The justice system on Aurelia Prime functioned unlike anywhere else in human space. Positioned in neutral territory, the planet’s safety and order were ensured by three distinct factions.

First was the USF—Unified Security Force—the Federation’s peacekeeping unit. Their role on Aurelia Prime was to maintain peace and order within Federation-designated districts, conduct counter-espionage operations, and, of course, protect historical landmarks.

Next was the EIR—Empire’s Iron Guard. They served as the Empire’s counterpart to the USF. While their primary mission mirrored the Federation’s—maintaining order and protecting historical buildings—their presence was largely a show of power, a reminder of the Empire’s reach.

Finally, there was the AEC—Aurelia Enforcement Corps—the planet’s own independent security force. They were responsible for tackling day-to-day crimes, ensuring that neither the USF nor the EIR overstepped their boundaries, and safeguarding historical sites.

Why did all of this matter to Kai? Because the Archive was one of those historical buildings, protected under the jurisdiction of all three factions.

And as he stood there with Isaac, his heart sinking, he was certain they’d just messed up big time.

"Who saw you?" Kai asked urgently, his voice low but tense.

"I don't know…" Isaac admitted, sounding flustered. "I… I didn’t get a good look. Big guy, scary-looking…"

"Define scary," Kai pressed, his tone sharpening.

"Scars on his face, like… a lot of scars and burn marks…" Isaac muttered as he started walking deeper into the dimly lit hallway. Kai followed closely behind.

"Sunglasses?" Kai asked, his heart quickening.

"No, no sunglasses. I couldn’t see him clearly. Just—he’s got a lot of scars."

For a moment, Kai felt a faint sense of relief. Maybe it wasn’t the man from last night. Maybe it was just another tourist or someone passing through.

Then, the overhead lights began flashing red, and his relief evaporated. Kai muttered a curse under his breath.

The sound of the door’s lock turning echoed behind them, and he whipped his head toward Isaac, who had also realized what was happening.

“Time to go,” Kai said, grabbing Isaac’s arm and pulling him into a run.

There was only one direction to go—deeper into the hallway.

Behind them, the door creaked open, followed by the unmistakable sound of boots hitting the floor.

Kai pushed himself to run faster. They rounded a corner, then another. He noticed a subtle downward slope in the floor. They were heading deeper into the Archive.

The sound of footsteps behind them began to fade as the distance grew. Up ahead, flashing lights caught Kai’s attention.

“This way!” Kai called out, sprinting toward the faint glow.

As they neared, the flashing lights became clearer, leading them into a large room.

The room was similar to the Nexus Isaac had back on Drakmoor. It was dimly lit, with servers arranged in neat rows and columns, their faint hum filling the air.

Isaac spotted the console in the center of the room first. It was a solid marble cube, its surface smooth except for a small display at the top.

"This is it," Isaac said, his voice brimming with excitement as he ran his hand over the marble surface.

Kai could hear the sound of footsteps again. Their pursuers were getting closer, and it wouldn’t be long before they were cornered.

“Give me the gun,” Kai said, leaning toward Isaac’s suitcase.

“Right, right…” Isaac said hurriedly. He stopped fiddling with the console and placed the suitcase on the marble. Pulling it open, he handed Kai a pistol and two spare magazines.

Kai took the magazines and tucked them into his belt. He checked the pistol, sliding the top back slightly to confirm there was already a round chambered. Satisfied, he released the slide and flicked off the safety.

The weapon felt small and underpowered in his hand, but it was better than nothing. He wasn’t sure if it would be enough against the security forces, but right now, it was all they had.

“Work fast, and make sure to get yourself behind cover” Kai said, and head towards the doorway. His grip tightened around the pistol as he focused on the sounds of boots closing in.

Kai took a deep breath, pulling in as much oxygen as possible. He doubted Isaac would be of any use here, which meant he had to deal with the security forces on his own.

