As Elena scraped away the salt, the white crystals sparked with a fain

atch made of reinforced lead. "The sanctuary was built over the original foundation," he whispered.

ou, Alexander? You're the CEO of a tech empire built on this 'Digital Resurrec

e monitors. "I've been a criminal since the day I decided my grief was more import

ow them lay a vertical shaft, lined with pulsing fib

der said, gesturing

like copper and ozone. At the bottom, they stepped into a room that defied logic. It was a sphere

Lira, but she wasn't the beautiful genius from the photos. She was a fractured mosai

ide Elena's head. It was a telepathic scream. "You brought her. You bro

ice cracking. "The experiment is a failure.

ddenly, a holographic projection of Elena's own face appeared in front of her. I

you for your 'spirit' or your 'fire.' He chose you because your heart beats at 72 beats per

kles white. "He gave me the key

egan to shake. Cables tore from the walls, lashing out like whips. One cau

ard him, but the holograph

. "Look at me. Look at what you're about to destroy. I was eighteen.

ooked at the dying girl in the machine

to a cold, hard stone. "And you... You're just a be

lar. There was a small, silver l

lifting him off the floor. His face turned a terrifying shade of purple. He didn't

lver key into the lock and twisted it wi

n't explode.

p on the floor. The holographic Elena shattered into a million digital shard

ncy lights flick

voice announced. "Foundation integr

ng for air, his hands clutching his bruised throa

a said, pulling his arm over her s

ask is coming down. The cartel... Thorne... they'll be here in minutes. The moment the serve

s. She had traded a digital ghos

e tech. I have the logs from the server I bought at the au

he didn't look like a captor. He looked like a ma

g. "Rule Fifteen, Elena. When the world ends... w