Chapter 7. The Caravan

Night on the periphery was a symphony of light and information.

The caravan moved through a valley where ordinary laws of nature no longer applied. Here, plants emitted data instead of pollen, and the air was saturated with fine information currents that resembled weightless luminous streams. Five massive transporters—biomechanical creations with bodies the size of houses—moved in precise formation, protecting the more vulnerable members of the caravan inside their formation.

Alex stood on the observation deck of the Matriarch—the central transporter—and observed this phantasmagoria from the safe shelter under the protective dome. Next to him, Layla Rains silently studied the horizon with her unusual black eyes, capable of seeing a spectrum of information currents inaccessible to normal vision.

"Amazing, isn't it?" she finally said, not taking her eyes off the landscape. "This beauty. This danger. This entire new world."

Alex nodded. He had been with the caravan for a whole day now and still couldn't get used to the majestic strangeness of the periphery. Here, the biocybernetic ecosystem evolved without any limitations, creating life forms and landscapes that would have been impossible to even imagine before the Resonance.

"How do you survive here?" he asked. "Constantly moving, constantly among dangers."

Layla smiled slightly, and the silver implants under her skin glowed a bit brighter.

"Adaptation," she answered simply. "The same thing that allowed humanity to survive after the Resonance. We learned to read the patterns of the new reality. Learned to coexist with it, instead of trying to control it."

She turned to him, and her black eyes reflected the surrounding glow like two miniature cosmoses.

"You've adapted too, Alex. In your own way. Your implant—your node, as your technomancer friend calls it—it has evolved with you. Integrated deeper than its creators intended."

Alex instinctively touched the scar on the back of his head.

"You observed this process?" he asked. "During those six months after the Resonance?"

Layla nodded, her gaze becoming distant, as if she was returning to those days.

"At first, you were just... lost," she said quietly. "Physically injured, yes, but your mental state was worse. You didn't remember your name, didn't remember anything about your life. The only thing you kept repeating over and over was the name 'Sara'. And that the connection was broken. That the bridge was destroyed."

"Sara," Alex whispered. "My sister."

"I understood that later," Layla continued. "When you started to recover. You had moments of clarity when you shared fragments of memories. About being twins. About being chosen for some experiment. About your implants being part of a pair, created to work in unison."

She paused, as if doubting whether she should continue.

"What else did I say?" Alex asked persistently, feeling he was approaching something important.

Layla sighed.

"You talked about the Resonance Protocol. About how it was launched too early, before all necessary precautions were taken. That the Architect didn't account for the risk of connection rupture between the nodes. That without this connection, the transformation process became unstable, chaotic."

She looked at him with undisguised curiosity.

"Back then, I thought it was the ramblings of a traumatized mind. But now, after all these years of traveling through the periphery, observing changes in the ecosystem... I'm beginning to understand that you were telling the truth. The Resonance wasn't an accident. It was an experiment that spiraled out of control."

Alex felt a strange sense of confirmation. What he had learned in the Archive, what he had seen in his recovered memories, coincided with what he had told Layla immediately after the catastrophe, when his conscious mind was fragmented, but his deep memory remained active.

"You said people were hunting me," he remembered. "People in gray jumpsuits. Who were they?"

"I don't know," Layla answered honestly. "They didn't introduce themselves or explain their motives. But they had advanced implants, clearly military-grade. And they used technologies to track information signatures—essentially, they were tracking your implant, its unique emission in the flow."

She crossed her arms over her chest, as if protecting herself from an unpleasant memory.

"We encountered their patrol three weeks after I found you. We barely got away. After that, I realized we needed to keep moving constantly, never staying in one place for more than a few days. That's how my path as a nomad began."

"And you've continued this lifestyle all these years," Alex noted. "Even after you left me at the rescue camp."

"By then, I couldn't return to a settled life," Layla said with a slight smile. "Movement had become a necessity. A part of me. I met others like myself. We formed the first core of the caravan. Over the years, it grew, evolved. We became intermediaries between enclaves, information traders, observers of changes in the ecosystem."

She pointed to the surrounding landscape, where biocybernetic life forms created fantastic patterns of light and data.

"We document the evolution of this new world, Alex. We collect information about new species, about patterns of information current distribution, about aberration zones and their changes. This data is invaluable for enclaves, for transformed cities, for everyone trying not just to survive, but to understand the new reality."

Her voice filled with pride, and Alex saw in her not just a woman hardened by trials, but a leader aware of the importance of her mission.

Their conversation was interrupted by an alarm signal—a low pulsating sound that spread throughout the transporter. Layla instantly switched to commander mode.

"Something's approaching," she said briefly. "Let's go inside."

