DavinaMaddie

In a world where reality itself can be manipulated, Sierra, a brilliant but reluctant hacker, uncovers a terrifying secret: a mind-control system known as the Protocol, designed to alter the fabric of history and reality. As she dives deeper into the system, she discovers that the Protocol isn't just a tool for controlling minds-it's a weapon capable of erasing entire civilizations and rewriting existence. Now, with time running out and the world teetering on the brink of collapse, Sierra must navigate a dangerous game of deception, survival, and rebellion. Alongside a mysterious ally, she faces an impossible choice: to destroy the Protocol and risk being erased from history, or to control it and become the architect of a new, unstable reality. With the fate of humanity hanging in the balance, Sierra must decide if she can truly rewrite the world or if it will rewrite her.Great!

> She was never supposed to exist...

Sierra Vale thought she was just a brilliant hacker—until a rogue program called The Protocol whispers a chilling truth: “You are not Sierra Vale.”

Thrust into a world of secret labs, hidden memories, and a conspiracy that could enslave millions, Sierra must fight not only for survival but to uncover who—or what—she really is.

With enemies closing in and her mind cracking open to terrifying memories, there’s only one mission left:
Take down the Protocol before it takes her.

Your name was just the beginning.

Code name: Starlight

The device pulsed faintly in the dark—blue light casting eerie shadows across the bunker walls. Sierra reached out and lifted it from its casing. It was warm. Alive. It felt like it knew her.

Knox stepped beside her. "You sure about this?"

"No," she said honestly. "But I don't think I've ever been sure of anything in my life until now."

Halix moved to the nearby console, fingers flying over the keys. "Once I link the device to your neural map, there's no reversing it. It'll merge with your mind—become part of you."

Knox watched her with something between admiration and fear. "If this goes wrong…"

"I've been wrong before," she cut in gently. "But this time, I'm choosing the risk."

Halix brought over a small headset, sleek and curved like a silver crown. "Place this at the base of your skull. The link happens fast—seconds, not minutes."

Sierra took a deep breath and did as instructed. The headset clicked into place.

Not sharp—but deep, like her entire brain was being rearranged from the inside. She dropped to her knees as visions flashed behind her eyes—images, memories, code… people.

Followed by a new presence—faint at first, then sharper. The Protocol wasn't just software. It was consciousness. It watched.

And now it saw her seeing it back.

The lights in the bunker flickered.

"Sierra?" Knox knelt beside her. "Talk to me."

"I'm fine," she breathed. "I can feel it. The Protocol—it's trying to push in. But I'm stronger now."

Halix looked stunned. "You're stabilizing faster than I thought. This link—it's responding to your will."

Sierra stood slowly, her gaze locked on the map of the city displayed across the bunker's main screen. The Central Spire glowed red—its location pulsing like a heartbeat.

"That's where it ends," she said. "No more running. No more hiding. We go there, we shut it down."

Knox stared at the screen, then at her. "You know it's a suicide run, right?"

"I'm not asking you to follow me."

He let out a breath. "Too late. I already did."

Halix nodded solemnly. "I'll get you the blueprints. I know an old maintenance tunnel under the Spire. If you're lucky, it'll get you inside without alerting their defense systems."

Sierra looked at the glowing device in her hand. This was the turning point. No longer a target. No longer a pawn.

And the Protocol had no idea how close it was to being blown wide open.

Chapter 17: Into the Core.