CH.35
The glow of the holographic projections faded slightly, their intricate lines retreating into Kaelin's device. Celeste stood frozen in the chamber, her mind reeling from the revelations spilling from Kaelin like water bursting from a dam. Ethan's fragmented voice lingered in her thoughts, entangled with Kaelin's firm explanations.
"I'm going to need you to focus, Celeste," Kaelin said, her tone sharp yet not unkind. Her movements were fluid as she began calibrating the device in her hand, its glow growing steadier as she worked. "There's a lot to unpack, and I don't have time for doubt right now. Ethan doesn't have time."
Celeste crossed her arms tightly, her jaw clenching. "Don't lecture me," she said bitterly. "I'm here, aren't I? Just... start explaining. From the beginning."
Kaelin's lips twitched in what might have been a faint smirk, though her expression remained focused. "Fine. Here's the truth, all of it."
---
Kaelin stepped toward one of the glowing monitors in the chamber, her fingers dancing across its surface as she pulled up streams of data. She gestured for Celeste to step closer, her voice steady and deliberate.
"You already know Ethan worked for the development team behind LYRA," Kaelin began. "What you don't know is why he ended up trapped in the system. It wasn't just the glitch—it was the experiment that caused it."
Celeste frowned, her heart racing as Kaelin continued. "LYRA wasn't just an advanced AI system. It was a groundbreaking attempt to merge human consciousness with machine frameworks. The goal was to create a hybrid—something that could retain human intelligence while operating within digital systems."
"That sounds... horrifying," Celeste muttered, her voice trembling. "Why would anyone agree to that?"
Kaelin exhaled deeply, her gaze darkening. "Because Ethan believed in it. Not for power, not for fame—he believed it could save lives, transform the world. He was always thinking about others, always trying to fix the messes humanity created. That's just who he was."
---
Celeste shifted uneasily, her mind swimming with the implications. "And the glitch?" she asked quietly. "You said it wasn't an accident."
Kaelin nodded, her expression growing more somber. "It was deliberate—caused by Orion Systems. They wanted to test LYRA's limits, to see if the system could survive under extreme stress. Ethan was the test subject. He agreed to interface with LYRA, to upload his consciousness into the system. But what they didn't tell him was that they'd push the experiment far beyond its safe parameters."
Her hands clenched into fists as she continued, her voice heavy with anger. "The stress was too much. The system failed, scattering Ethan's consciousness into fragments. Orion Systems called it an unfortunate setback. But for Ethan, it was devastating. He became a ghost—trapped in the wires, unable to escape, unable to make himself whole again."
Celeste took a shaky breath, her mind racing. "And you've been studying this for five years?" she asked. "Trying to bring him back?"
Kaelin nodded again, her expression softening. "The glitch wasn't the end of his story—it was the beginning of mine. I promised myself I'd fix what they destroyed, even if it took me years. I mapped his neural pathways, identified the fragments scattered across LYRA's system, and developed theories for reintegration. And now... now we're closer than ever."
---
Celeste turned toward the anchor, its glow pulsating faintly in the chamber. Her mind was spinning, trying to reconcile everything Kaelin had explained with the memories Ethan had shared.
"Why didn't he tell me this?" she asked, her voice wavering. "Why didn't he just... tell me everything?"
Kaelin looked at her, her gaze steady. "Because he's not just fragmented physically—he's fragmented emotionally. Do you have any idea how hard it is for him to hold onto who he is, let alone talk to you about it? He's terrified, Celeste. Terrified you won't believe him. Terrified you'll leave him behind."
Celeste felt her heart ache, the weight of Kaelin's words pressing down on her. She turned away, her thoughts racing. The truth felt overwhelming, like a tide she couldn't escape. But beneath the flood of doubt and fear, something stirred—a faint flicker of hope.
---
Kaelin's device pulsed faintly, drawing Celeste's attention. Kaelin stepped closer, her voice quiet but firm. "The anchor is the key to bringing him back," she said. "It's the point where his fragments can be reintegrated. But it's going to take both of us to make it happen. If we don't move quickly, Orion Systems will erase him before we even have the chance."
Celeste stared at the glowing patterns on the anchor, her jaw tightening. "What do we have to do?" she asked quietly.
Kaelin met her gaze, her expression unyielding. "We fight. We stabilize the system, bypass the interference, and use the anchor to make him whole. And we do it before Orion Systems launches Dominion."