They quickly left the observation deck and headed to the Matriarch's command center—a complex biocybernetic hub located in the very heart of the transporter. The core crew had already gathered there: the navigator with a cartographic module implanted in his brain, the technician with biomechanical manipulators instead of hands, the communications officer with a modified throat capable of generating and perceiving complex information patterns at supernatural frequencies.

Zoi was there too, the patterns on her skin glowing brighter than usual—a sign that she was actively interacting with information flows.

"Anomalous activity," reported the navigator, his eyes with dilated pupils rapidly scanning the holographic map of the area. "Eastern quadrant. Multiple signatures. Rapidly moving toward our position."

"Predators?" Layla asked briefly.

"Not a standard pattern," the communications officer shook his head. "More... coordinated. Purposeful."

Zoi stepped forward, her eyes shining with golden light.

"Not just predators," she said in her rhythmic voice. "A swarm. Single mind, multiple bodies. They're... searching. Scanning. Hunting for something specific."

Her gaze shifted to Alex, and he felt a chill run down his spine.

"For me," he said quietly. "They're looking for me. Like those drones in Neoterra."

Layla quickly assessed the situation.

"Defense perimeter at maximum," she commanded. "All transporters, close formation. Prepare energy weapons and information traps."

She turned to Alex and Zoi.

"If they're really looking for you, our standard defensive measures might not work," she said seriously. "We need something that will mask your signature, make it indistinguishable from the general background."

"I can help," Zoi interjected. "Technomantic practices. Not complete masking, but... distortion. Sufficient for a temporary solution."

Layla nodded.

"Do it," was all she said before returning to coordinating the caravan's defense.

Zoi led Alex aside, to a quieter corner of the command center.

"I need to... touch your node," she said. "Create an interference pattern. Hide your unique signature in the flow."

Alex nodded and knelt down to make it easier for Zoi to reach the back of his head. She carefully placed her cool fingers on the implant scar, and Alex felt a strange tingling spreading from the point of contact.

"What exactly are you doing?" he asked as Zoi worked.

"Creating... noise," she replied, frowning in concentration. "A random information pattern that will surround the main signal of your node. Like a camouflage net. Not a perfect solution, but... it might work."

Alex felt something changing in his perception. The information flows he constantly sensed on the periphery of his consciousness became less distinct, as if blurred by fog.

"I feel less," he said with some concern.

"Temporary effect," Zoi assured him. "A necessary sacrifice for safety."

Suddenly, the entire transporter shuddered as if from an impact. The light in the command center flickered, and several biocybernetic interfaces on the walls went dark.

"They're here," Zoi said quietly, removing her hand from Alex's implant. "First contact with the outer perimeter."

Activity erupted around them. Crew members activated defense systems, connected to the caravan's information network, coordinated actions between transporters. Layla stood at the center of this controlled chaos, giving short, clear commands.

"Visual contact," reported someone from the crew, activating a holographic screen.

It displayed images of what was happening outside, and Alex involuntarily stepped back at what he saw. They were surrounded by a sea of moving, writhing forms—creatures that seemed to be a fusion of insects, machines, and pure information. Their bodies consisted of metallic segments connected by pulsating organic tissues, and instead of eyes, they had scanning devices emitting data beams. They moved with mechanical precision but with organic fluidity, forming complex geometric formations around the caravan.

"Information predators?" Alex asked, mesmerized by their strange, eerie beauty.

"Worse," Layla replied grimly. "This is a scout swarm. Specialized units designed for search and capture. And they're clearly targeting us."

Zoi approached the holographic screen, studying the creatures with her golden eyes.

"Military-grade artificial intelligence," she said. "Pre-resonance origin, but... evolved. Adapted to the new ecosystem. With added biocomponents."

"Can they break through the defensive perimeter?" Alex asked.

"It's just a matter of time," Layla answered. "Our defense is designed for ordinary information predators, not for specialized tracking units."

She turned to the communications officer.

"Tell the other transporters: activate the 'Sandstorm' protocol. Prepare for a hard transition."

The communications officer nodded and began generating a complex sequence of sound signals—a data language understandable only to modified members of the caravan.

"What's a 'sandstorm'?" Alex asked Zoi.

"Information jamming," she replied. "A massive release of random data across all spectrums. Creates... interference. Temporarily disorients entities dependent on clean information flows."

Outside, the swarm continued to concentrate around the caravan, its units forming an increasingly dense ring. Some of them began climbing up the limbs of the transporters, trying to find vulnerable spots in their biomechanical armor.

"They're ready," reported the communications officer. "All transporters synchronized. Awaiting signal."

Layla nodded and raised her hand with an activated implant glowing through her skin.

"Activation on my mark," she said. "Three... two... one... NOW!"

