Sector 8 Outskirts – 07:30 PM, 2 Days Later
The skies above Nexora were a dull, permanent orange. Cloudy with thick ash streaks and the faint hum of high-altitude drone paths.
Auron sat in the back of an unmarked delivery van, eyes fixed on a holo-screen floating in the air. Across from him sat Kara Vale, cross-legged, cleaning the barrel of her rifle. Not a word had been exchanged between them since the escape from Registry Tower.
He preferred it that way.
Trust came in layers, and Nexora peeled those layers with a scalpel.
Mission Complete: Data Erasure Successful
New Tool Active: Ghost ID Alias – Alias Activated: Kale Riven
Assets Transferred: $85,000 → Black Vault Account: $195,500 USD
New Access Granted: Property Transfer System / Vehicle Registration / Asset Masker (Level 1)
He closed the feed and pulled out the property listing from the Broker's chip.
Asset Inquiry: Hab-Home, Type 3C
Location: Mid-6 District, Sector 8 Border
Size: 3 Bedrooms, 2 Floors, Basement Access
Surveillance Grade: Low (modifiable)
Price: $58,000 USD (clean paper trail with alias)
Auron tilted the display toward Kara.
"Thoughts?"
She didn't look up. "Too close to a railline. Noise pollution. Also easier for trackers to plant bugs."
He nodded. Swiped left.
Next property.
Asset Inquiry: VaultPod Urban 2.0 – Hidden Series
Location: Embedded lot near Sector 7 cliffside
Size: Underground unit, 2 chambers, power backup, solar
Surveillance Grade: Nullified
Price: $72,000 USD
"Better." She finally met his gaze. "You're trying to live long, not live rich."
Auron locked the purchase. The screen glowed green.
Transaction Confirmed. Alias: Kale Riven
Title Papers Generated. Delivery Crew Dispatched
He took a long breath.
For the first time in his life, he owned a home.
Nexora Black Vault Summary – Post-Acquisition
Home Purchased: $72,000 → Remaining: $123,500
Equipment Upgrades (Covert Audio Net, Smart Locks, Phantom Scanner): $12,000
New Total: $111,500 USD
Sector 7 – Underground Cliffside – New Residence: The VaultPod
The property lived up to its name. Dug into a slope covered in artificial moss and broken stone, the entrance was hidden behind an abandoned maintenance tunnel. The walls inside were armored polymer, resistant to fire, shock, and unauthorized scans.
It had no windows. Only vents.
But the quiet was perfect.
Riva ran from room to room, barefoot, laughing like she'd swallowed sunlight.
"Can we stay here forever?" she asked, spinning.
Auron knelt and fixed her collar. "That's the plan."
She touched the walls and said, "This one feels safe."
It did. It wasn't just a house. It was a fortress stitched into dirt.
Later that night, Kara installed micro-sensor strips and a camera grid she had lifted off a dead informant three months ago.
Auron sat in silence, watching her work. Finally, he said:
"Why didn't you kill me that night?"
She didn't look up. "You fought with control. And you had something I never saw in target eyes before."
"What?"
"Fear… but not for yourself."
Auron said nothing.
Kara stood. "This isn't friendship, Riven. We survive because we don't drag each other down. That's all."
He nodded. It was enough.
Next Mission Loaded – Optional / High Risk
Title: Cut the Hand that Feeds
Target: Zarik Reman's Father – Harid Reman, Internal Affairs Director
Objective: Leak classified transaction logs to media
Reward: $110,000 USD + Contact with Nexora Press Syndicate + Tool: Social Influence Tracker
Note: High Surveillance Zone. Physical Infiltration Required. Lethal Force Permitted.
Planning Room – The VaultPod – Next Morning
Auron laid out the data grid on the holo-table. Kara scanned the building plans of Internal Affairs HQ while sipping synthetic coffee.
"The entire 9th floor is his domain," she said. "He's got biometric locks, private lift, and a three-agent bodyguard shift."
Auron stared at the floor plan.
"Can we get a badge scan?"
She tossed a stick drive toward him. "Already did. Took it off his aide yesterday."
He smirked. "And you say we're not a team."
She didn't respond.
Surveillance Drone Feed – Internal Affairs HQ, 2 Days Later
Auron walked in wearing a full suit and forged ID chip.
Alias: Darel Venn
Occupation: Systems Consultant
Clearance: Red Flag Observer Tier
Inside the lift, his heart raced. Kara's voice crackled in his earpiece.
"Security has your face scanned. You've got six minutes before someone double-checks the ID."
Auron stepped into the 9th floor.
Office of Harid Reman
The man was a beast—bald, scar-lined face, voice like cracked metal.
"Who the hell are you?"
Auron placed a fabricated device on the desk. "A mistake you allowed to live."
Reman reached for a gun.
Too slow.
Auron activated Pulse Tap.
The entire office shut down. Lights dead. Comms jammed. Door locks frozen.
He slid a chip into the main terminal.
Transfer Log Extraction: 100%
Evidence Sent: Nexora Press Underground Channel
The news would break in 3 minutes.
Auron turned to leave.
Reman barked: "You're dead. You're a ghost trying to burn a sun."
Auron didn't look back.
"I'm the ghost that will outlast your entire world."
System Alert: Mission Complete
Reward Added: $110,000 USD
Tool Unlocked: Social Influence Tracker
New Contact: Nexora Press (Anonymous Tip ID: RavenSeed)
Black Vault Update:
Total Funds: $221,500 USD
That Night – The VaultPod
Riva colored a sun on the wall.
"Why's the sun red, not yellow?" Auron asked.
She smiled. "Because this one doesn't burn us."