He really didn’t want to kill anyone today—especially not guards just doing their jobs—but what choice did he have?

The footsteps grew louder. Four, no… five pairs of boots. And something else.

Mechanical movements.

Too many. This was more than he could handle alone.

He looked up. The only light source in the room came from the overhead fixtures.

Without hesitation, he raised his pistol and fired. The gun kicked in his hand as the bullets shattered the overhead lights one by one, plunging the room into near-total darkness. He ejected the magazine and loaded a fresh one.

He had no illusions about the pistol’s effectiveness against elite security forces. But against lights? It did the job just fine.

The footsteps slowed, cautious now. They hadn’t expected that.

Kai focused on the sound of their movements. His eyes locked onto the concrete wall, and slowly, faint glowing shapes began to appear behind it.

Five figures.

He moved.

The glow from the server racks followed a precise two-to-one second cycle—two seconds of light, one second of complete darkness. Unless the security team had night vision, Kai could use this to his advantage.

He traced their movements. They fanned out into different paths, searching for him.

Kai moved with them.

Some of them could see in the dark. Others couldn’t. He could tell by the way they moved—their steps deliberate or hesitant, depending on their vision.

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Kai picked the closest target. The man was almost to him.

2… 1…

The room turned dark.

Kai didn’t waste a second.

He stepped out. The guard had just turned the corner when Kai raised his pistol and fired twice.

The muzzle flashes illuminated the dim room in a burst of orange light.

Kai didn’t wait to see the result. He pivoted and sprinted away. As the room darkened again, he crossed the gap between the two server rows, moving to the other side.

When the light cycle flickered again, Kai was already aiming at his next target. He fired two rounds at the guard with night vision goggles.

Two down. Three to go.

Kai checked Isaac. He was crouched behind the marble console, using it as cover.

Kai shifted again. Two guards were pushing in parallel, moving in sync. He used the next cycle of darkness to fire a shot.

The bullet hit. The man grunted in pain—but didn’t go down.

Bulletproof vest.

Kai ducked behind cover as the injured guard cursed.

“Fucker got me! I’m gonna grenade his ass.”

“Are you crazy?” another guard shouted back. “This is the server room! We are not damaging the data.”

The first guard groaned. “I don’t have the gear for this—I’m retreating.”

The room went dark again. Kai saw his opening. He peeked around the server stack and fired at the second guard.

One clean shot to the head.

“Steve? Steve, you here?” The injured guard’s voice turned frantic. A pause. Then, a muttered curse. “Oh, screw it. I’m out of here.”

Kai listened to the sound of retreating footsteps.

Just one left.

The last figure hadn’t moved from the hallway near the entrance. He was waiting.

Kai didn’t hesitate. As the room darkened once more, he fired two quick shots.

The bullets struck their target—but instead of the soft thud of flesh, there was a sharp, metallic ping.

His stomach dropped and fired twice more.

Same result. The bullets ricocheted uselessly off solid metal.

Kai risked a glance. Then he understood why.

His enemy wasn't a man, it was an android.

Kai shoved the pistol away, knowing it was useless, and turned toward Isaac.

“You got company,” he warned, sprinting toward him.

Isaac looked up just in time to see the android shifting its focus onto him.

“Shit,” he muttered, quickly setting down his hacking device. He rummaged through his suitcase, grabbed something, and yanked it out with dramatic flair—a baton.

The tip crackled with electricity as he grinned. “Watch this!”

The android kept advancing.

Isaac thrust the baton forward with confidence, aiming for center mass.

The android didn’t even flinch. Instead, it swatted the baton out of his hand like an annoying fly.

Isaac blinked. “Oh, what..."

He turned to run, but the android was faster. It grabbed the back of his cloth, yanking him backward.

Kai launched himself forward, slamming into the android’s side with everything he had. It stumbled—just enough for Isaac to break free.

The android barely hesitated before turning its attention to Kai. Its cold, calculating optics locked onto him.Then, it attacked.

