Page 176 of Neon Flux

“Eon Ibarra,” a mechanically altered voice called out. “You are in violation of multiple security protocols. Surrender immediately.”

“Fuck you,” I spat, though my shield nearly gave out.

The lead trooper raised his hand, and I braced for an attack. Instead, a high-pitched tone emanated from his gauntlet—a frequency that sent immediate, searing pain through my skull.

My Flux shield wavered, then collapsed as I dropped to my knees, clutching my head. The tone was calibrated specifically to disrupt electrotekniks—a countermeasure I’d never encountered before. Like they’d known I would be here.

Through watering eyes, I saw Taos run. A few of the soldiers fired at her, but their focus remained on me, their footsteps deafening as they closed in. The lead agent knelt beside me, his featureless mask inches from my face.

“Your cooperation is appreciated,” he said, the mechanical voice betraying no emotion.

As darkness encroached, I felt a strange vibration through the floor—not from the failing Stellarium system, but something deeper, more rhythmic. Almost like footsteps from a sleeping giant. And beneath that, a shadow that lurked just beyond reach.

Whatever happened next, there would be no going back.

CHAPTER 62

CY

Iclawed my way back to consciousness through a haze of system warnings:

“Pain receptors overloaded. Flux regulation compromised. Skeletal integrity at seventy-three percent. Critical repair cycle needed.”

I ignored them all.

My body lay sprawled across broken debris, the jagged edges of metal and concrete digging into my back. Above me, through the hole I’d fallen through, red emergency lights pulsed in irregular patterns.

“Cy! Fuck, man—you alive?”

Maddox’s voice cut through the fog, echoing through my skull from my helmet.

“Define alive,” I croaked, pushing myself up on my elbows. My implants screamed in protest.

“Beta squads are here,” Maddox said. “Full tactical deployment.”

I managed to haul myself to my feet. The room tilted dangerously before stabilizing. “How many?”

“Two squads. Moving toward the Stellarium junction on B3. The fuck happened?”

I could still taste her on my lips, still feel the ghost of her electromagnetic field synchronizing with mine.

“Had a little chat with our cyberrunner friend,” I muttered, rolling my shoulders to assess the damage. “She’s gotten stronger.”

Maddox snorted. “No shit. You never did understand whattalkingto a girl meant.”

I checked my sidearm—still functional—and deployed my mask to full coverage. The internal display flickered to life, showing multiple system failures throughout the building.

“Where is she now?” Maddox asked.

“Headed down, toward the junction. Same as beta squad.”

Maddox grunted. “Don’t have much time then.”

I triggered a dose of Vector, and the pain receded to a manageable throb. I’d pay for it later, but for now, I could function.

I descended carefully, my progress hindered by the increasing instability. Through gaps in the walls, I saw Stellarium pipes pulsing with an intensity I’d never witnessed—the magenta glow almost blinding, pressure visibly building within their translucent casings.

“This place is gonna blow,” Maddox observed grimly. “Whatever they’re doing, it’s pushing the system past its limits.”