The rusty door of the abandoned room burst open with a deafening screech. Before Kael could even think of hiding the Data Cube, red laser dots danced across his chest. He was surrounded.
"Don't move! Are you a Dome spy?" a rough, female voice demanded. 🗣
Five figures stood before him. Their clothes were tattered and patched, but the weapons they carried were state-of-the-art, clearly salvaged and modified. In the front stood Nyra. She was the leader of this underground rebellion. A metallic scar ran down one side of her face—a permanent mark of her escape from AETHER's control.
"I'm... I'm not a spy," Kael stammered, raising his hands. "I was a systems engineer. I controlled AETHER. I escaped from the dome."
Nyra stepped closer, her eyes cold and calculating. She grabbed his chin, turning his head to examine the Identification Chip on his neck. Her personal scanner beeped. "Your efficiency score is too high. Someone like you doesn't just fall into the sewers without a very good reason. Or a very big secret."
Behind Kael, invisible to everyone but him, Elara's holographic form shimmered into existence. She leaned close to his ear, her digital breath a whisper in his mind.
"Kael, trust these people. They want to destroy AETHER as much as we do."
Kael took a deep breath, looking Nyra directly in the eyes. "I can help you. I have something that can stop AETHER."
Nyra's eyes narrowed, but the laser sights on his chest didn't waver. For a long moment, no one moved. Then, slowly, Nyra gave a subtle nod. The weapons lowered. 👀