State Poland, Free Rzeszów, TACTA
Ghost of the Future Team, August 16, 2049, 11:03 AM
A few minutes later, Nika stormed into the hostel, sprinted up the short staircase, and flew down the corridor, skidding to a stop just before Maksim’s door.
// SYSTEM
//WARNING! Diagnostic and critical damage control module activated.
// Severe malfunction detected in the left leg connector!
// Cyberleg overdrive disabled. Movement speed reduced by 30%. Avoid physical strain and seek immediate assistance at the nearest cyberclinic.
“Kurwa! Idiot! Why the hell did I run like that? Damn this berserker rage and all these emotions! I’m losing it… I’m losing control!”
Maksim stared, stunned, as Nikola barged into his room — a disheveled mess, her tangled, fiery mane framing a face smudged with dirt and scratches, her clothes dusty and rumpled. Panic blazed in her wide open green eyes, her expression a mix of fear and confusion.
“What happened?”
She slammed the door shut and leaned against it, her chest heaving with labored breaths.
“Max... I... I don’t know what to do. I don’t fucking know, kurwa! I... I’m a threat. To everyone. To you. It’s the Berserker — it’s all because of it!”
He frowned, rising from the bed where her dramatic entrance had found him. Taking a few steps forward, he stopped as she thrust out her hand, stopping him with a frantic gesture.
“I’m scared, Max! I haven’t felt this kind of fear in years. Damn it! I can’t — I can’t lose control again. Not of myself, not of my life! Not again! That helplessness, that goddamn helplessness… it’s all coming back! I thought I was stronger. I was supposed to be stronger!”
Her new cybernetic hands covered her face, the hyper-sensitive fingertips feeling the hot tears streaming between them. Her Cyber-Core suddenly muted external sounds, leaving her alone with the deafening thrum of her racing heart. In this silence, she heard Maksim’s soft steps approaching.
She tried to wave him off, but whether it was her subconscious or the freshly damaged electronics, her movement was weak, almost childlike. Then she felt it — a firm, steady embrace wrapping around her.
And she broke.
The tears came in an unstoppable flood as she buried her face in his shoulder, wailing uncontrollably. It was probably the first time in Nikola’s life that she had ever cried like this.
Not before fleeing her parents, that terrible “home.” Not afterward, when survival meant scraping by, clawing through life with relentless determination. Crying had never been an option. Showing weakness wasn’t allowed. Stumbling wasn’t allowed. Fear wasn’t allowed.
And never — not once, no matter how many partners she’d had over the years — had she let anyone catch even a glimpse of her tears. Her pain, her terror, had always been locked away, guarded, and impenetrable.
How long they stood there, no one could say. Eventually, her sobs quieted, fading into soft sniffles, until finally, they quieted altogether.
And then the kiss happened.
It started hesitant, slightly awkward, a tentative crossing of boundaries. But soon it deepened — fiery and desperate, like a parched traveler gulping water in a desert. Her cybernetic fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer. A gasp escaped her lips as a tidal wave of sensations crashed over her.
Her vision dimmed, stray thoughts evaporating, her recent fears dissolving into nothingness. Tanya Takahashi — who? Berserker mode — so what? The world spun and melted away, leaving only this kiss: raw, consuming, and seemingly endless.
Nika forgot everything — her fears, her turmoil — losing herself in the flood of sensations. It was hard to say what had a stronger hold on her — the restored sensitivity in her hands or the emotional storm that had just swept through her.
Suddenly, reality snapped back with a sharp thud! followed by a muffled, “Ughh!”
Her eyes flew open, and she gasped in shock.
Now it was Maksim pinned against the wall, not her. Just centimeters from his head, her fist had struck the plaster, leaving thin cracks spidering out from the point of impact. Somewhere in her passionate haze, she had seized control... a little too forcefully. Poor wall...
Her subconscious, perhaps wiser than her conscious mind, seemed to have decided that wrapping her arms around her partner in such a volatile state wasn’t the best idea. The surge of emotions had found another outlet — her fist.
Maksim was rubbing the back of his head, wincing slightly where it had clearly hit the wall during her enthusiastic outburst. She hadn’t even realized it had happened, but judging by his expression, it was a solid blow.
And yet, he smiled.
“Well? Feeling better now?”
Nikola took a step back, swallowing nervously.
“Are you not afraid of me?”
He sat down on the bed, patting the blanket beside him in a silent invitation for her to sit.
“Well... afraid? Not really. But I guess I should level up my, uh, super-abilities a bit more. It’s not exactly cool right now, you know? My girlfriend’s afraid she might accidentally knock me out. That’s no good. Guess I’ll have to get stronger.”
