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    The chamber was still as Clara stood beside the Node, its glow fading to a soft hum. The console’s screen continued to display the word “Stabilized”, but Wexler’s parting words echoed in her mind.


    “The Node isn’t just a tool—it’s a beacon.”


    “What did he mean by that?” Clara asked, her voice low and uneasy.


    Hensley, still gripping his gun, glanced at her. “You think he was bluffing? Trying to rattle you?”


    Clara shook her head. “No. Wexler doesn’t bluff. If the Node’s sending a signal, we need to figure out what it’s calling—and fast.”


    Daniel’s voice crackled through the small earpiece Hensley wore, startling them both. “Clara? Hensley? Do you copy? What the hell is happening out there? Wexler’s men are retreating, but they were in a frenzy.”


    Hensley pressed a hand to his ear. “We’ve stabilized the liquid, but there’s a problem. Wexler said the Node is a beacon.”


    There was a long pause. Then Daniel’s voice returned, low and urgent. “He’s right. I always suspected Jonathan built a secondary function into the Node, but I could never confirm it. If it’s broadcasting, you’ve just painted a target on yourselves.”


    “A target for what?” Clara demanded.


    “The Node’s signal wasn’t designed to call for help,” Daniel said. “It was designed as a failsafe—to summon anyone who might want the liquid’s power. Anyone who knows what it can do.”


    Clara’s blood ran cold. “You’re saying we’ve just announced to the world that the liquid is stable—and available.”


    “Exactly,” Daniel said grimly. “And trust me, Wexler is the least of your concerns now.”


    <hr>


    The First Echo


    As if on cue, the console emitted a sharp ping. Clara turned to see a new line of text scrolling across the screen:


    “Signal received. Response in progress.”


    “What does that mean?” Hensley asked, stepping closer.


    Clara’s eyes darted over the screen, trying to make sense of the data. “It means someone—or something—has heard the Node’s signal. And they’re coming.”


    The chamber suddenly felt suffocating. Clara grabbed the Node and tucked it into her bag. “We need to get out of here.”


    “Where are we going to go?” Hensley asked. “If this thing’s broadcasting to the whole world—”


    “We go to Daniel,” Clara interrupted. “If anyone can help us shut this down, it’s him.”


    <hr>


    An Unseen Pursuer


    They made their way back through the ruins of the Blackthorn estate, the early morning light casting long shadows over the charred remains. Clara’s nerves were on edge, her senses heightened. Every rustle in the underbrush felt like a threat.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    “Stay sharp,” Hensley said, scanning their surroundings. “If Wexler was right, we’re not the only ones out here anymore.”


    As they reached the edge of the woods, Clara felt it—a strange pressure in the air, like the hum of static electricity. She froze, looking back toward the estate.


    “What is it?” Hensley asked.


    “I don’t know,” Clara said, her voice barely above a whisper. “But something’s wrong.”


    The ground beneath their feet trembled, a low vibration that grew steadily stronger. Clara’s breath caught as she turned to see a dark figure emerge from the ruins. It was humanoid in shape but moved unnaturally, its body shifting like liquid metal in the sunlight.


    “What the hell is that?” Hensley demanded, raising his gun.


    The figure didn’t respond. Instead, it tilted its head, as if analyzing them. Then it spoke, its voice an eerie blend of mechanical tones and human inflection.


    “Blackthorn signal detected. Relinquish the Node.”


    Clara’s heart pounded. “What are you?”


    The figure took a step forward, its body rippling. “Custodian of the Node. Designated for retrieval and protection. Relinquish the artifact, or face termination.”


    “Yeah, that’s not happening,” Hensley said, firing a warning shot. The bullet struck the figure’s chest, but instead of piercing it, the surface absorbed the impact like water.


    “Oh, that’s bad,” Hensley muttered.


    The Custodian raised an arm, and a pulse of energy erupted from its hand, sending Hensley flying into a nearby tree. Clara screamed, rushing to his side.


    “Hensley!” she cried, shaking him.


    “I’m fine,” he groaned, pushing himself up. “But I don’t think bullets are going to work on that thing.”


    The Custodian advanced, its voice calm and unwavering. “You have five seconds to comply.”


    <hr>


    A Desperate Escape


    Clara’s mind raced. The Node’s signal had drawn this thing here, and it wasn’t going to stop until it had what it wanted. She glanced at Hensley, then back at the Custodian.


    “Run,” she said.


    “What?” Hensley asked, his eyes wide. “We can’t outrun that thing.”


    “We don’t have a choice!” Clara shouted, pulling him to his feet. “We need to lead it away from the Node.”


    With that, she bolted into the woods, the Node tucked securely in her bag. Hensley followed close behind, his breaths ragged. The Custodian’s heavy footsteps echoed behind them, unnervingly steady.


    Branches whipped at Clara’s face as she sprinted, her lungs burning. The pressure in the air grew stronger, the static hum louder. She risked a glance back and saw the Custodian gaining on them, its liquid-like form shifting as it moved.


    “This thing doesn’t give up!” Hensley shouted.


    Clara’s foot caught on a root, and she stumbled, hitting the ground hard. The Node tumbled from her bag, landing a few feet away. The Custodian stopped, its focus immediately shifting to the glowing device.


    “Artifact secured. Initiating extraction.”


    “No!” Clara yelled, scrambling toward the Node.


    Before she could reach it, the Custodian extended an arm, and the Node began to levitate toward its outstretched hand. Clara’s mind raced. She couldn’t let it take the Node—but how could she stop something she didn’t understand?


    Then, deep within her chest, she felt a pull—like a thread connecting her to the Node. Without thinking, she reached out, focusing all her energy on the device.


    The Node’s glow intensified, and the Custodian hesitated. “Unauthorized interaction detected. Source: Blackthorn genetic imprint. Cease activity.”


    Clara gritted her teeth, ignoring the pain radiating through her body. The Node responded to her call, breaking free of the Custodian’s grasp and flying back into her hands.


    The Custodian faltered, its form rippling. “Impossible. Primary directive compromised.”


    Hensley grabbed Clara, pulling her to her feet. “We need to go. Now!”


    Clara clutched the Node tightly, the strange connection still buzzing in her veins. As they ran, the Custodian didn’t follow. Instead, it stood frozen, its liquid surface flickering like static.


    “What just happened?” Hensley asked, his voice breathless.


    Clara looked down at the Node, its glow fading once more. “I don’t know. But I think… I think it recognized me.”


    Hensley frowned. “Recognized you how?”


    Clara met his gaze, her expression a mix of fear and determination. “As a Blackthorn.”


    The weight of her heritage had never felt heavier—and the danger, never closer.