The Zenith facility's med bay was a sterile prison, its antiseptic hum piercing Alex Mercer's throbbing skull as he lay on a cold slab, a med-patch stinging his shoulder. The operative's blow from the botched mission to kill Dr. Lin had left him reeling, but it was the flood of memories—vivid, brutal—that tore him apart. New Haven's neon skyline, Valor's glowing orbs, his parents' faces—Daniel and Elena—flashed like lightning. Fae's smirk, Maya's fierce eyes, Marcus's scarred resolve. Zenith's betrayal, a mindwipe to make him their pawn. He wasn't just AM-17—he was Alex Mercer, and they'd stolen his life.
The med-scanner beeped, a tech adjusting its settings. Alex kept his face blank, masking the storm within. Fae's note—They've taken your mind—was no longer a mystery; it was truth. Dr. Lin's words, "You're not one of them," had unlocked the dam, and the operative's strike had shattered it. He was awake, but trapped in Zenith's cage.
Carlton's voice cut through, sharp from the doorway. "Status, Mercer. You cost us Lin."
"Concussion," Alex lied, voice steady. "I'll be fine." He couldn't let Carlton see the truth—not yet. Shvery loomed behind, his bandaged leg stiff, his distrust a palpable weight.
"Better be," Shvery grunted. "Hesitating's a death sentence."
Huei slipped in, her holo-device tucked away, her sharp eyes catching Alex's. "He needs rest," she said, deflecting. "I'll check him later."
Carlton nodded, his gray gaze lingering. "Debrief in six hours. No excuses." He left, Shvery trailing, his glare a warning.
The tech finished, and Huei waited until the room cleared. "Talk," she whispered, leaning close. "You didn't just freeze—you knew her."
Alex hesitated, then trusted her. "Not Lin—my past. It's back." He sat up, wincing, and recounted the flood: New Haven, P.A.I.R.E., Valor's shield, Zenith's ambush. His parents, his team, the mindwipe. "They made me their weapon—for the Control Grid."
Huei's face paled, but her voice stayed firm. "The files—AM-17. That's you. Zenith's using the relay to control minds, cities. You're their prototype."
He gripped the slab, rage simmering. "I'm not theirs anymore. We need those files—everything on the Grid."
She nodded, slipping him the drive with Lin's data. "I cracked more—schematics, deployment plans. Shenzhen's a testbed, but there's a bigger target. We'll find it."
"What about Shvery?" Alex asked. "He's watching."
"Let me handle him," she said, a spark in her eyes. "He's loyal to Carlton, not Zenith. If we're smart, he's an asset."
"And Carlton?"
Huei's lips thinned. "He's Zenith's dog—careful. We play along, dig quiet."
A memory flashed—Fae's blade, her voice: "Kid, you're in deep." Alex clenched his fists. "Fae—she warned me. I need to find her."
Huei's brow furrowed. "The note. She's real?"
"Real enough," he said, her smirk a ghost in his mind. "She's out there—maybe the key."
The med bay door hissed, a guard passing. Huei lowered her voice. "Rest, act normal. I'll snoop tonight—server logs, maybe Lin's trail. We move fast."
"Thanks," Alex said, her alliance a lifeline. "Don't get caught."
She smirked, slipping out. "You either."
Alone, Alex sank back, memories surging. Saving New Haven, Valor's pulse in his hands, his parents' pride. Zenith's trap—drugs, a rig, his mind erased. Dr. Lin's eyes had sparked it, her words a trigger. Was she part of his past, or Zenith's game? The Control Grid loomed, a threat to millions, and he was its unwilling spearhead.
He stashed the drive, Fae's note beside it. The med bay's hum faded as he closed his eyes, forcing calm. Carlton's debrief would be a test—play the pawn, hide the rebel. Shvery's suspicion was a blade at his back, but Huei's trust was a shield. The files held answers, and Lin was a lead. He'd find her, break Zenith's hold, reclaim his life.
Hours later, the debrief room was a pressure cooker. Carlton stood, holo-table glowing with XinTech's retaliation plans. "Lin's gone underground," he said, voice steel. "She's priority one. Mercer, you're on recon—find her."
Alex nodded, masking his intent. Lin wasn't a target—she was a key. "Understood."
Shvery's eyes bored into him. "No more hesitating, Mercer. Or I'll handle you myself."
"Try it," Alex shot back, meeting his glare. Tension crackled, Carlton's silence heavy.
Huei intervened, voice calm. "We'll get her. Team effort."
Carlton dismissed them, but his gaze lingered on Alex. "Med check, now. You're still off."
In the med bay, Alex endured scans, his mind elsewhere. Huei's comm buzzed—encrypted, her voice low: "Found a log—Lin's tied to Zenith, not XinTech. She's one of theirs, defected. Meet me tonight."
His pulse raced. Lin, a Zenith defector? She knew the Grid, maybe his mindwipe. A flash hit—a city in chaos, "You're not one of them!"—her voice, clear now. He was close, but Zenith was closer.
As the scanner hummed, Alex gripped his staff, hidden nearby. The Control Grid was waking, and he was its spark. He'd douse it—or burn with it.