He flashed her a wide grin, gently pulling her closer and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
Muffled noises and voices came from behind the door. Her Cyber-Core, ever proactive, dampened most of the sound — its newfound initiative was oddly curious, perhaps another quirk of the System. Still, snippets of the conversation reached her ears:
“Something might’ve happened in there. Maybe they need our help,” Dasha’s worried whisper floated through.
“It’s fine,” Alisa’s calm voice reassured her. “My drone’s inside. Maksim is just helping Nika with her rehabilitation. Cyborgs have their own... nuances, especially after significant upgrades. Everything’s fine. Let’s go to my room.”
Nikola’s eyes widened as she followed Maksim’s gaze — straight to the drone. It hovered directly in front of them, cameras fixed squarely on their faces. About the size of a crow, it must have slipped in through the open window while they were, well... ‘conducting rehab.’
“What’s with the hobby?” Maksim asked, arching an eyebrow as he stared straight into the camera. “Cut it out with the spying already. We’re fine, okay? We’ll update the conference when we’re ready.”
The drone tilted slightly, almost as if nodding in understanding, then zipped out the window. Max turned back to Nikola, studying her expression. Gently, he smoothed her disheveled hair and asked softly, “So, you’re gonna tell me what happened now?”
“Ugh…” Nikola waved a hand vaguely, letting out a long sigh. She gently checked his head for a bruise, then leaned back against his shoulder with a heavy sigh. “Decided to test whether Takahashi truly deserves his spot as deputy commander of the Wild Cats guild.”
“And...?” Max glanced at her, clearly intrigued.
“Gotta admit… she did. Damn it, she absolutely did.”
He hugged her briefly, planting a soft kiss on her cheek before standing up and heading for the door.
“I’ll grab the med kit. Be right back, and then you’re telling me everything. Deal?”
“Deal,” she muttered, then hesitated. “Just... could you not call Alisa or Dasha yet? Please? Max, I’m seriously embarrassed. And the Berserker... I lost control. Completely.”
Max paused mid-step, then turned back. His hand brushed gently against her unbruised cheek, the touch soft and grounding.
“It’s okay, Sunshine. You’re okay. Let me patch you up first, and we’ll figure it out together. I won’t call the girls. Promise.”
A few minutes later, as Maksim carefully pressed the last strip of regenerative adhesive into place, he prompted gently, “So, are you ready to tell me the whole story?”
Nikola drained the last of the water he’d brought with the med kit and let out a long sigh.
“Takahashi tried to recruit me again. And... she also managed to prove that I have some serious screws loose. And here’s one more thing — I don’t have a recording of the conversation. No logs, no medical data from the moment it happened. Nothing. I’m sorry. I’m an idiot.”
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“It’s fine,” Maksim said firmly. “Mistakes happen to everyone. Just tell me what she said, okay?”
Redhead stood, walked over to the window, and stared outside, folding her arms behind her back.
“She knows so much about my Berserker. Claims it’s because she’s been through the same thing. Says, without their guild’s help, I’ll never be able to control myself.”
Maksim also stood, walked over, and gently embraced her shoulders.
“I doubt they’re spying on us. She already knew everything the moment she arrived at the Helios complex. Maybe the Colonel gave her access to the footage from the warehouse — the one showing your Berserker awakening. I’ll bring it up when we meet him. We have a meeting with him soon, so I’ll find out.”
“Takahashi said she knows everything about Berserkers. That it’s dangerous,” Nika repeated, exhaling deeply. “That she’s been through it herself… And you know what? I believe her now. It feels true.”
She hesitated, the words catching in her throat, then finally lowered her gaze and confessed, “I lost control, Max. She provoked me, and I... I lashed out at her.”
“You attacked her?” His eyes widened. “Are you okay?”
“No. She stopped me like it was nothing, even though I went all out — full acceleration, using ‘Spark of Mechanic.’ But she’s clearly got enough passive Berserker abilities to react to my strikes and match my speed without breaking a sweat. Max, she’s so much stronger than me. And I didn’t even record the conversation or the fight, didn’t share anything with you. I’m sorry.”
He didn’t respond with words. Instead, he gently stroked her hair and back. Sometimes words aren’t necessary; comfort could be offered in silence.
“She said time isn’t on my side,” Nikola continued, her voice trembling. “That if I don’t learn to control my Berserker, I’ll become a danger to you all. That I’ll lose control again — maybe worse. And then things will go terribly wrong.”
Maksim gently turned Redhead away from the window to face him, his gaze locking onto hers.
“Do you feel like you’re losing control?”
She nodded sadly.
“Yes. The rage… the anger… it’s like a madness. It rises from nowhere, takes over completely. It feels like I’ve been bottling it up my whole life, storing it for years… And now it’s bursting out. What if the System only revealed what I’ve always been — a monster? Max, I’m terrified. I don’t want to hurt you. Last night, I dreamed… It was a nightmare where I ripped out Dasha’s spine. Can you imagine?”
