Codex frowned in frustration as the psychic link to the subject, Blueprint, dissolved once again. There was a unique quality to his mental architecture that resisted deep probing, allowing her to perceive only the most superficial layers of his consciousness. His background suggested a privileged upbringing, yet his psyche was marked by a profound and unusual sense of self-loathing, likely exacerbated by a significant past emotional trauma. This set him apart from the typical arrogant, entitled individuals his profile might otherwise suggest.
The real interest from her employers, however, stemmed from a technological analysis. DARPA and the HSA had acquired a sample of the armor he lost during his duel, and their findings were unequivocal: it was embedded with advanced information and manipulation technology on a microscopic scale. This was genuine, sophisticated engineering, far beyond the simple gadgeteering most so-called inventors produced. While he was a highly capable healer—a skill set the government had access to in various forms—it was the nature of his technological creations that marked him as a significant person of interest.
It was a known phenomenon that males who unlocked Alpha-level abilities often produced extraordinary inventions, but frequently succumbed to instability, their newfound power warping their perception of reality and leading to their eventual downfall, either by their own hand or by forced intervention. Blueprint, however, displayed a contrasting stability, possibly rooted in his apparent lack of hubris. He understood his creations rather than being controlled by them.
Organizations like The Jury operated under the misguided belief that converting powerful Alphas to their cause was the key to saving Earth. Codex and those she answered to knew a more grim truth: Earth was a dying world, succumbing to Q-bomb contamination. True survival depended on expansion—finding new, unpolluted worlds and universes. Alphas represented not salvation, but an existential threat; beings of such power could unwittingly or deliberately end everything.
Blueprint’s technology, however, could be the key to that very expansion. This made his inconsistent mental presence a significant operational problem. The inability to plant deep-seated suggestions or create reliable psychic tethers was a major setback. Conventional methods of recruitment, even direct seduction, seemed futile against his psychological defenses. He showed attraction but no inclination to act on it, and his mind rejected her subtle influences.
Even The Jury’s agent, planted within his circle, had achieved greater proximity than her own asset, the Orwell girl, whose attempt to create a bond through a staged rescue scenario had backfired, making him suspicious of her motives.
For now, her orders stood. He was not yet receptive to the "hero humanity needs" narrative, but his recent shift toward monster hunting showed potential for future leverage. With a sigh of resignation, Codex began the laborious process of attaching another faint psychic tracker, a temporary measure at best. Her cover as a staff member required her to maintain appearances. She shifted her form back to that of a kindly, grandmotherly figure, felt the tracker settle into place, and gathered her materials for class. The work continued.
“You are certain of this?” Kali’s voice was low, edged with concern.
Princess Pixel nodded firmly. “Yes. Kate is actively blocking his access to my alter ego while simultaneously trying to bait him into an attachment. Her actions clearly indicate she’s operating as an agent. She knows her position within his trust is the weakest among his team, but Matchmaker’s assessment was correct: barring a complex poly relationship, she is an almost perfect match for him. The complication is that she isn't our agent and refuses to manipulate him. This is the risk of working with individuals who possess actual ethics.”
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Kali sighed. “So our strategy is to remain passive and allow their relationship to develop organically?”
A light laugh escaped Pixel. “Organic has nothing to do with it. Trust me on this. I have a plan.”
“A plan?”
“Oracle has foreseen a potential event that could bring you and him into direct contact, if it is handled with precision,” Pixel explained.
“You want me to seduce him?” Kali asked, her tone flat.
Pixel’s laughter echoed again. “Absolutely not. You are decidedly not his type. But you do possess the knowledge he desperately requires. He has demonstrated a pattern of forming strong bonds with mentor figures, as evidenced by his rapid trust in Graviton. If I can facilitate a meeting, can you commit to the role of a teacher and a guide? Between your knowledge, Sabrina’s, and what our girl can provide, we could cultivate the first Gold Core this world has seen—a potential solution to the Rift Break. Be authentic with him. If he recognizes that, his loyalty will follow.”
Kali sighed, nodding as she settled into a chair in Pixel’s workshop. “An honest meeting could be effective. But you must remember he is human. My usual techniques for knowledge transfer may not be entirely compatible with his physiology.”
Pixel shook her head at the larger woman. “You are as human as he is, even if your origin is… elsewhere. He will undoubtedly require specialized techniques, but that is a bridge we will cross at his first major breakthrough. You know the stakes. A Gold Core capable of sealing the Rift is our only viable hope for saving this world. With your own progress halted, he represents our best prospect.”
“And I am aware that Codex has redirected her focus from monitoring us to monitoring him. That offers us a temporary advantage in maneuvering, but it also increases the danger for him. We don’t know who they will assign to watch us next, though the pool of individuals capable of handling a cyber like me without suffering mental burnout is exceedingly small.”
Kali’s expression was grim. “If this fails, their colonization initiative becomes the only option, guaranteeing a future of war and bloodshed if they ever find a habitable realm. It would condemn this world to become a failed core, unleashing untold nightmares. There are times I wish this Earth had remained a sealed realm; then this burden would belong to another.”
Pixel pouted. “But then you never would have met me!”
A faint smile touched Kali’s lips. “A tragic loss, indeed. What is our timeframe?”
“A matter of days,” Pixel replied, her expression turning serious. “Postpone your trip to Tianjin and prepare for a confrontation. I must admit, I am eager to examine one of his armor suits firsthand.”
Kali checked the alignment of her swords, a habitual, calming gesture. “Understood. But the Folk will be furious. They are convinced they are nurturing a Husheng savior, and you know how single-minded they become when convinced of their destined elite status.”
Deep beneath the ocean, in crushing blackness, an ancient consciousness stirred. The Deeplings possessed a collective mind capable of holding countless affinities without the fragility that plagued the air-breathers.
Her senses expanded, confirming a disturbing presence. A new potential had emerged, one with the power to unravel a century of careful preparation. A century was a brief span, but to the short-lived creatures above, it was an eternity. This world was nearly perfect for her purposes, almost ready to serve as a stronghold for universal expansion.
With a subtle gesture of a powerful tentacle, she summoned one of her surface slaves. The creature was weak-minded but useful for simple tasks. She implanted it with a singular desire: to seek out a potent new source of nourishment. She gifted it an aura that would compel lesser creatures to herd toward the same location. Weak as it was, it should be sufficient to extinguish this burgeoning threat before it could interfere.
A final thought sent the slave on its way before it could expire simply from basking in her immense presence. The game had changed, and a new piece was now in play.
