Chapter 2: An Unlikely Alliance
Evan Cole walked through the winding alleys of New Dawn, the lights overhead casting a sterile glow on the steel-gray streets. He moved with purpose, his mind already absorbing every detail about his next target: Skylar Quinn. She was an enigma, even in a city full of hidden identities. The tablet’s sparse details on her only fueled his curiosity. Why had she made it onto Mr. G’s list? And why was her memory coding record corrupted?
The streets of Sector 9 were silent tonight, the usual stream of citizens diverted by some unseen hand—a reminder of the way New Dawn operated, constantly shaping the environment to its own liking. It was late, but Evan knew she’d be here; the data trail Mr. G had provided pointed to this abandoned sector as her regular haunt. Why anyone would spend their time in these empty streets was a mystery, but then, so was Skylar Quinn.
He spotted her leaning against a shadowed doorway. Dressed in a sleek, black jacket with her hair swept back into a ponytail, she appeared at ease—too comfortable for someone aware that they were being hunted. But as he approached, her eyes flicked to him, sharp and calculating, as if she'd sensed him coming from a mile away.
“Evan Cole,” she greeted him, her voice low and steady. There was no hint of fear, just a calmness that put him on edge.
“Skylar Quinn,” he replied, stopping a few steps away. The distance between them was carefully measured, a silent acknowledgment that neither trusted the other. “You know who I am.”
She gave him a half-smile, the kind that said she knew far more than she was letting on. “You’re an investigator for hire, but that’s just the official version. Everyone knows you’re really the city’s fixer, the man they call when they need to tidy up a situation.”
He didn’t respond, holding her gaze instead. Her composure was impressive, unusual for someone marked as a potential threat to the system. Most would have tried to flee or fight back by now. But Skylar just watched him, unblinking, as though waiting for him to make the first move.
“You’re awfully calm for someone with a target on her back,” he remarked, his voice neutral.
Skylar shrugged. “You’re not the first person they’ve sent after me. They’ll keep sending people as long as I keep asking the wrong questions.”
“What questions?” Evan asked, though he could guess. The wrong questions were always the dangerous ones in New Dawn, the kind that scratched beneath the polished surface.
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She leaned back against the wall, crossing her arms. “Why the memory coding affects some of us more than others. Why a handful of people seem immune to it. Why some of us remember things that aren’t supposed to exist.” Her gaze turned steely. “Why people like me don’t fit in the system’s neat little boxes.”
He raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself. It was rare to encounter someone so aware of the cracks in New Dawn's perfect facade. Even more so to find someone willing to dig into them, knowing the risk.
“Those questions have consequences,” he said carefully. “You understand that, don’t you?”
Her smile turned bitter. “More than you know. But the truth has consequences too, Evan.” She took a step closer, her tone shifting, becoming almost conspiratorial. “Aren’t you tired of pretending not to see it?”
Evan’s instincts screamed to step back, to keep his guard up. But her words hit a nerve, one he’d been ignoring for years. His job was to keep people in line, to root out and neutralize any threat to the city’s order. But deep down, he’d always known that something about New Dawn was wrong.
“Let’s say I’m willing to listen,” he replied, his voice even. “What exactly do you think you’ve uncovered?”
Skylar hesitated, glancing around as if the empty streets might suddenly sprout ears. When she spoke again, her voice was barely above a whisper. “The city we live in, the memories we think are ours—it’s all a lie. They aren’t just altering memories, Evan. They’re rewriting who we are.”
He felt a chill run down his spine, her words resonating with suspicions he’d long buried. But he forced himself to keep a neutral expression. “Those are bold claims.”
“Bold but true,” she countered, her eyes flashing with defiance. “You’re already halfway to believing me. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here. But if you really want answers, you’ll have to go deeper than you ever have before. And that won’t be easy.”
Her challenge hung in the air between them. It was one thing to question, another to step over the line. But the pull of her words was undeniable, tugging at his curiosity, his doubt. He didn’t know where her information came from, or if he could trust her. But there was a spark in her, a certainty that felt like something he’d been missing.
“You’re asking me to betray my employer,” he said, testing her.
She gave a soft, humorless laugh. “Your employer, if you can even call them that, is lying to you. They’re lying to everyone. And deep down, you know it.” Her gaze softened slightly, as if she saw through his mask. “Join me, Evan. You might not trust me yet, but I know you want answers as much as I do.”
The air between them felt charged, electric. Every instinct he had told him to walk away, to fulfill his assignment and forget this conversation ever happened. But the pull was stronger than he could resist. Against his better judgment, he found himself nodding, a silent acceptance.
“All right, Skylar,” he said finally, feeling the weight of his decision settle over him. “I’m in. But if we’re going to work together, we do this my way. No surprises.”
She smirked, an amused glint in her eyes. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
For the first time, he allowed himself to relax, just slightly. He had no idea what he’d just signed up for, but something told him it was going to be worth the risk.