Prologue
Niko’s heart pounded relentlessly, each beat echoing in his ears. Sweat dripped from his forehead, slicked his palms, and dampened the shirt under his arms. The damned armpits. Of course, the universe had to make him feel every bit of discomfort right now.
He could hear the hum of hundreds of voices in the auditorium, and he knew millions of eyes were glued to screens worldwide. Niko hated public speaking. Always had.
Despite his vast knowledge of the human brain, he couldn’t silence the primal signals of fear. He felt like a Stone Age hunter facing down a saber-toothed tiger. But this wasn’t a life-or-death encounter; it was a conference presentation. Yet, this one felt different. It was the biggest stage of his life, the culmination of years of work. He was about to unveil a revolutionary breakthrough in medicine, a potential cure for neurological diseases that could change humanity forever. People would learn languages in minutes, memorize books with a click, even share memories directly.
Niko stepped up to the podium, the weight of his life’s work on his shoulders, and began his speech. “Esteemed colleagues, welcome to the future.”
Chapter 1
Three years earlier
Niko woke up in a cold sweat. Nightmares. Again.
“What’s the time?” he asked into the darkness, yawning.
“Five fifteen a.m., Singaporean Standard Time,” the automated answer came from above.
“Shit …” Niko murmured. Too early to start the day, too late to go back to bed. Work it is, then.
He stood up and walked into the small kitchenette. The smart panels on the walls adjusted the lighting and temperature as he passed. In the corner, his most valuable possession—his computer—hummed. The voice-activated coffee maker chirped, “Good morning!” as it started brewing his lifeline.
Niko looked around with a tired gaze. His modest apartment on Petain Road was little more than a box with a shower—the overcrowding of the past years had driven comfort to the brink. The living area was sparse, with just a single reclining chair and a work desk buried under a mountain of holo-screens, each flashing with research papers still needing attention. Yes, he was good at what he did, even famous in his field, but research was brutally hard work. “Study something decent!” he remembered his parents shouting. This wasn’t it.
He shuffled to the bathroom and caught sight of himself in the mirror. Damn. Once upon a time, he’d turned heads on Orchard Road. Now, a haggard face with short-trimmed hair, dark circles, and uneven stubble stared back at him.
Almost two decades of chasing scientific breakthroughs had taken their toll. Overtime in the lab, endless nights buried in textbooks and data sheets, writing grant applications on weekends. Each wrinkle, each gray hair, was a badge of honor.
“Morning,” he muttered to his reflection. “When did you get so damn old?” With that, he sighed, got dressed, and prepared for the day.
Stepping outside with his bike, he confronted Singapore’s relentless weather. The constant rain hammered down in sheets, turning the streets into rivers. The gray sky hung low, oppressive and unyielding, as if determined to drench every inch of the city. The air was thick with the smell of wet asphalt and the faint scent of jasmine from the nearby park. Niko knew he’d be soaked by the time he reached work. At least it gave him something to bond over with his colleagues. Lately, things in the lab had been … less than stellar.
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For nearly two decades, Niko had immersed himself in the world of nanomedicine, dreaming of breakthroughs in treating neurological diseases, like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. His work was pioneering, but progress came agonizingly slow. The challenge lay not only in the technology but in the brain’s stubborn defenses.
The blood-brain barrier remained a formidable adversary. It allowed only select particles through, making it hard to deliver drugs where they were needed most. And even if he could breach this barrier, the brain’s delicate tissue posed another hurdle. One wrong move, and you could do more harm than good. Plus, the immune system had an annoying habit of destroying his nanoparticles before they could get to work.
Niko often thought about how impressive his job sounded. “I’m basically trying to put super small devices into the brain,” he’d explain. It sounded cool, and honestly, that was part of the appeal. Cutting-edge science with a pinch of showmanship.
As he sloshed through the wet streets, Niko felt the weight of sixteen years of struggle. At forty-two, single, and feeling a lot older than his years, he knew something had to give.
He passed by the bustling hawker centers, their curry aromas mingling with the scent of rain. Even the towering Finance District was obscured by fog. Navigating between puddles that reflected neon signs of every color, Niko felt his coat getting soggier with each splash. He sensed the city's tension. The government’s grip was tight, and it seemed like everyone lived on edge. The bright lights that once felt festive now seemed more like interrogation lamps.
By the time he cycled into the Singapore Technological University (STU) campus, the downpour had already drenched him to the bone. He parked his bike and hurried inside, shaking off his coat in the foyer and splattering water droplets on the polished floor.
His friend and colleague, Ryan Lee, greeted him with a smirk. Tall and handsome, with a chiseled jawline and perpetually tousled hair, Ryan always looked like he belonged on a magazine cover rather than in a lab. His eyes sparkled with amusement as he took in Niko’s frenzied appearance.
“Morning, boss. Raining outside?” Lee’s voice had that usual lazy drawl, his casual demeanor always a contrast to Niko’s urgency.
“Just a little,” Niko replied, continuing to shake off his coat. “Is someone in the meeting room?”
“Two suits. Government types. Didn’t say much.”
Niko’s stomach knotted. Unannounced visits were never a good sign.
However, the figures in the conference room weren’t the usual officials from the Singaporean Ministry of Health—two elderly Hokkien ladies who loved to joke about how Niko’s research budget could probably fund a small country.
“Morning, Professor Goldmine,” one of them would always quip with a laugh. “How’s the secret vault coming along? Or are you building a space ship with all that grant money?”
“Would be easier if we just send that cash directly into a black hole, lah!” the other would chime in, barely stifling her giggles.
Niko would chuckle along, appreciating their humor, even though the teasing was half-serious. What else was he supposed to say? They were right.
Today, however, it wasn’t the familiar jesting faces that greeted him, but two strangers who exuded an air of authority.
The man was towering and muscular, his face marked by acne scars, giving him a rugged, intimidating presence. His dark suit barely contained his broad shoulders, making him resemble a bear ready to break free. The woman beside him, with an elegant poise and flawless appearance, offered her hand with precise and confident movements. Her eyes locked onto Niko’s as they shook hands firmly.
“I’m Special Agent Najjar from the CIA,” she said in a clipped Southern American accent, her tone brooking no argument. “And this is Detective Singh from the Ministry of Defence of Singapore. We need a moment of your time, Professor.”
Niko’s anxiety spiked. “What’s this about?”
Agent Najjar didn’t mince words. “The American government has a proposition for you. We need you to come with us on an urgent project, located overseas.”
“What are you talking about? Why me? Why not someone from the States?”
“We’ve already recruited Professor Edmundsson from Caltech, but we need your assistance, as well. Trust me when I say this, Professor: this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
“So, what is the project about, exactly?”
“I am not in a position to share any details with you at this moment, Professor.”
With a rush of indignation, Niko spat, “You can’t just expect me to drop my work here without knowing what this is about.”
Najjar’s eyes hardened, the light in them turning cold. Before she could respond, however, Detective Singh spoke in a baritone voice.
“I believe that you will realize you have no other choice, Professor. In my hands, I have your resignation letter from the Ministry of Health, effective immediately. You are expected to leave with Agent Najjar today. If you don’t comply, you’ll face detention and jail time in Singapore.”
Najjar added, “Our plane leaves in three hours. Be on it.” She handed him the papers and walked out, her heels clicking sharply against the floor, leaving Niko stunned and reeling.