Profile

The night air was thick with the scent of ozone and the distant hum of neon lights. Sol walked through the twisting alleys of Luminara District, hands in his pockets, his mind elsewhere. His body moved instinctively, slipping past oblivious pedestrians and avoiding the gaze of street-side surveillance drones. He wasn't worried about being followed—if someone tried, they'd never even realize when they'd lost him.

His recent encounter with Elise and her people had left him mildly amused. He had expected curiosity, maybe some caution, but outright fear? That was surprising. Though, he supposed, fear was inevitable. People feared what they couldn't control, what they couldn't predict. And Sol? He made sure he was impossible to predict.

A small chime from his communicator snapped him from his thoughts. He pulled it out, glancing at the encrypted message.

Unknown Sender: Meet me at the Hanging Gardens. Midnight. We need to talk.

Sol raised a brow, tapping his finger against the device. There weren't many people who could get a message to him without setting off his personal alerts. That alone made this intriguing.

"The Hanging Gardens, huh?" he muttered, looking up at the artificial sky overhead. The massive vertical gardens clung to the sides of the district's skyscrapers, illuminated by soft blue bioluminescent plants that cast an ethereal glow. It was a place for those who wanted to meet away from prying eyes, but it also meant whoever sent the message knew how to pick their locations well.

With a small smirk, Sol turned on his heel and headed toward the meeting spot. If someone was bold enough to summon him, he was more than happy to see what they wanted.

As he moved through the winding pathways of Luminara, his mind played through the possibilities. Who could it be? Elise? Unlikely. She would have just sent one of her people directly rather than going through a roundabout method like this. DreamCorp? He doubted they'd be this subtle—if they wanted him, they'd come crashing down with full force. That left other players, unknown elements, and those who had been watching from the sidelines, waiting for the right moment to make their move.

His fingers brushed against the cool metal of his coat's hidden compartment, where peach rested snugly. He didn't expect trouble, but it never hurt to be prepared. A lesson he had learned early in life: trust was a commodity best spent sparingly.

By the time he reached the Hanging Gardens, the city's artificial glow had dimmed slightly, allowing the bioluminescent flora to take full command of the scenery. Vines wrapped themselves around gleaming steel structures, their deep-blue luminescence pulsing gently, as if breathing. The entire place had an eerie serenity to it, like nature and technology had struck a temporary truce.

Sol found a spot near one of the elevated walkways, leaning against the railing as he scanned the area. He had arrived a few minutes early—an old habit. Being punctual was for those who wanted to be predictable.

His eyes flicked toward movement in the shadows. Someone was approaching. The footsteps were measured, unhurried, but not careless. Whoever they were, they knew how to move without drawing unnecessary attention.

A flicker of amusement danced in his eyes. "Well, let's see what kind of game we're playing tonight."

The figure emerged from the shadows, stepping into the soft glow of the hanging bioluminescent vines. Sol's sharp eyes took in the details immediately—a woman, mid-thirties, dressed in a sleek but practical dark jacket, the kind lined with enough protection to suggest she was no stranger to danger. Her black hair was pulled back into a tight braid, and her gaze was steady, calculating.

More importantly, she wasn't afraid. That, more than anything, piqued Sol's curiosity.

"You don't seem like the nervous type," he said, tilting his head slightly. "Most people are at least a little on edge when they meet me."

The woman smirked. "That's because I did my homework. I know what you're capable of, and I also know you don't kill without reason. If I'm standing here, it means I have something you want."

Sol chuckled, crossing his arms. "That so? And what might that be?"

She reached into her coat—not too fast, not too slow, the exact speed of someone who didn't want to get shot for making a sudden move. Sol appreciated that. When her hand emerged, she held a sleek, high-tech data chip between her fingers.

"This is how I found you," she said, twirling the chip lightly. "And more importantly, how DreamCorp is still looking."

Sol's amusement flickered into something sharper, more interested. "And you're just handing that to me?"

"Not quite." She stepped closer, placing the chip on the railing between them. "I have a proposition. You have enemies. I have enemies. Some of them overlap. I'm offering information in exchange for a partnership."

Sol arched a brow. "Partnership's a strong word. And I don't do charity. Who are you?"

The woman exhaled softly, then met his gaze head-on. "Vera Halos. Former intelligence operative. Now? Just someone who knows how to survive. And I'd like to keep it that way."

He didn't react immediately, instead letting the name settle in his mind. It wasn't familiar, but that didn't mean much—good spies never left traces. His gaze flicked to the chip, then back to her.

"And what do you need me for, Vera Halos?"

