The mag-train hummed as it sped through New Eden's underbelly. Noah stared out the window, the city's lights a blur of neon. His heart hadn't stopped racing since the memory. Senator Moore's blood. The knife. That street sign—*Eden's Crossing, 7th District*. It was impossible, but he had to see it for himself. Alina sat across from him, her holo-pad glowing as she tapped into the city's cameras. Her face was tight, focused. Noah wondered what drove her harder—grief for her brother or anger at NeuroVault.
He shifted in his seat. The train was half-empty, just a few late-night workers and a drunk muttering in the corner. Noah's coat hid his knife, but he felt exposed. Like someone was watching. He glanced at Alina. "You sure that pad's secure? If NeuroVault catches us—"
"They won't." Alina didn't look up. Her voice was sharp. "I've been dodging their bots for years. Relax."
Noah snorted. Relax? After seeing a murder that hadn't happened yet? He leaned back, closing his eyes. Lila's face flashed in his mind—her smile, gone forever. He'd failed her. He couldn't fail now, not with this. Whatever this memory was, it was tied to NeuroVault. To Kellan. He had to know why.
The train slowed, its brakes screeching. A robotic voice announced, "Eden's Crossing, 7th District." Noah's stomach dropped. This was it. He stood, nodding at Alina. "Let's move."
She pocketed her holo-pad and followed. The platform was clean, unlike the slums' filth. Glass towers loomed above, their windows glowing with wealth. Drones buzzed overhead, their cameras scanning. Noah kept his hood up, his steps quick. Alina matched his pace, her eyes darting to every shadow.
"This place gives me the creeps," she muttered. "Too quiet. Too perfect."
"Yeah," Noah said. "That's how the elites like it." He scanned the street, looking for the sign from the memory. His pulse quickened. What if it was there? What if it wasn't? Either way, he wasn't ready for what it meant.
They turned a corner, and there it was. A street sign, bolted to a pole. *Eden's Crossing, 7th District*. Noah froze. It was exact—same font, same angle, same faint dent on the corner. His breath caught. "That's it," he whispered. "From the memory."
Alina's eyes widened. She stepped closer, her hand brushing the sign. "No way. Jace was right." Her voice trembled. "This is real, Noah. The future."
Noah's mind spun. He wanted to deny it, to call it a trick. But the sign was here, solid and undeniable. He felt like the ground was slipping away. If this was true, what else was? Moore's murder? His own death, maybe? He pushed the thought down, focusing on Alina. "Your brother. What else did he say about this?"
Alina's face darkened. She leaned against the pole, her arms crossed. "Jace said NeuroVault was testing people. People like him, with… weird brains. They'd push them to breaking, then pull memories. Some saw things—future things." She paused, her voice dropping. "He said it hurt. Like his mind was burning."
Noah's chest tightened. He saw Lila in the lab, screaming as the machine tore her apart. "They're monsters," he said, his voice low. "All of them."
Alina looked at him, her scar catching the streetlight. "You worked for them, Noah. You helped build this." It wasn't an accusation, but it stung.
He turned away, his jaw clenched. "I thought I was helping people. Fixing pain. I was wrong." He felt the weight of Lila's death, heavy as ever. He didn't owe Alina his story, but her eyes—grieving, like his—made him want to explain. He didn't.
Instead, he nodded at her holo-pad. "Check the cameras. See if anything matches the memory. The office, the window."
Alina hesitated, then pulled out the pad. Her fingers flew across the screen. "Got a feed from a drone nearby. Office building, top floor. Matches the memory's layout." She frowned. "But it's locked down. NeuroVault security."
Noah's blood ran cold. NeuroVault again. Always NeuroVault. He pictured Kellan in his pristine office, smiling like he hadn't destroyed lives. "That's no coincidence," he said. "They're in this."
Alina's eyes met his, fierce. "Then we find out how. We break in, Noah. We get proof."
He shook his head. "You're crazy. That's a fortress. Guards, drones, AI locks." His voice was steady, but fear gnawed at him. Breaking into NeuroVault meant facing his past. Facing Kellan.
Alina stepped closer, her voice soft but firm. "Jace died for this, Noah. I can't let it go. Can you?" She paused, her eyes searching his. "Whoever you lost… would they want you to walk away?"
Noah's throat burned. Lila's voice echoed—*"Save the world, big brother."* He hated Alina for saying it, for knowing his weak spot. But she was right. He couldn't run forever. He took a deep breath, his hands steadying. "Fine. We scope it out. No promises."
Alina's face lit up, a mix of relief and determination. "That's all I need." She tapped her holo-pad, pulling up a map. "Building's two blocks away. We can—"
A drone whirred above, its red light locking onto them. Noah grabbed Alina's arm, pulling her into an alley. "Move," he hissed. His heart pounded as they ducked behind a dumpster. The drone's light swept past, then moved on.
Alina's breath was ragged. "That was close. They're watching this place."
"Yeah," Noah said, his voice grim. "And they know we're here." He felt trapped, like the memory was a net closing around him. But there was no turning back. Not now.
They slipped deeper into the alley, the sign's shadow behind them. Noah's mind raced. The memory was real. The future was real. And NeuroVault was at the center of it all. He didn't know what scared him more—finding the truth or what it might cost him.
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