Chapter 2: The Threshold of Knowledge

Mexico City, National Autonomous University of Mexico — Faculty of Engineering

August 13, 2022, 10:17 PM

Night had fallen over Ciudad Universitaria. Lanterns dimly illuminated the cobblestone paths, while the imposing silhouette of the Central Library stood out against the starry sky. Rodrigo Velázquez walked purposefully through the deserted hallways of the Faculty of Engineering. The echo of his footsteps resonated off the walls, accompanying him on his nocturnal journey.

He had spent the previous day assimilating the magnitude of his situation. The knowledge of advanced technologies, the presence of Eidolon in his mind, and the connection to the Halo Ark were realities that defied all logic. However, far from feeling overwhelmed, Rodrigo felt a steely determination. This was his chance to redeem the mistakes of the past and forge a new destiny.

His objective was clear: the old High Frequency Laboratory, located in the basement of Building A. As he recalled, the lab had been shut down years ago due to electrical faults that were never resolved. This made it the perfect place to establish his base of operations without raising suspicion.

Upon arriving at Building A, Rodrigo stopped in front of the main entrance. The structure, although old, maintained a majestic presence. The glass doors reflected his image: a young man in his twenties with a backpack over his shoulder, but with the gaze of someone who had lived much longer.

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"Eidolon, any sign of activity in the building?" he whispered, aware of the quiet that surrounded him.

The AI's soft voice echoed in his mind.

"Scan complete. No human presence or active surveillance systems detected in the immediate perimeter."

Nodding, Rodrigo pushed the door, which opened with a soft creak. The hallway was pitch black, with only a few emergency lights flickering dimly. He knew the way; he'd spent countless hours in this building during his career. He headed toward the stairwell leading to the basement, each step echoing in the eerie silence.

As he descended, the air grew colder and thicker. The basement had a distinct atmosphere, almost as if time had stopped there. The concrete walls showed signs of dampness and neglect. Finally, he reached the metal door of the High Frequency Laboratory. A worn sign warned: "Restricted Access. Laboratory Out of Service."

"Eidolon, can you unlock the door?"

"Analyzing locking mechanism... Standard electromechanical lock. Proceeding with override."

Rodrigo felt a slight vibration on his left wrist, followed by a metallic click. The door slowly opened a crack.

"Impressive," he murmured, pushing the door open to enter.

The interior of the lab was plunged into darkness. Rodrigo turned on his phone's flashlight, revealing a large space filled with equipment covered by dusty sheets. Workbenches, old oscilloscopes, signal generators, and other electronic devices were lined up in disarray. The smell of rusted metal and old paper permeated the air.

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Closing the door behind him, Rodrigo dropped his backpack on one of the tables and took a moment to absorb his surroundings. This place, forgotten by most, would be the foundation of his new venture.

"Eidolon, illuminate the area and perform a full scan of the lab."

Suddenly, a bluish light emanated from his wrist, projecting a luminous sphere that floated toward the center of the lab. The sphere emitted pulses of light that swept the space, revealing details hidden in the shadows.

"Scan completed. The laboratory covers an area of ​​150 square meters. Three adjoining rooms have been identified: a storage room, a control room, and an anechoic chamber. Electrical and ventilation systems are in minimally functional condition. Infrastructure restoration and upgrades are recommended."

Rodrigo nodded, making a mental note of the observations.

"Perfect. Let's begin by restoring power and securing the perimeter."

He walked over to the electrical control panel located on the north wall. Upon opening it, he found a tangle of corroded wires and fuses.

"Eidolon, can you guide me through repairing the electrical system?"

"Of course. Initiating instruction projection."

Before his eyes, a holographic interface unfolded, showing a detailed schematic of the electrical system. Precise instructions highlighted the components that needed attention.

For the next few hours, Rodrigo worked meticulously, replacing damaged cables, cleaning contacts, and securing connections. Eidolon's guidance facilitated the process, providing real-time feedback and suggesting optimal solutions.

Finally, after what seemed like several hours of almost surgical effort, Rodrigo made the final adjustment to a rusty main switch. He took a breath, placed his hand on the main control, and with a single thrust, turned on the power.

A click was heard. Then another. The overhead lights flickered once, twice, three times… and came on with a low, nostalgic hum.

"Yes!" Rodrigo exclaimed, raising both arms with a mixture of pride and disbelief.

"Electrical system restored to 62% capacity. Sufficient power for initial operations. Recommendation: Build stable power core for Forerunner consumption."

"That will come later. For now, this is enough."

The lights revealed more clearly how forgotten the place was. There were rusted tools, crumpled plans on corkboards, a cup with the legend "Engineering or Death" split in two on a desk. But the important thing was that now he had a functional place.

A laboratory within UNAM, completely off the radar, connected to the most advanced mind in the universe.

Rodrigo opened his backpack and took out a small black cylinder, the size of a D-cell battery. He placed it on the main table and gestured to Eidolon.

"Let's activate it."

"Confirming authentication. Activating remote access interface to the Ark."

From the cylinder, a ring-shaped projection emerged: the Ark. A high-definition hologram floated above the table as if it were actually there. Rodrigo approached, marveling. It was even more beautiful than he remembered.

Mountains, lakes, gravity corridors, orbital platforms, all detailed. And now... all his.

"The stable connection to the Ark has been completed. I'm logged in as an authorized administrator. You can establish a materials transport link, base replicators, and passive defense systems on this ground node."

"Can we bring components here?"

"Yes, but limited to entry-class nanoconstruction units. You can deploy up to three at a time."

Rodrigo took a deep breath. The dream was becoming tangible. With those nanounits, he could start building equipment, refurbish the lab with advanced tools, and eventually… create things Mexico wouldn't even imagine for decades.

But he had to move carefully. He was at a public university. He couldn't just have a steel door pop out of the floor or a drone hover through the halls without anyone noticing.

"We'll start inside. Rebuild this space. Make it look normal from the outside, but internally, I want it to be at Forerunner level."

"Understood. Initiating Operation: Covert Sanctuary."

A soft whirring sound filled the air as three metallic spheres about four inches tall materialized about a meter off the ground. Rodrigo took a step back as they hovered, scanned the walls, and began emitting energy pulses.

The rusted materials began to transform. The desks seemed to rejuvenate, the walls smoothed and took on a slightly shiny, but not striking, texture. Everything happened silently, as if the technology itself respected the calm of the nighttime campus.

Rodrigo sat in an old swivel chair, which was soon restored beneath his feet.

"This is real... too real."

"Rodrigo... would you like to view your current vital statistics? Your body has been subtly reinforced since your return. You also have 5% integration with Forerunner cognitive abilities."

"I don't want to see numbers. I want results. I want to know how far I can take this... without anyone stopping me."

He stared at the hologram of the Ark floating above the table. If in his past life he had only been able to create a startup that failed, now he had the foundation to build something bigger. More lasting. Something that would transcend.

And he would do it from that abandoned underground laboratory. From UNAM. From Mexico.

"Rodrigo, first restoration cycle complete. Safe installation. Suggestion: rest. Your brain activity exceeds optimal levels for ordinary humans. You may collapse."

Rodrigo smiled tiredly.

"Yes… yes, you're right."

He walked over to the old lab couch—now fully restored—and lay back. For a moment, he stared at the ceiling, breathing slowly. He was no longer the lost student he used to be.

Now he was something more.

The owner of the Ark. The pioneer.

And tomorrow… he would begin building his empire.