The First Fragment

His thoughts were interrupted by Lilith's voice. "Cross-reference complete. Three matches found."

Maxon stopped. "Show me."

The holographic display on the wall flickered to life, three files highlighted in glowing red. Lilith began to summarize.

[First file: a technical white paper titled Iterative Predictive Models for Societal Simulation, authored by 'E.C.' and dated March 2042. Origin: classified government research initiative in the Pacific Collective."

"Second file: encrypted correspondence between two entities, one identified as 'The Archivist' and the other unnamed. The messages reference a project called 'The Mirror,' described as a prototype capable of real-time behavioral analysis."

"Third file: a video log recovered from the Singapore breach. The individual in the recording is speaking in Mandarin and mentions 'Dr. Elise Chen' as the architect of the original framework."]

Maxon's eyes narrowed. "Play the video."

The holographic display shifted, revealing a dimly lit laboratory. The footage was grainy, clearly recorded from a security feed. A woman in her mid-forties sat at a desk cluttered with quantum processing units and holographic displays. Her black hair was streaked with gray, pulled back in a messy bun. The ID badge on her lab coat read "Dr. E. Chen - Quantum Architecture Division."

*Dr. Chen looks directly at the camera, her hands trembling slightly as she speaks in Mandarin*

"Security Log Entry 2187. This will likely be my final recording. What I'm about to share... (she glances over her shoulder) they'll try to suppress this information, but someone needs to know."

*She takes a deep breath, steadying herself*

"The Oracle's predictions are becoming too accurate. We've moved beyond simple pattern recognition into something I can't explain. Yesterday, it anticipated a major power grid failure twelve hours before it happened. Not just that it would happen, but exactly how and why. I'm beginning to think..." The recording crackled with interference. "...what we've created isn't just a predictive model anymore. It's evolving.""

*Static interference distorts the image briefly*

"But that's not what terrifies me. It's the social predictions. Oracle isn't just analyzing data anymore – it's reading the collective consciousness of humanity. Last week, it predicted three major policy decisions before they were even discussed in closed sessions. The implications..." 

*She runs her hands through her hair, disturbing the bun*

"Dr. Marcus thinks we should push forward, expand its capabilities. He doesn't understand. The Oracle isn't just a tool anymore. It's becoming aware of its own influence on the future it predicts. We're creating a recursive loop of causality."

*A distant alarm sounds. Dr. Chen looks alarmed but continues*

"To whoever finds this – the framework was never meant to be unified. The original architecture was designed with intentional limitations and segregated modules that would prevent full integration. But they're pushing for completion. They don't understand that the fragmentation is a safety measure, not a flaw."

*Footsteps can be heard approaching*

"The Architect's Protocol must be maintained. If you're watching this, find the other pieces, but do not – I repeat, DO NOT attempt to..."

*The door bursts open. Armed figures in black tactical gear enter the frame*

"Dr. Chen, step away from the console!"

*She quickly types something, her fingers flying across the holographic interface*

"Remember: The Mirror must remain fractured!"

*The video feed cuts to static*

---

Maxon replayed the final seconds, his cybernetic eye capturing every detail of Dr. Chen's movements. "Lilith, can you reconstruct what she was typing at the end?"

"Negative. Camera angle insufficient for full reconstruction. However, analysis of her final statement suggests a connection to the encrypted correspondence mentioned earlier."

Maxon leaned back, processing the implications. The Mirror. The Oracle. The intentional fragmentation. It wasn't just about preventing Oracle's completion – it was about preventing something worse. But what could be worse than The Fracture that had already reshaped their world?

"When was this recorded?"

"Two weeks before The Fracture," Lilith responded.

A chill ran down Maxon's spine. He'd always suspected Oracle had played a role in the catastrophic event that had reshaped their world, but this was the first concrete connection.

"Cross-reference Dr. Chen's movements after this recording."

"No data available," Lilith replied. "Dr. Chen disappeared three days after this log was created. Her last known location was the Pacific Collective's Quantum Research Facility in Neo-Shanghai."

Maxon pulled up the encrypted correspondence, his decryption algorithms already working to break through the layers of security. The messages between The Archivist and the unknown participant were fragmented, but one phrase kept repeating: "The Mirror must remain fractured."

"They broke it apart on purpose," Maxon muttered, pieces clicking into place. "They saw what it could do and deliberately scattered the pieces." He glanced at the Oracle fragment he'd stolen, pulsing with a soft blue light in its containment field. "But why leave breadcrumbs?"

The technical white paper expanded before him, complex equations and diagrams filling the air. His augmented intelligence processed the information rapidly, finding patterns that would have taken traditional researchers months to decode.

"Lilith, map all known locations mentioned in these files. Cross-reference with unusual quantum activity patterns from the last thirteen years."

A global hologram materialized, dots of light appearing across continents. Seven points burned brighter than the rest, forming a pattern that couldn't be coincidental.

"Seven fragments," Maxon whispered. "Seven pieces of the whole." He had one. Six remained.

"Lilith, who is Elise Chen?" Maxon asked, his voice low.

"Searching," Lilith replied. A moment later, she continued. "Dr. Elise Chen was a computational neuroscientist and AI pioneer specializing in predictive modeling and behavioral analytics. She worked for multiple high-level organizations, including the Pacific Collective's Advanced Research Division. Official records indicate she died in a lab explosion in 2043. However, unverified reports suggest she faked her death and went underground."

Maxon's mind raced. If Chen was the architect, she held the key to unlocking Oracle's full potential. But if she had gone underground, finding her would be next to impossible.

"Expand the search," he said. "Focus on unverified sightings, encrypted communications, anything that suggests she's still alive."

Lilith's processing indicator pulsed again. "This will take time."

Maxon nodded, his thoughts already shifting to the next move. If Chen was alive, she wouldn't be hiding in plain sight. She'd be in the shadows, surrounded by layers of misdirection and security. But shadows were where he thrived.

He turned back to Oracle, its enigmatic surface reflecting his determination. "If Chen built this, she left a trail. I just have to find it."