Vera leaned slightly against the railing, her expression never breaking its calculated cool. "You're smart, Sol. Smart enough to know that information is the most valuable currency in the galaxy. I'm offering you access—real-time intel, movement tracking, corporate leaks. But in return, I need protection."

Sol let out a short chuckle. "Protection? Lady, you don't strike me as someone who needs babysitting."

She smirked, but there was no amusement in it. "Not babysitting. Insurance. I know how this world works, and people in my line of work don't just retire. I made enemies in DreamCorp, and after what you pulled back on Galvaris Prime, you and I have the same ones. I know how they think, how they hunt. They won't stop until they find you."

Sol studied her, his sharp gaze unreadable. "And how exactly did you get my communicator frequency?"

Vera didn't even flinch. "The same way DreamCorp does—tracking digital ghost trails. Your encryptions are good, but I have ways of getting around things most people don't. I figured if I could find you, so could they. I did you a favor."

Sol exhaled through his nose, tilting his head slightly. "And if I don't bite?"

Vera shrugged. "Then I leave, and you never hear from me again. But that would be a waste of an opportunity, wouldn't it? You don't like working blind, and I have access to things that even Elise and her network don't."

The mention of Elise made Sol's eyes narrow slightly. He knew the power she held, but Vera was implying something deeper—something more dangerous. "You're saying you have more than Elise?"

"I'm saying I'm not shackled by the same politics. Elise has reach, sure. But her web is built on alliances. Mine? I build mine on infiltration. I get into places she can't. That's what I'm offering you."

Sol tapped a finger against the railing, weighing her words. He wasn't sure if he trusted her, but trust wasn't necessary—utility was. And if she really could offer what she claimed, then keeping her around might not be the worst idea.

Finally, he gave her a slow, knowing smile. "Alright, Vera. You've got my attention."

Sol crossed his arms, his tone turning slightly skeptical. "But let's get specific—how exactly do you expect me to protect you? I'm not going to follow you around 24/7, and I don't do bodyguard work."

Vera let out a soft chuckle. "I wouldn't expect you to. What I need is deterrence. Right now, I'm just another loose end they'd rather snip off quietly. But if I'm under your 'protection,' I become a problem they have to think twice about. They hesitate. They wait. And that's all the time I need."

Sol arched a brow. "You want me to be your shield, but not in the traditional sense. You want to weaponize my reputation."

"Exactly." Vera's smirk was sharp, approving. "The way I see it, if DreamCorp knows I'm working with you, they'll have to reassess their approach. They can't just send a few disposable hit squads after me. They'll need an actual plan, and that gives me leverage."

Sol considered her words. She wasn't wrong—his name carried weight now, and if DreamCorp was smart, they'd be wary of making moves against anyone associated with him. It was a calculated risk on her part, but an intelligent one.

"Clever," he admitted. "But that also means if they do come after you, they'll come after me next."

Vera's expression didn't waver. "They were always going to come after you, Sol. I'm just giving you a way to see them coming first."

Sol laughed, the sound rich with amusement. "True. I like the way you think, Vera. Pragmatic, efficient, and just a little manipulative." He grinned, leaning back against the railing. "I don't mind you using my reputation. Hell, you can go around throwing my name out for whatever you want, for all I care."

That made her pause. For the first time in their conversation, she looked genuinely surprised. "You're that confident they won't come for you?"

Sol shrugged. "Not exactly. I'm not stupid—I know they're coming after me. Hell, they probably already know I'm on this ship after all the shit I've pulled. But it really doesn't matter much." He flashed a grin. "If they're going to chase me, they might as well put in the effort."

Vera's smirk returned, approving. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

She reached into her coat again, this time pulling out the data chip and holding it between her fingers. "This has everything I could scrape together on DreamCorp's latest movements, at least the ones relevant to you. They're consolidating forces—pulling assets from various sectors and tightening their net. That usually means one thing: they're preparing for a high-priority operation."

Sol took the chip from her, rolling it between his fingers before pocketing it. "And you're sure this is up to date?"

"As up to date as you're going to get without infiltrating their private networks yourself. I had to burn a few of my contacts just to get this. They're getting smarter, locking down leaks, moving in more controlled cells. Someone high up wants this job done right."

Sol exhaled sharply, his amusement fading into something colder. "That means they're getting serious."

Vera nodded. "They aren't just looking for you anymore. They're hunting. And if they find you first, they won't make the same mistakes they did last time."

Sol drummed his fingers on the railing, letting her words sink in. He had known this would happen eventually. The moment he had resurfaced, it was only a matter of time before DreamCorp stopped treating him like an inconvenience and started treating him like a priority. The real question was: how much time did he have before they struck?

