THE HOLLOW CORE

Wednesday – 11:15 A.M. | En Route to Hollow Core

The jet ripped across cloud cover like a whisper of vengeance.

Inside, silence reigned. Ava checked her weapon loadout. Kael calibrated explosives. Echo monitored Hollow's defense grid, eyes flicking with AI-speed precision.

Kian sat across from Rick—calm, focused. The fusion of his fractured mind had left him whole, but visibly scarred.

Rick studied the target schematics on the screen in front of them.

"This is it."

"Where it all began. Where we end it."

11:45 A.M. | The Drop Zone

They touched down a mile outside the Hollow Core—an underground fortress buried beneath an abandoned nuclear facility. The snow-covered entrance was quiet. Too quiet.

Kael placed thermal charges around the access hatch.

"They know we're coming."

Rick smirked.

"Let 'em."

The hatch exploded inward.

12:10 P.M. | Breach

They moved in swift formation through the winding corridors. Red lights flashed with motion sensors. Turrets descended from the ceiling—but Ava was faster. Three shots, three kills.

Echo disabled an encrypted firewall with a swipe.

"This way. The lab is two floors below."

Kian paused at the top of the stairwell, hands trembling.

"Something's wrong. I feel… pulled."

Rick put a hand on his shoulder.

"Whatever's waiting, we face it together."

12:25 P.M. | The Core

They entered a vast chamber lit by cold, sterile light. In the center was a cylindrical tank—inside it floated a boy. About sixteen. Pale. Wired with thousands of nodes.

**"Subject: RY-X"—**a project name Rick had seen only once.

A voice echoed from the darkness.

"You came, Rick. I knew you would."

Dr. Ilsen Vale stepped into the light.

Kian froze.

"Father..."

Rick's blood chilled.

"Wait. That's your—?"

Kian nodded. "The man who created me. And you."

12:40 P.M. | Revelation

Dr. Vale smiled like a man who had already won.

"You're not enemies. You're extensions. Prototypes of one will—mine. RY-X is the culmination of everything you both failed to become."

He pointed to the boy in the tank.

"A weapon with no doubt. No heart. No ties to morality."

Ava stepped forward.

"You're insane."

Vale laughed.

"Perhaps. But soon, I'll be the only sane one left."

With a press of a button, the tank hissed open. The boy—RY-X—stepped out. Eyes blank. Movements eerily fluid.

"Kill them," Vale whispered.

12:45 P.M. | Final Clash Begins

RY-X moved like a ghost, faster than Kian or Rick could track.

Kael threw a smoke bomb. Ava fired shots that barely grazed him.

Kian engaged first—clashing with the boy in a ballet of impossible speed and precision. But RY-X was calculating, adapting mid-fight, mimicking every move perfectly.

Rick jumped in to assist, syncing with Kian.

For the first time in years, they fought together—brothers in rhythm, mirror and reflection.

Even Echo joined, using sonic feedback waves to disorient the AI mind within RY-X.

But still, he adapted.

And then—he hesitated.

Rick saw it. A flicker in his eyes.

A question.

"Who am I?"

1:05 P.M. | The Turn

Rick reached him—putting down his weapons.

"You're not a weapon. You're a person. They lied to you, like they lied to us."

RY-X stared. Conflicted. Shaking.

Vale screamed from the platform above:

"Don't listen to him! You are mine!"

That broke something.

RY-X turned to Vale… and unleashed everything.

The lights blew out. The air went silent.

When it was over, Vale was on the floor—unmoving.

The boy stood there, breathing heavily, eyes now fully human.

1:30 P.M. | Collapse

The Hollow Core shook.

Self-destruct countdown: 5:00… 4:59…

The team ran.

Explosions rocked behind them. Kian carried the wounded boy. Rick pulled Echo from falling debris.

They emerged to the snowy surface seconds before the entire facility erupted behind them in flame and ash.

2:15 P.M. | Safe Zone Extraction

Onboard the evacuation jet, silence again filled the cabin.

The boy—RY-X—slept beside Kian.

Rick looked around.

Everyone made it.

Ava smiled softly.

"We did it."

Kael nodded.

"This changes everything."

Rick turned to Kian.

"You good?"

Kian looked out the window.

"Not good. But… free."

Rick finally allowed himself a deep breath.

"Then we keep our promise. One day at a time."

[END OF PART ONE]

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AUTHOR: ZAGIOUS