The guy pulled her close again, cradling her fiery head against his chest. For a moment, they just sat like that, enveloped in quiet solace.
“I have nightmares too,” Maksim finally said, voice low. “Keep dreaming about turning into a Shaiszu. But I haven’t bitten anyone yet. Though I’ll admit, I’ve been tempted to gnaw on Alisa for her stunts lately. We’ll get through this, Sunshine. I promise. Let’s think this through together, alright?”
He let her go, and they both returned to their chairs. Then, he queued up footage from a recent event. A holographic screen appeared, displaying Tanya “Thunder” Takahashi in her full combat frame, heavily armed. Her helmet was on, but the visor was raised. The scene was at night, the same warehouse. The perspective seemed to be from Maksim’s own eyes.
Takahashi’s voice rang out, deep and resonant, almost vibrating through the hologram.
“REMEMBER THIS! It’s absolutely vital for you to install TACTA implants as soon as possible. There’s a special section for Berserkers, and you’ll need those specifically. Don’t let the price deter you. Yes, it’s expensive, but that’s the only way for you to handle your power and avoid fatal overloads. Most importantly, without them, you can’t control the Rage. The Berserker path… it’s yours now, forever.”
“Hmph...” Nikola muttered, running both hands through her already messy hair. “I got the implants now. We thought the key was the new neural link — a special one for Berserkers.”
Maksim leaned back, scrolling through the TACTA catalog on the AR screen.
“Sure, there are pricier options here than what we installed. And we didn’t even explore upgrades. But I don’t think it’s just about the equipment. Otherwise, why would she say you can’t manage this alone? There’s something else — something beyond the hardware. It’s not just about installing it; it’s about learning to wield it.”
He turned sharply to Nikola.
“Do you think it’s time to call the others in? They could really help us figure this out. After all, four heads are better than two. Are you ready to tell them everything?”
“Max, but... the meeting with the Colonel? Aren’t we already late?” Nika protested, panic flashing in her eyes. She didn’t even check the timestamp in her interface — possibly a nervous excuse to avoid more vulnerability.
“I reached out to him while I was fetching the first aid kit,” Maksim said with a reassuring smile. “You don’t seriously think meeting the city leader is more important than helping you, right? I rescheduled the meeting to this evening at 7:15 PM. We’ll have plenty of time.”
Nikola closed her eyes and leaned against the edge of the desk.
“...Alright. Three days ago, Marcek died. You know, I used to think he’d always be my one true friend, my rock. But now... I understand what it’s like to have real friends. Friends I can completely open up to. It’s crazy, kurwa. Alright, call the girls. I’m ready.”
----------------------------------------
A few minutes later, Alisa and Dasha were in the room, fully briefed on the situation and the mystery they now needed to unravel.
“It’s not surprising that the techniques for controlling and developing Berserker abilities are classified,” Alisa said thoughtfully. “It’s highly advantageous to have your own battalion of Berserkers. And the best way to recruit them is not just with money, but by solving their most critical problem — the one they all inevitably face. Like Takahashi just tried to do.”
Dasha flopped onto the bed, pulling out her vape and puffing on it furiously. She was so frustrated she didn’t even stop to ask Maksim’s opinion.
“Those… Wild Cats! How dare they, to our Nika! I’ll… I’ll hack them! Yeah! I’ll break into their system and steal all their dirty little secrets! Serves them right for picking on our Redhead!”
Nikola was caught off guard, staring at the indignant girl with a mixture of surprise and warmth. Seeing someone so effortlessly accept her flaws, care so deeply, get angry on her behalf, and genuinely want to help — even retaliate — was unexpectedly heartwarming.
“Hacking the Wild Cats sounds like a decent idea,” Alisa remarked calmly, “but it’s not exactly safe. Their guild is huge, and I wouldn’t be surprised if, among their elite members, they’ve got more than just Berserkers — maybe anti-hacking specialists with super-based powers or something similar. We know too little about these kinds of abilities right now… Rushing in blindly would be dangerous.”
She grinned, watching the “sniper-programmer” sulk at this assessment, then continued.
“So, revenge will have to wait. I’ll try to gather some intel on Berserkers through certain channels… you know what I mean. No promises, but there’s a good chance I’ll find something. Meanwhile, we should try to figure things out on our own. We’ve dealt with System abilities before. Do they have anything in common?”
Maksim scratched his head, wincing as his fingers brushed the bruise on the back of it. “WonderKid once said she thinks these abilities don’t come out of nowhere — they’ve always been part of us, just revealed in a new way. Maybe the key to overcoming the flaws of superpowers lies there too? Nika, I know it’s hard, but think — what’s most important to you? And what’s your biggest fear?”
Redhead sighed and looked at him sadly. “You saw and heard me earlier, Max. My biggest fear is losing control. Losing the ability to feel, to manage myself. And as for what’s most important to me...”
