The following morning brought no calm.
A dense fog clung low across Sector 18, a rare and ominous occurrence in the normally dry basin of Neo-Lagos. It rolled in from the east, swallowing buildings and distorting sound. As the Tech Nation woke to begin its routines, a strange tension pulsed through the streets. Drones fluttered uneasily, some glitching and requiring manual resets. The weather systems reported no anomalies, yet the fog would not lift.
In the command tower overlooking the central district, Jaden stood at the helm of the holographic war table, his mind running at a thousand thoughts per second. Around him, his core team had assembled: Lyra, Kaela, Zhenari, Tia, Serah, and Dax. The war council.
"Satellite imaging is blind in all sectors covered by the fog," Serah reported. "We tried thermal sweeps—nothing consistent. It's like something's jamming us."
