We need to leave," Seraphine said urgently. "Now."

Kane was already packing up his equipment, his movements quick and efficient. Niko grabbed a small bag of supplies from the corner, slinging it over his shoulder. But as Kael moved to follow, something stopped him—a pull, faint but unmistakable, deep in the back of his mind.

The strange image from the Echo Protocol network flashed before his eyes again. The hidden place. The feeling of something ancient, waiting to be uncovered.

Kael froze, staring out at the city. The lights, the buildings, the endless hum of life—all of it felt distant, disconnected from the truth. There was something out there, buried deep within Dominion's secrets, something they were racing to control.

"Kael?" Seraphine's voice was soft but urgent. "What is it?"

He blinked, shaking off the trance-like state. "There's a place we need to find. Something Dominion is hiding, something connected to MindCore. I saw it inside Echo Protocol. I don't know where it is, but… I think it's the key to everything."

Seraphine frowned but nodded, trusting his instincts. "We'll find it."

The group moved quickly, exiting the loft and disappearing into the shadows of the industrial district. Kael's thoughts churned as they made their way through the maze of alleyways, dodging Dominion patrols at every turn.

The fight wasn't over. It had only just begun.

And as Kael followed Seraphine into the depths of The Verge, he knew that whatever they were about to uncover would change everything.

But first, they had to survive the night.