She brought her hand down sharply, and the world seemed to explode. Alex felt his consciousness momentarily disconnect, and when he came to, chaos reigned around him. All information interfaces in the command center were flashing, showing meaningless sequences of symbols. Crew members with modifications held their heads, obviously experiencing discomfort from the massive information noise.

On the holographic screen, the swarm of creatures could be seen moving chaotically, their formation dissolved, and individual units randomly darting about, as if disoriented.

"It worked!" exclaimed someone from the crew.

"Temporarily," warned Layla. "We have minutes, not more. Full thrust on all transporters. Course—to Cascade Pass."

Alex felt the Matriarch accelerating, its numerous limbs beginning to move faster, carrying them away from the disturbed swarm. The other transporters were also gaining speed, maintaining the protective formation around the central one.

"They're recovering," warned the navigator, not taking his eyes off the map. "Reforming. Beginning pursuit."

"How fast are they?" Layla asked.

"Faster than us," the navigator replied grimly. "They'll catch up to us before we reach the pass."

Layla sighed, and an expression of determination appeared on her face.

"Then we'll have to fight," she said. "Prepare energy weapons. Activate information traps around the perimeter. Fighters—to positions."

Zoi stepped forward.

"I can help," she offered. "Technomancy is effective against such entities. I can create... distortions in their communication network. Weaken their coordination."

"Any help will be useful," Layla nodded. "But you'll have to be on the external platform to directly impact them."

"I'll go with her," Alex said immediately.

Layla looked at him doubtfully.

"It's dangerous," she said. "And you are their main target."

"Exactly why," Alex said firmly. "I won't hide while others risk their lives for me."

He paused, then added:

"Besides, my node... it's not just a passive receiver. I have certain abilities. I can help."

Layla studied his face, as if trying to assess how much he had changed since she found him wounded and lost after the Resonance.

"Alright," she finally said. "But be careful. We can't let them capture you, Alex. Judging by their determination, you're extremely valuable to them."

Alex nodded, understanding the seriousness of the situation. Together with Zoi, they left the command center and headed to one of the transporter's external platforms—a fortified area designed for observation and defense.

When they went outside, Alex was stunned by what he saw. The caravan was racing through the valley at an incredible speed for such massive creatures. The five transporters moved in precise formation, their limbs rising and falling in synchronization, creating an almost hypnotic rhythm. Behind them, rapidly closing the distance, moved the swarm—now fully reorganized and even more determined.

Zoi took a position at the edge of the platform, the patterns on her skin beginning to glow brighter, forming complex, constantly changing patterns. She closed her eyes and raised her hands, as if trying to feel the information flows around them.

"They're close," she said without opening her eyes. "Their collective mind... is focusing. Searching. Scanning."

"What can I do?" Alex asked, feeling unusually helpless next to a practicing technomancer.

Zoi opened one eye, in which golden particles moved with incredible speed.

"Your node," she said. "It can... influence the flows. Not as directly as technomancy, but... more powerful. Raw force versus precision."

She made a gesture with her hand, pointing to the approaching swarm.

"Focus. Feel the connection between the swarm units. The information threads connecting them. And then... imagine interference. Static. Noise in a clean signal."

Alex nodded and closed his eyes, trying to concentrate as Zoi advised. At first, he felt nothing except the usual background noise of the periphery's information flows. But then, gradually, he began to distinguish a more organized pattern—a complex network of communications linking individual swarm units into a single organism.

It was like a musical piece—rhythmic, harmonious, but with an alien, inhuman structure. Alex focused on this "melody," trying to mentally introduce dissonance, to disrupt its purity.

At first, nothing happened. Then he felt his implant begin to pulsate, as if in response to his efforts. The pulsation intensified, becoming almost painful, but Alex didn't break his concentration. He imagined waves of interference emanating from his node, spreading in all directions, distorting the clean communication signal of the swarm.

And suddenly it worked—but not at all as he expected. Instead of a gradual increase in interference, there was a powerful, directed impulse. Alex felt as if something had burst from his implant—a concentrated wave of energy, rushing straight at the swarm.

The effect was immediate and dramatic. The leading units of the swarm literally froze in the air, their sensors randomly flashing, and their limbs beginning to twitch convulsively. Some of them fell to the ground, completely disoriented.

Alex opened his eyes, shocked by what had happened. He hadn't expected such a powerful result from his improvised efforts.

Zoi looked at him with undisguised surprise.

"You..." she began, but didn't finish the phrase, as if unable to find suitable words. "That wasn't just interference. You literally... rewrote part of their collective code. Temporarily neutralized them."

She looked both impressed and slightly troubled.

"I didn't know I could do that," Alex honestly admitted, feeling weakness from the unexpected energy release. "It just... happened."

But their moment of triumph was short-lived. The main mass of the swarm continued to approach, and now its formation had changed. Instead of being evenly distributed, the units concentrated in the center, forming a dense, protected core surrounded by a more diffuse cloud of peripheral units.

