Pianist_Frea

They told her she was just another orphan. Another runaway. Another nobody.

They lied.

When Ember is captured during a high-stakes escape, the Regime’s system scans her—and does something impossible. It lets her in.

The machines obey her. The code bends to her will. And a voice inside her head whispers secrets she was never meant to remember.

She isn’t just part of the system.

She is the system.

Now, both the Regime and the rebels want her—one to control her, the other to destroy her. But Ember has her own plan: BURN IT DOWN.

If the world made her a weapon, it’s about time she started acting like one.

Echoes of the System

The cold night air hit Ember like a slap as she stepped out onto the abandoned street. The city was unnervingly quiet—too quiet.

She pulled the hood of her jacket up, trying to ignore the static buzzing at the edge of her thoughts. The connection was still there, faint but pulsing like a second heartbeat.

Kai moved beside her, his posture tense as he scanned their surroundings. Rhea, still half-dazed from being woken up, trailed behind them, rubbing her eyes.

"We need to keep moving," Kai muttered. "If what you said is true, they could already be closing in."

If the Regime could track her, why weren't they here already? Why wasn't she surrounded by enforcers the moment she stepped outside?

Was it because she wasn't fully activated? Because whatever they did to her wasn't finished?

The thought made her stomach twist.

They moved swiftly through the back alleys, sticking to the shadows. Every sound felt magnified—the rustling of leaves, the distant hum of patrol drones overhead, the occasional flicker of a neon sign from a run-down shop.

As they reached the main road, Kai suddenly held up a hand. "Wait."

A faint hum filled the air. At first, it was barely noticeable, but within seconds, it grew into a deep, vibrating noise that sent chills down her spine.

Through the haze of smog, a pair of red lights cut through the darkness, hovering high above the rooftops. Scanning. Searching.

Her pulse pounded. They weren't alone.

Ember and Rhea crouched behind a stack of rusted crates. The drone's lights swept across the street, bathing everything in an eerie crimson glow.

She clenched her fists, forcing her breathing to stay even. The last thing she needed was another glitch—another surge of connection that would light her up like a beacon.

The drone hovered for a few seconds. Then, just as quickly as it arrived, it drifted away.

Kai exhaled. "That was too close."

Ember swallowed the lump in her throat. "We need to get out of the city."

"That's the plan." He glanced at her. "You said you saw a checkpoint earlier. Where?"

She hesitated. The image had flashed in her mind so vividly before, but now it felt just out of reach. Like a dream slipping through her fingers.

She closed her eyes, focusing on the static. At first, there was nothing but a dull hum. But then—

She saw it. The checkpoint. Soldiers stationed at the eastern exit. Armed. Alert.

"They've locked down the eastern side." She didn't even question how she knew it. She just did. "But there's a weak spot near the old railway tunnels. It's not heavily guarded."

Kai narrowed his eyes. "How do you—" He stopped himself, exhaling. "Never mind. I don't even want to know."

Ember bit back the unease creeping through her. She could barely explain it herself.

They didn't have time for questions.

They stayed low, moving quickly through the maze of broken streets. Every step felt like walking a tightrope, the weight of the connection pressing against Ember's skull.

The railway entrance wasn't far now. Just a few more blocks.

Ember barely had time to react before Kai shoved her down. "Go!"

More shots. A sharp, mechanical voice echoed through the night.

Her breath caught. No. No, no, no—

And this time, they weren't just tracking her.

Chapter Seventeen