Echoes of the underground

Jaxon stared at Chippernode, processing. Seeing him in person—standing right there, alive, real—felt like a glitch in the system. The chatroom had always been voices, text, theories spun into the void. No faces. No bodies. Just minds colliding in digital space.

Now, one of those minds was right in front of him. And he had come for Jaxon.

Selene was tense beside him, her eyes darting between Jaxon and the newcomers. She didn't know these people. Neither did he, not really. But they had found him.

"How?" Jaxon finally asked.

Chippernode smirked. "That arm of yours. The elites aren't the only ones who track tech, you know."

Jaxon's enhanced arm flexed instinctively. It had saved him more times than he could count, but now, it had led these people straight to him. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing yet.

One of the others, a woman with a buzz cut and cybernetic eye, stepped forward. "We don't have time for introductions. You want to live? Get in the truck."

Jaxon hesitated. Trust was a dangerous thing.

Chippernode must have seen the doubt in his eyes because he exhaled sharply. "Look, man. You don't have a choice. The people who run this world? They already know about you. If we found you, they will too."

Selene shifted closer to Jaxon, waiting for his decision.

Jaxon met Chippernode's gaze. Then, with a slow nod, he said, "Alright."

***

The truck rattled down the ruined streets, its engine a low growl in the silence of the dead city. Jaxon sat near the back, Selene beside him, still guarded. The squad members were spread out, weapons close, eyes scanning the road ahead.

It wasn't a clean-cut military unit. These people weren't soldiers. They were scavengers, rebels, survivors who had adapted to a world that no longer followed rules.

Chippernode sat across from Jaxon, watching him with a mix of curiosity and familiarity.

"You don't talk much in person."

Jaxon shrugged. "Didn't think I'd ever have to."

Chippernode chuckled. "Yeah, well. Welcome to reality."

Jaxon's eyes flicked to the others. "Who are you people?"

The woman with the cybernetic eye scoffed. "The ones keeping your ass alive."

Chippernode smirked. "We're the ones who see through the lies. You know that better than anyone, Jaxon. We've been fighting this system for years."

Jaxon frowned. "And now you want me to fight with you?"

Chippernode leaned forward. "We need you to."

Jaxon's fingers twitched. He didn't sign up for this. He wasn't looking to join some resistance. He just wanted to survive.

But survival wasn't a choice anymore.

Chippernode's voice lowered. "They know who you are."

Jaxon met his gaze. Who I am?

Something in his gut twisted.

Selene grabbed his hand, grounding him.

Whatever was coming next, there was no turning back.

The truck rolled into what looked like an abandoned subway station. It was dark, damp, but alive—humming with generators, flickering screens, and people moving like they had a purpose.

Weapons. Supplies. Maps spread across tables.

This wasn't just a hideout. It was a war room.

Jaxon stepped out of the truck, his boots hitting the cracked concrete. Selene stayed close, still wary. The squad moved around them, unloading gear, checking weapons, and barking orders.

Chippernode walked ahead, motioning for Jaxon to follow. "Come on. There's a lot you need to see."

Jaxon followed, stepping deeper into the underground base. Every step felt heavier.

He had spent years looking through the cracks of reality, dissecting the world's lies through a screen.

Now, he was about to see just how deep the truth went.

After everything, after the endless running, the near-death encounters, and the sheer exhaustion pressing down on them, Jaxon and Selene finally got a chance to refresh.

The squad had led them deeper into their hideout—a repurposed underground facility, half-bunker, half-living quarters. It wasn't glamorous, but it was safe, and right now, that was all that mattered.

***

Jaxon stood in front of a cracked mirror, wiping the grime off his face. His reflection looked like hell—bruised, dirt-streaked, eyes heavy with exhaustion. His enhanced arm caught the dim light, the sleek metal surface a stark contrast to the rest of him.

Selene was in the adjacent washroom, probably feeling just as wrecked. They hadn't spoken much since arriving—just tired glances, silent relief.

A fresh set of clothes had been laid out for them—practical, slightly oversized, but clean. Jaxon pulled the shirt over his head, flexing his fingers as he adjusted the fit. The water had been cold, but it had done the job. He felt—if not better—at least human again.

When they stepped out, the scent of food hit them immediately. It wasn't anything fancy, but to two people who had been surviving on scraps, it might as well have been a feast.

The squad's base had a central mess hall—more like a large open space with scattered tables and a counter where food was served. Jaxon and Selene took their trays, sitting at a table near Chippernode.

Jaxon had barely taken his first bite when the argument started.

"You're a damn idiot if you think that op was smooth," a girl—probably a couple of years older than Jaxon—said, pointing her fork at a guy with a buzz cut.

"And you're a control freak," the guy fired back. "We got the job done, didn't we?"

"Barely! You almost got us killed."

"Almost is the keyword, genius."

Jaxon glanced at Chippernode, who watched with an amused expression. "Is this normal?"

Chippernode smirked. "Every damn day."

Selene watched too, eyes flicking between the arguing pair. "What are they even fighting about?"