Two jabs came at him, fast and precise, aimed directly for his throat.

Kai moved instinctively. His martial arts training with Eliana kicked in—he deflected the first strike and blocked the second, but the force behind it sent a jolt of pain through his arm.

This thing hit hard.

Kai leaped back, trying to regain his footing. But the android didn’t let up.

It surged forward, launching a brutal kick that cut through the air with a sharp whoosh.

Kai had backed into the wall. He had no space to retreat. Instead of blocking, he shifted at the last second, narrowly dodging the attack.

The android’s foot slammed into the concrete wall, leaving a deep dent.

Seeing an opening, Kai lunged, attempting to grapple it before it could recover.

Big mistake.

The android barely reacted before grabbing him by the throat and lifting him off the ground.

Kai gasped, kicking out as he clawed at the machine’s fingers, but its grip was like steel. His vision blurred at the edges as pressure built around his windpipe.

Isaac was frantically searching for anything useful. He grabbed random objects from his suitcase and hurled them at the android—tools, data disks, even a rolled-up pile of socks, which Kai didn't have the time to question.

Nothing worked.

Kai’s lungs burned. His strength was fading.

Two rough hands clamped onto the sides of the android’s head, gripping it with unrelenting force.

The machine twitched, attempting to resist, but the strength behind the hands was greater.

With a sharp, brutal twist, the android’s head was wrenched at an impossible angle. Sparks erupted from its neck, its red optics flickering—then fading to nothing.

The crushing grip around Kai’s throat loosened instantly. He collapsed to the ground, gasping, as the android’s "lifeless" body crumpled beside him.

Still coughing, Kai looked up, trying to see who had just saved him.

Before he could get a clear view, a powerful slap smacked the side of his head, forcing his gaze downward.

"Run," Kai managed to rasp out before a sharp kick slammed into his ribs, sending him sprawling backward.

"Get out of here, Isaac!"

From the corner of his vision, Kai saw Isaac clutching the suitcase tightly against his chest, protecting it like a precious artifact.

"Run!" Kai shouted again, his voice raw and desperate.

Isaac finally got the message. He bolted toward the entrance, his footsteps fading into the distance.

Now, Kai could finally see his attacker clearly. Scars and burn marks covered half his face, twisted and uneven. Even without the sunglasses, Kai recognized him.

"What do you want?" Kai asked, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

The man pulled a pistol from inside his jacket, eyes cold and detached.

"I got nothing personal against you, kid," he said. "But the council made its decision. And that decision—"

He aimed for center mass.

"—was to remove you from the picture."

Bang.

The impact ripped through Kai’s torso, a burning, searing pain exploding in his chest. His breath hitched. His body went rigid. He could feel everything—the heat, the tearing sensation, the shock—but mostly, he felt pain.

His vision blurred, the world tilting as he slumped backward.

Then, he felt himself being hauled up, the weight of his own body shifting as he was thrown over the man's shoulder like dead weight.

Darkness crept into the edges of his mind as he went in and out of consciousness.

Kai didn’t know how long had passed. Every time he managed to open his eyes, he was somewhere else. His surroundings blurred in and out of focus, and before he could make sense of anything, unconsciousness pulled him under again.

Finally, after what felt like countless cycles of waking and fading, he realized he was no longer slung over the man’s shoulder.

He was lying on something lumpy and uneven—plastic bags, lots of them. They were filled with who-knows-what, but the overwhelming stench told him all he needed to know. It smelled bad. Really bad.

Kai could barely open his eyes, but at the edge of his vision, he saw the man standing on a platform.

The platform started to ascend.

Or was he going down?

Kai couldn’t tell. His thoughts were sluggish, his body barely responding.

A trash chute.

He was being dumped.

His mind drifted. He thought about Eliana, about how she would be waiting for him on the Black Swan. He felt sorry—sorry that he wouldn’t be coming back.

Then, the darkness took him once again.