He glanced back at Vera. "And what's your next move?"

She smirked. "That depends on you. I've put myself in your corner. You'll know when DreamCorp makes its next play, and in return, I get the benefit of being someone they can't afford to take lightly. But if you want to go on the offensive, I can help with that too."

Sol thought about it for a moment before shrugging. "Oh well, let's just ignore them. I have some things to take care of, so I'm probably going to disappear for a while."

Vera's eyes narrowed slightly, clearly surprised. "Disappear? DreamCorp has a habit of finding things that can't be found. If you think you can just vanish, you might be underestimating them."

Sol smirked, unbothered. "There's a first time for everything."

Casually waving, he turned away from Vera. "You have my contact if you need me," he called over his shoulder before slipping into the shadows of the Hanging Gardens.

As he walked through the dimly lit pathways, he tapped his communicator. "Ace, download all the data from the chip. Sort priority files first."

Processing… Download complete.

A translucent display appeared before his eyes, revealing a flood of classified documents, encrypted transmissions, and mission reports. His gaze darkened as he scanned through them.

DreamCorp's plans weren't just about tracking him. They had operational branches dedicated to his elimination, entire task forces assigned to studying his past movements, psychological profiles analyzing his decisions, and worst of all—recently updated bounty postings that had increased exponentially. They were no longer treating him like a rogue asset. They were treating him like an apex threat.

One file caught his eye. Project Revenant—a black ops initiative focused entirely on him. Contingency plans, advanced predictive algorithms, tactical response teams, and… a potential contingency labeled 'Asset Retrieval'.

His eyes narrowed. "Retrieval? Not elimination?" He tapped further into the document, and what he read made his blood run cold.

High-priority objective. Do not terminate unless deemed absolutely necessary. Orders from upper command indicate subject is required ALIVE for reprocessing. Full asset reconstruction in case of non-compliance.

Sol clenched his jaw. "Reprocessing? Reconstruction? What the hell are they planning?"

As he moved through the shadows, his mind worked rapidly, piecing together the implications. DreamCorp wasn't just hunting him. They wanted him back. And that was far worse than death.

As he continued reading, Sol's initial tension shifted into mild amusement. The information DreamCorp had on him was surprisingly... lacking. Almost everything in his file was cobbled together from rumors, scattered witness accounts from slum dwellers, and second-hand reports from their lower-tier operatives.

He skimmed through their assessments:

**Subject Profile: Sol (Alias: ghost)**\

**Threat Level: High (based on unpredictability and cunningness rather than confirmed power level)**\

**Current Status: At large. Last confirmed sighting—unverified reports in Luminara District.**

**Known Affinities:** (Data inconclusive)

- **Primary Affinity:** Speculated to be mind-based (unconfirmed). Reports suggest the ability to manipulate the mind and induce hallucinations. Evidence remains anecdotal, with no verifiable data.

- **Secondary Affinity:** Not considered. Subject has only demonstrated a single potential ability, and the likelihood of multiple affinities is statistically low. No further investigations into additional abilities have been conducted.

- **Other Possibilities:** Mind Control? Some slum dwellers and witness accounts suggest the subject has the ability to influence thoughts and decisions, though no solid proof exists. These claims could stem from fear and exaggeration rather than reality.

- **Other Possibilities:** Psychic capabilities? Unknown. The subject has displayed uncanny strategic foresight in encounters but lacks direct confirmation of extrasensory abilities.

Sol scoffed. *Mind control? That's the best they could come up with?* The slum dwellers who had spoken of him clearly had no clue what they were talking about. His actual affinity remained a complete mystery to them, and their guesses were laughable. No mention of his time affinity, no understanding of his plant-based abilities, even his illusion affinity seemed like a mystery to them.

Another note caught his eye:

**Psychological Profile:**

- Highly intelligent, displays erratic but calculated behavior. Unpredictable patterns suggest deep strategic thinking rather than irrationality.

- Lacks a discernible moral compass but is not known to engage in unnecessary violence.

- Possible trauma-related detachment—further analysis required.

- Engages in manipulative tactics but appears to lack long-term organizational alliances.

- Suspected goal: Unclear. Possible personal vendetta against DreamCorp or broader survival-based motivations.

Sol chuckled to himself. They really don't know a damn thing, do they?

If DreamCorp was basing their hunt on this, then they were already at a disadvantage. He could use this. He could twist this. They were working with incomplete data, which meant he had way more room to maneuver than he initially thought."