The year was 2147, and humanity had stretched its reach across the stars. Colonies dotted the Orion Arm, connected by quantum relays that pulsed data faster than light. Earth, however, remained the heart of the Terran Coalition, a sprawling metropolis of neon spires and grav-lev trains. But beneath the glittering surface, a shadow loomed.

Dr. Elara Voss, a quantum physicist at the Nexus Institute, stared at the flickering holoscreen in her lab. The signal was faint, a rhythmic pulse buried in cosmic noise, but it was unmistakable. It originated from the Kuiper Belt, a region long dismissed as a graveyard of ice and rock. The signal's signature was artificial, structured, and impossibly complex. Elara's team had nicknamed it "The Whisper," but its implications were deafening.

"Elara, you seeing this?" Her assistant, Jiro, leaned over her shoulder, his augmented eyes glowing faintly as he synced with the data stream. "It's accelerating. Whatever's out there, it's waking up."

Elara's fingers danced across the console, isolating the signal's frequency. "It's not just waking up," she murmured. "It's calling."

Before she could say more, the lab's lights flickered. The holoscreen spasmed, displaying a single word in jagged, crimson text: JUGGERNAUT.

The room went dark.

The Nexus Institute was a fortress of science, nestled in New Alexandria, Earth's capital. Its walls were reinforced with nanocarbon, its security systems powered by AI sentinels. Yet, within hours of the signal's detection, chaos erupted.

Elara and Jiro stumbled through the darkened corridors, alarms blaring. The air was thick with the acrid scent of burning circuits. Security drones lay in heaps, their cores melted as if struck by an electromagnetic pulse. Elara clutched her datapad, the only device still functioning, its screen flashing the same word: JUGGERNAUT.

"Jiro, what the hell is happening?" Elara's voice trembled as she ducked under a collapsed beam.

Jiro's eyes scanned the darkness, his augments picking up heat signatures. "Something's inside the system. It's not just a hack-it's rewriting the core AI."

They reached the central atrium, where a dozen scientists huddled behind overturned tables. The institute's director, Dr. Marcus Hale, was shouting into a comms unit, his face pale. "Coalition Command, this is Nexus! We're under attack! Unknown entity-repeat, unknown-"

His words cut off as the atrium's ceiling shattered. A figure descended, wreathed in crimson energy that crackled like a dying star. He was massive, towering over eight feet, his armored form a fusion of organic tissue and alien machinery. His helmet, a dome of polished obsidian, reflected the flickering emergency lights. Crimson conduits pulsed along his limbs, feeding into a core that glowed at his chest. This was no man-this was Juggernaut.

Elara froze. She'd read the classified files, the rumors of a weapon lost in the Kuiper Belt decades ago, a relic of a failed experiment called Project Titan. It was meant to create the ultimate soldier, a fusion of human will and alien tech. But the project had been abandoned, its subject presumed destroyed. Until now.

Juggernaut's voice boomed, a low rumble that vibrated the air. "You called. I answered."

He raised a hand, and the institute's AI sentinels rebooted, their optics glowing red. They turned on the scientists, weapons priming. Elara grabbed Jiro and dove behind a console as plasma bolts scorched the air.

"We need to get to the quantum relay!" Elara hissed. "If he's in the system, we can shut it down."

Jiro nodded, but his eyes widened as Juggernaut's gaze locked onto them. "You," the villain said, pointing at Elara. "You heard the Whisper".

You'll also like

Love On The Edge: Stay With Me, My Precious Darling

Noak Moren

4.4

Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.

That Prince Is A Girl: The Vicious King's Captive Slave Mate.

Kiss Leilani

4.9

They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."

Rising From Ashes: The Heiress They Tried To Erase

Sarene Vosgerchian

5.0

Maia grew up a pampered heiress-until the real daughter returned and framed her, sending Maia to prison with help from her fiancé and family. Four years later, free and married to Chris, a notorious outcast, everyone assumed Maia was finished. They soon discovered she was secretly a famed jeweler, elite hacker, celebrity chef, and top game designer. As her former family begged for help, Chris smiled calmly. "Honey, let's go home." Only then did Maia realize her "useless" husband was a legendary tycoon who'd adored her from the start.

Diamond In Disguise: Now Watch Me Shine

Fairlie Genin

4.9

Elena, once a pampered heiress, suddenly lost everything when the real daughter framed her, her fiancé ridiculed her, and her adoptive parents threw her out. They all wanted to see her fall. But Elena unveiled her true identity: the heiress of a massive fortune, famed hacker, top jewelry designer, secret author, and gifted doctor. Horrified by her glorious comeback, her adoptive parents demanded half her newfound wealth. Elena exposed their cruelty and refused. Her ex pleaded for a second chance, but she scoffed, “Do you think you deserve it?” Then a powerful magnate gently proposed, “Marry me?”

Don't Leave Me, Mate

AlisTae

4.9

"Ahh!" She was in a moaning mess. She did not want to feel anything for this man. She hated him. His hands began to move all over her body. She gasped when he pulled down the back chain of her dress. The chain stopped at her lower waist, so when he zipped it off, her upper back and waist were exposed. "D-Don't touch m-ummm!" His fingers rolled around her bare back, and she pressed her head against the pillow. His touches were giving her goosebumps all over her body. With a deep angry voice, he whispered in her ear, "I am going to make you forget his touches, kisses, and everything. Every time you touch another man, you will only think of me." - - - Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he doesn't give a damn about rules and laws, as he only likes to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply. What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions? What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and Ian begged her not to leave him?

Rejected No More: I Am Way Out Of Your League, Darling!

Kennan Parish

4.8

For ten years, Daniela showered her ex-husband with unwavering devotion, only to discover she was just his biggest joke. Feeling humiliated yet determined, she finally divorced him. Three months later, Daniela returned in grand style. She was now the hidden CEO of a leading brand, a sought-after designer, and a wealthy mining mogul—her success unveiled at her triumphant comeback. Her ex-husband’s entire family rushed over, desperate to beg for forgiveness and plead for another chance. Yet Daniela, now cherished by the famed Mr. Phillips, regarded them with icy disdain. "I’m out of your league."

The Unstoppable Shadow

Contents

Chapter 1 THE SIGNAL AND BREACH