Chapter 10: Neural Awakening
Deep beneath the ruins of Old London, the third construct of Dr. Z stirred to life.
As Anderson and Mirror stood in silence, the ancient vault responded to their shared resonance. Lines of light spread across the chamber floor, forming a vast neural lattice, pulsing like synapses. A cryogenic core rose from the center—within it, a sphere of crystalline data spun slowly, coded memories frozen in light.
Ferryman's voice crackled in Anderson's earpiece. "We're reading a signal spike. That's not just memory—it's consciousness."
Elira joined them moments later, breathless, eyes wide. "He encoded a version of his mind. This is what he meant by the 'Echo Protocol.' Dr. Z didn't leave behind notes. He left himself."
Anderson approached the core. As he reached out, Mirror followed, instinctively syncing her hand beside his. The core recognized the hybrid bond—genetic origin and engineered evolution.
Suddenly, the chamber darkened.
A voice boomed across the chamber.
"Anderson. Mirror. You have arrived as I hoped. The world above has changed. The world below must now awaken."
It was Dr. Z's voice, but it echoed with mechanical precision, spliced with artificial intelligence.
"You are not heirs. You are catalysts. This formula was never meant to grant power. It was a test. To see who could carry memory without corruption. You, Anderson, carry the original strain. You, Mirror, the refined extension. Together, you are the bridge."
Anderson's pulse quickened. "A bridge to what?"
The vault began to unfold—metal arms stretching outward, revealing suspended data matrices.
"To the final phase. To the place I went—beyond."
Elira turned sharply. "No. He's not just alive. He transcended. He uploaded himself into a quantum echo chamber... off-planet."
Ferryman confirmed. "We just got a ping—from Luna Station Theta. It's broadcasting Dr. Z's ID signature. He's alive, or… whatever he's become."
Mirror looked at Anderson. "They'll never let us leave Earth."
Anderson stared at the glowing chamber, his mind racing.
"Then we go where they can't follow."
Above ground, satellites began to move.
The agencies had heard the signal too.
The next part of the journey would not be a chase. It would be a war for the future of human evolution.
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