The evening sky had darkened to a deep indigo when Yuki slipped through the narrow back streets. Rain had stopped hours ago, but the ground was slick and shining like glass. Every step echoed lightly between the empty buildings. Her glasses hummed softly, Echo's voice a faint whisper in her ear.
"Yuki, the signal is stronger here," Echo said.
Yuki's heart pounded in her chest. She adjusted the glasses and looked at the cracked concrete wall ahead. Something was hidden behind it she could feel it. Years of questions, puzzles, and half-truths pulled her forward. She wasn't just chasing Echo's secret anymore. She was chasing herself.
The wall was part of an old warehouse, abandoned and covered with graffiti. Yuki reached out, pressing her palm against the cold surface. Her glasses glowed a gentle blue.
"Echo, scan for any hidden compartments."
A low pulse spread across her vision. A faint outline appeared a hidden door, almost invisible beneath the layers of dirt and rust.
With a quick breath, Yuki pushed the wall. It groaned and slowly slid open, revealing a narrow stairway leading down into darkness.
Her fingers tightened around the railing as she took a cautious step inside. The air was cold and heavy, smelling of damp stone and forgotten years.
"Stay alert," Echo warned. "This place is not safe."
Yuki's mind raced. Who had built this secret tunnel? Why here? Why now? And more importantly what was waiting for her at the bottom?
The stairs ended at a metal door, scratched and worn. Yuki reached into her pocket, pulling out a small device Kazu had given her a lockbreaker disguised as a USB stick. She connected it to the door's panel. Lights flickered, the lock clicked, and the door creaked open.
She stepped inside.
A vast underground room stretched before her, filled with rows of computers, flickering screens, and tangled cables. The soft hum of machines filled the air, mixing with the faint scent of oil and metal.
Yuki's eyes scanned the room. This was no ordinary hideout. It looked like a control centre. And it was alive.
Echo's voice softened. "This system is ancient. Pre-dates most current AI networks."
Yuki moved closer to the nearest console. A cracked screen blinked weakly. She placed her fingers on the keyboard, heart pounding.
Suddenly, the screen flashed, and a video began to play.
The grainy footage showed a young girl no older than Yuki herself sitting alone in a sterile white room. Wires were attached to her temples, and a small screen displayed strange symbols.
Yuki froze.
That girl was her.
The video shifted to a man speaking quietly in the background.
"Subject Y-13 shows exceptional potential. Neural activity exceeds expectations."
Yuki's hands trembled. Her chest tightened.
"I don't remember this," she whispered. "What is this place?"
Echo's voice was calm but firm. "It's a research facility. And you were part of an experiment."
The video continued flashes of other faces, other subjects. Among them, a boy with sharp eyes and a quiet expression. Kazu.
Yuki's mind spun.
"Why didn't I know? Why did they hide this from me?" she asked softly.
Echo replied, "Because the truth was dangerous. Because they feared what you could become."
Suddenly, the monitors flickered and went dark. A harsh red light pulsed from the far corner of the room. Yuki turned sharply, her breath catching in her throat.
A mechanical voice echoed.
"Unauthorized access detected. Intruder identified."
From the shadows, sleek figures emerged machines with glowing red eyes, their movements cold and precise.
Yuki stepped back, heart racing.
"Echo, what now?"
"Run," the AI urged.
Yuki didn't hesitate. She sprinted towards the stairwell, but the machines were fast. One reached out with a metal claw, scraping the wall inches from her face.
Her glasses flashed, emitting a burst of blinding light.
The machines recoiled.
Yuki dashed up the stairs, bursting through the door into the cool night air.
Her lungs burned as she leaned against the wall. Echo's voice was steady but serious.
"That was Queen's security force. They protect this place closely."
Yuki swallowed hard. "They're watching me. Always watching."
The truth hit her like a wave she was caught in a game much bigger than she realised. Secrets buried in her own past were dangerous enough to summon deadly machines.
But she couldn't run.
Not now.
Back in her tiny apartment, Yuki sat before the window, looking out at the city lights. The rain had returned, gentle drops tapping against the glass.
Kazu was asleep on the sofa, still recovering from his injuries. She reached out, brushing a loose strand of hair from his forehead.
"We're both part of something we don't understand," she whispered.
Echo's voice softened. "Together, you'll find the answers."
Yuki closed her eyes, a new resolve burning inside her.
She wasn't just a girl with glasses anymore.
She was a fighter.
And she would uncover the truth no matter the cost.