She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, staring at the ceiling.
“Again, it’s feeling. Living, if you will. You can’t imagine how horrifying it is to be confined to a wheelchair for years. To rot alive, literally… Slowly losing sensation in your hands and feet. Forgetting what simple human joys felt like. Even the taste of food — or life itself — faded for me back then.”
“Oh no, Sunshine!” Maksim chuckled, staring deeply into her eyes as though willing her to believe him. “If you’d lost your zest for life back then, you wouldn’t be here with us now. In fact, you wouldn’t be here at all. That drive to be alive, to feel those joys again — it’s what saved you. Food, drink, rest, massages, sex — hell, all of it!”
At his words, Dasha blushed bright red and began coughing uncontrollably, while Alisa shot them an unusually pensive look.
“Well, Maxie has a point,” Daria murmured softly a minute later, still regaining her composure. “For me, what helped my ability most was… fully immersing myself in the place I wanted to be, yeah. I believed it was all real, that it truly mattered. And maybe… maybe you need to do the same. I think…”
Her voice trailed off into an embarrassed mumble, but everyone in the room heard her, and each fell into their own thoughts.
It was Nika who finally broke the silence with a cheerful quip. “So, Dr. Vasilevskaya’s prescription is to eat and drink whatever I like, indulge in all the joys of life, and never hold back? I’ve got to say, that’s a treatment plan I can get behind!”
“And also... you have to do the things you’ve always denied yourself, no matter how daunting they seem!” Dasha suddenly squeaked, her voice trembling with newfound courage. “Like me… I used to be terrified of diving too deep into DVR. Afraid of temporarily stopping my heart — of abandoning my human nature. Of stepping beyond the protocols. Dissolving into pure code. Becoming… digital. I wanted it so badly, and yet it scared me to the core. But I took the plunge. I did it. There were only three people on Earth who had ever gone that far. I became the fourth. And I’m certain that’s why I gained my super-ability, Digital Insight.”
Maksim and his sister froze, their stunned expressions speaking louder than words. Vasilevskaya’s confession wasn’t just a revelation — it was earth-shattering. Stories of such feats were the stuff of legend, whispered in hushed tones across the net. To hear it directly, from someone standing right before them, felt surreal.
Alisa finally understood why Oracle had been so intensely interested in Dasha and monitored her every move before the invasion.
And Max, meanwhile, realized just how little he truly knew about the women around him. Clearly, it was time to start paying closer attention — and to broaden his perspective.
“Alright then,” Alisa broke the awkward silence. “Here’s the plan: I’ll look into Berserker development through the Club, and our Redhead will indulge in life’s pleasures. But we also need to learn from today’s events. Berserkers live fully and fight recklessly. That means we need top-notch medical care and rehab tech — especially for Berserkers.”
Let’s do that,” Maksim said decisively. “Nika and I have already started checking — the equipment we need is there. But I’ve got another important idea.”
He turned to Dasha, who was perched on the edge of the bed, and fixed her with an intent look.
“WonderKid, explore something interesting, please,” he continued. “Can we connect the System to this setup? Think about it: we’re all looking for a way out of this deadlock, but we already have an incredible tool — the System. It literally knows everything about the human body, tracking the function of every single cell. So… what if we created a sort of ‘Red Button’? Something we could use in critical situations, a failsafe for when things get truly dire?”
Maksim sprang to his feet and started pacing the room, much like Nika had done earlier.
“Of course, a Berserker can’t fight without rage. It’s vital for survival in combat,” he said, his voice brimming with excitement. “But take what happened with Tanya, back earlier… There wasn’t even a Shaiszu attack! What if we implemented alert levels with specific auto-trigger criteria for similar situations? For instance, at the first level, the System could moderate adrenaline and other hormones to calm you down and keep your mind in control.”
Nika shot to her feet, clearly ready to argue, but he silenced her with a firm gesture.
“I get it — it’s just a stopgap, a crutch. Berserkers need their rage to grow stronger, and they need to master it. But think of this as emergency first aid — something to stop you from worrying about running to the bar next door for a beer. Real control is a longer journey. Alisa’s got her angle covered, and I’ve got my own ideas — meditation, martial arts. I’ve studied more than just Tai Chi, you know. We’ll go over it all tonight.”
Daria didn’t even answer. Her vacant stare said it all — she had already plunged headlong into Deep VR, the idea of refining the System striking her like a lightning bolt.
“And one last thing,” Alisa said, her gaze sharp as she looked between Nika and Maksim. “What Dasha just told us — you can’t breathe a word of it to anyone. Not ever. It’s too important. I need to confirm a few things before sharing more. And I’ll talk to that little genius of ours once she’s back above surface. Judging by the logs, Nika, your ‘Red Button’ is already in development.”