Chapter 15: Threads of Control
Sector 18’s reconstruction schedule was running smoother, but Jaden felt the pressure creeping in from all directions. The food depot fire had left a visible scar — and a ripple of doubt among the residents. He knew it was only a matter of time before sabotage became infiltration.
So, when the system sent a subtle alert that morning, he was already preparing.
System Alert: Potential Threat Vector Detected Area: Labor Pool Registration Logs
Anomaly: Duplicate Identity Tag - Unverified Worker (ID: Ares Kelt)
Jaden’s eyes narrowed. He tapped into the internal logs and cross-referenced the biometric scans. The ID had passed standard checks — but not the system’s enhanced trace protocol.
"Lyra," he called.
The humanoid project, officially named Lyra, still stood incomplete, her assembly progress at 59%. After inserting the Core Chip Matrix, Jaden had managed to barter for a damaged neural wire the previous evening, upgrading the unit slightly. She now blinked occasionally and responded to key voice commands, though she couldn’t yet speak.
"Patch the anomaly through to private feed," he instructed.
A flicker of static crossed the screen, revealing a young man helping fix scaffolding on a cooling tower. Nothing about him looked unusual, but that was exactly the problem.
"Emma," Jaden said. "Tail that worker. Quietly."