{

The coworker continues, turning to face the city. She’s been spending all her time in that vault lately. The rumors are... troubling. They say she’s working on something that could redefine human existence. Arya told me she thinks it's tied to the new mind upload system. But no one really knows. Not even the higher-ups.

I respond in a voice that sounds strange to me, deeper, authoritative, and commanding. If it’s as dangerous as it sounds, we need to keep an eye on her internally. She's not untouchable, not in this city anyway.

The coworker nods, but there’s tension in his posture. He shifts his weight, glancing around nervously as if expecting someone to be watching. She’s been different ever since she took over Neurogenesis. More ruthless, less human. You remember the containment breach, right? That was no accident, I just don't believe it. She let it happen.

I try to ask what he means, but the body I’m in already knows, and the words don't leave my mouth. A flash of images floods my mind: containment chambers filled with people, their faces twisted in agony. A door slamming shut, alarms blaring, and Jatari watching from an observation window with a look of cold indifference.

The coworker leans in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. I overheard her talking to some of the board members. She mentioned something called The Merge. It’s tied to the vault, I’m sure of it. I tried accessing the files, but they’re locked down tighter than anything I’ve ever seen. Whatever she’s doing, it’s got the highest security clearance.

As I try to press for more information, there’s a strange vibration in the air, like the low hum of an engine revving up. The coworker’s AR lenses flicker, and his face contorts in confusion. He reaches up to touch them, but before he can react, his entire body seizes up. His eyes roll back, and he collapses to the ground, convulsing violently.

My heart races. I drop to one knee, trying to help, but there's nothing to hold onto. His body spasms uncontrollably, and his breathing is ragged. A thin trail of blood trickles from his nose. I grab his shoulders, shouting his name, but it’s lost in the noise.

Then, just as suddenly, he goes still. Smoke begins to rise from the circuitry implanted in his neck. I can smell burning flesh, a sickening, acrid stench that stings my nostrils.

Damn it! I hear myself say, panic rising in my chest. I look around, desperate to find the source of this sudden attack. Who did this?

But before I can think further, a piercing pain shoots through my own skull, a white-hot bolt of agony that sears through my brain like a branding iron. My vision blurs, and the neon cityscape around me begins to dissolve into static.

I clutch my head, feeling a cold sweat break out on my brow. My mind feels like it’s tearing apart at the seams. The pain is unbearable, and then, just as abruptly—it stops. Everything goes dark.

A deep, mechanical voice booms in the void. Memory sequence terminated. Unauthorized recording detected. Report to your supervisor immediately. It repeats, over and over, like a broken recording.

 MEMORY DATA DOWNLOADING 

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}