"They're adapting," Zoi noted grimly. "Changing strategy. Protecting the central control node."

Suddenly she froze, her eyes widened, and the patterns on her skin changed configuration.

"Something's wrong," she whispered. "They've... stopped just pursuing. Started active scanning. Looking specifically for you. Your signature."

"But isn't your masking supposed to hide me?" Alex asked anxiously.

"It should," Zoi nodded. "But your recent... outburst. It was too characteristic. Too unique. Like a signature."

She quickly looked around, assessing the situation.

"We need to get back inside," she said decisively. "Immediately. They're reconfigu—"

Her words were interrupted by a sudden impact—something crashed into the protective dome above the platform with such force that the entire transporter shuddered. The protective field flickered, visible cracks appearing in it—a sign of critical stress.

"They're attacking directly!" Zoi shouted, grabbing Alex's arm and dragging him toward the transporter entrance.

But it was too late. The protective dome above the platform shattered into shards of energy, and swarm units poured through the opening—dozens of small but deadly creatures combining characteristics of insects and combat drones.

Alex and Zoi were trapped on the open platform, surrounded on all sides. The swarm units approached, their scanning devices methodically investigating every inch of space, clearly looking for something specific.

Zoi stood in front of Alex, her body radiating intense light—she had activated all her technomantic defenses.

"Stay behind me," she said tensely. "I'll create... a corridor. A breakthrough to the door."

But before she could begin, something strange happened. The swarm units suddenly stopped, hovering in the air around them. Their scanners all turned toward Alex, emitting thin data beams that surrounded him like a glowing cage.

"They're... scanning you," Zoi whispered. "But not attacking. Why?"

Alex felt the beams penetrating through his skin, reading something deeper than the physical level. It wasn't painful, rather strangely intimate—as if something was methodically studying his very essence.

And then all units simultaneously emitted a strange sound—a high-frequency signal, not so much heard as felt at the bone level. Alex felt his implant respond to this signal, vibrating slightly under his skin.

"What's happening?" he asked, trying not to move under the close attention of these eerie creatures.

Zoi didn't answer, her attention fully concentrated on what was happening. Her eyes widened, golden particles in them moving with incredible speed, as if she was trying to decipher invisible information.

"They're... confirming," she finally said with surprise in her voice. "Verifying your identity. Your node. They're not just hunting you. They... recognize you."

Before Alex could process these words, there was a new sound—a loud metallic screech from the entrance door. It swung open, and Layla burst onto the platform accompanied by several caravan fighters armed with energy rifles.

"Get away from them!" she shouted, raising her weapon.

But before she could fire, all swarm units simultaneously soared upward, forming a strange geometric figure above their heads. For a moment, they froze in this formation, and then, as suddenly as they had appeared, they rushed away, quickly merging with the night sky of the periphery.

A deafening silence fell. Layla and her fighters stood frozen with raised weapons, clearly stunned by this turn of events. Zoi slowly lowered her hands, her protective patterns gradually fading. Alex simply stood, trying to make sense of what had happened.

"What was that?" Layla finally asked, lowering her weapon. "Why did they just... fly away?"

Zoi turned to Alex, her face expressing a mixture of confusion and revelation.

"They received... confirmation," she said. "Your signature. Your node. It has some kind of... authority for them. A highest-level access code."

She paused, as if gathering her thoughts.

"These aren't just autonomous predators," she continued. "This is... a legacy. Pre-resonance origin security systems. Connected to the Binary Twins project. To Nexus."

Alex looked at the night sky where the swarm had disappeared, feeling a strange mixture of relief and anxiety.

"They weren't trying to destroy me," he said slowly. "They were looking for me to... identify. To confirm that I am who I am."

"And to report to someone," Layla grimly added, coming closer. "These systems don't operate completely autonomously. They have a... master."

"The Architect," Alex whispered. "He's still monitoring. Still controlling his systems."

This thought was simultaneously frightening and encouraging. If the creator of the "Binary Twins" project was still active, if he was tracking the carriers of Nexus nodes... it could mean he knows where Sara is.

Layla placed her hand on Alex's shoulder, bringing him back to reality.

"Now is not the time for contemplation," she said firmly. "We need to move. Quickly. If this swarm has reported about you, others might come. More dangerous ones."

She turned to her fighters.

"Full readiness until Cascade Pass. Double speed. We must reach it before dawn."

When they returned inside the transporter, Alex still felt the strange echo of the swarm's scanning. His implant was pulsating, as if awakened by this contact. And somewhere on the edge of perception, he felt... something. A presence. Observation.

Someone knew that Alex Kovich was active again. Someone who controlled ancient security systems connected to the project that changed the world forever.

And that someone surely knew where to find Sara.