"Standard operation disputes," Chippernode shrugged. "We're a squad, not a military. No one takes orders well."

The girl—who Jaxon now realized was called Vega—rolled her eyes. "You're reckless, and one day it's gonna cost us more than you."

Buzzcut—aka Ren—snorted. "You sound like a damn schoolteacher."

"Because you act like a toddler."

Another squad member, a guy with dark glasses, laughed. "Damn, y'all still at it?"

Ren grumbled something under his breath and stabbed his food aggressively.

Jaxon took another bite, watching the exchange with curiosity. It wasn't hostile—not really. It was just how they were.

A family, in their own chaotic way.

And for the first time in a long time, he didn't feel completely out of place.

The argument eventually died down—mostly because someone threw a piece of bread, which escalated into a short-lived food war before Mark, the squad's unofficial dictator, shut it down with a single glare.

Mark had that presence—the kind that made you rethink your life choices if you pissed him off. He looked like he could punch through a concrete wall without breaking a sweat, but his voice was always level, calm, like he didn't need to raise it to get people to listen.

Selene, still a little wary, cleared her throat. "I'm Selene. And, uh… this is Jaxon."

"Yeah, we figured," said Vega, leaning back in her chair. "You were the ones looking like roadkill when we found you."

Jaxon gave her a flat look. "Thanks for that."

"Anytime." She smirked.

Mark crossed his arms, nodding. "You're safe here. Chippernode vouched for you, and that's enough for now."

At that, Jaxon turned to Chippernode—the only vaguely familiar face in this crowd of misfits.

Now, Chippernode—Jaxon still wasn't sure what he expected, but it wasn't this.

He was younger than he sounded in the chat. Maybe nineteen or twenty, but with the energy of someone who had already seen too much and decided to make a joke out of life anyway. His hair was an unholy mess, like he either never brushed it or had a personal vendetta against combs. He had a perpetual smirk, the kind that made you want to both trust and absolutely not trust him at the same time.

And his first words in person?

"Damn, you actually look worse than I imagined."

Jaxon blinked. "...I don't know whether to be insulted or impressed."

Chippernode grinned. "Both, man. Both."

Vega, the girl from earlier, rolled her eyes. "Alright, since the newbies are here, we might as well introduce ourselves. Properly, this time."

She jerked a thumb toward Ren—the guy she'd been arguing with.

🔹 Ren – Tactician. Overconfident dumbass.

"This is Ren. Certified idiot. He's our tactician, but only if you don't let him make solo decisions."

"Harsh," Ren snorted. "But fair."

Ren had that former athlete who got dragged into a cyber-rebellion vibe. Built like a fighter but acted like life was just one big joke.

🔹 Vega – Strategist. Thinks everyone around her is stupid.

"Vega. The only person here with a functioning brain."

"Debatable," Ren coughed.

She kicked his chair. "Shut up."

Short, sharp black hair, arms crossed like she was constantly judging everything. She radiated I don't have time for your stupidity energy.

🔹 Nash – Explosives expert. Chill as hell.

He gave a lazy salute. "Nash. I make things go boom. Also, occasional therapist, because let's be real, we all have issues."

He looked way too calm for someone who dealt with explosives.

🔹 Iris – Medic. Too tired for this nonsense.

She smiled faintly. "I fix these idiots when they get themselves killed. And they get themselves killed a lot."

Small, quiet, have probably stitched people up without anesthesia vibe.

🔹 Grim – The enforcer. Built like a human tank.

He spoke in a deep, gravelly voice. "Grim."

That was it.

Vega sighed. "You wanna add something?"

"No."

Grim looked like he had been built, not born. Scarred knuckles, broad shoulders, permanent scowl. The kind of guy you didn't want to meet in a dark alley—or a well-lit one, for that matter.

🔹 Lena – Tech genius. Zero self-preservation.

"Lena! I fix things. I hack things. If it has wires, I can probably make it explode."

Jaxon instinctively moved his plate away from her.

Nash smirked. "You and I are gonna get along."

🔹 Mark – The leader. The 'Dad' of the group.

"You already know who I am. I lead. I make sure we don't die. And if anyone here steps out of line, I make sure they regret it."

The entire squad—who had just been talking big—suddenly went very quiet.

🔹 Chippernode – The enigma.

He smirked at Jaxon. "You'll figure me out soon enough."

Jaxon had a feeling he wasn't going to like whatever that meant.

***

After the introductions, Nash leaned back with a lazy grin.

"So, now that we all know each other—who wants to hear about the time Mark got his ass kicked by a vending machine?"

Mark slammed his fork down.

"I let that machine win."

Selene shook her head, laughing.

For the first time since the world had fallen apart, it almost felt… normal.

Chippernode clapped Jaxon on the back.

"Welcome to the family, man."

The dinner table buzzed with the last bits of conversation, laughter, and mild threats of violence (mostly between Vega and Ren). The squad was a strange mix of chaos and camaraderie, and Jaxon was still processing the fact that this was real—that he was sitting here, surrounded by people who had probably been dodging death long.