The safehouse was quiet as the first dull morning light crept through the blinds. One by one, the group gathered in the common room—still tired but more composed after a few hours of rest.
Ronnie was already there, waiting for them. He stood by the holo-table, his broad frame casting a shadow over the glowing city map displayed above it.
Henry entered last, his expression calm as always.
Ronnie glanced up.
Ronnie: "You're all here. Good. We need to move quickly."
He tapped the table, and a holographic layout of the lower districts appeared, highlighting a vast section below the Neon District.
Ronnie (firmly): "The Black Halo isn't just hiding in the tunnels. They've got an entire underground market—a city beneath the city. That's where they trade tech, gather disciples, and funnel resources for the Ascendant Grid."
Lenny leaned closer, his brow furrowed.
Lenny: "…A whole black market hidden under Neoterra? That explains how they're supplying themselves without being detected."
Ronnie nodded.
Ronnie: "It's called the Lower Halo Market. You won't find it on any official map. It's buried beneath the old magrail hubs. Anyone who goes down there doesn't come back the same."
Emilia crossed her arms, her voice calm.
Emilia: "So what's the objective? Information? Or disruption?"
Ronnie's gaze hardened slightly.
Ronnie: "Both. There's someone down there—an informant. Used to work for the Halo, but they've been feeding me scraps of intel. If you can reach them, they'll tell you what's deeper… maybe even who's really pulling the strings."
Henry's eyes narrowed slightly.
Henry: "And why not send some of your own people?"
For a brief second, something flickered in Ronnie's expression.
Ronnie: "Because I did. And they didn't come back."
Ronnie zoomed in on a specific sector of the Lower Halo Market.
Ronnie: "The contact goes by the name Veyra. Former Halo scientist. She knows how the Ascendant Protocol started. But the Halo has eyes everywhere down there—you'll need to move carefully."
Jack leaned back in his chair, smirking faintly.
Jack: "So basically, we're sneaking into the lion's den for a chat with a traitor. Sounds fun."
Ichiro stayed quiet, but his grip tightened slightly on the edge of the table.
Ronnie's voice dropped lower, heavier.
Ronnie: "The Lower Halo isn't like the tunnels. The people there aren't just criminals—they're believers. Everything stuffed into one wide place. You won't know who's watching you, and you won't know who to trust."
Emilia's gaze sharpened slightly.
Emilia: "Then we assume everyone's an enemy until proven otherwise."
Ronnie nodded.
Ronnie: "Good. Stay sharp. And remember—Veyra is your priority. Get her out, or at least get her intel. But don't engage the Halo unless you have no choice."
Henry studied the map quietly, memorizing the path to the market.
Henry: "Understood. We'll move today."
Ronnie's eyes lingered on him for a moment—like he wanted to say more—but he didn't.
Instead, he simply said:
Ronnie: "Then prepare yourselves. You're stepping into the Halo's heart now."
As they geared up to leave, Emilia walked beside Henry, her voice quiet but steady.
Emilia: "… You're still going to push further, aren't you?"
Henry didn't look at her, but his tone was calm.
Henry: "Until we reach the truth. We don't have another choice."
She didn't argue this time—just gave a small, unreadable nod before moving ahead.
The group left the safehouse, descending once more toward the hidden underbelly of Neoterra Prime.
Deep beneath Neoterra Prime, the Lower Halo Market stretched like a city carved into the earth's veins. Neon signs flickered dimly, illuminating narrow streets filled with shady merchants, black-market tech stalls, and Halo Disciples disguised among the crowd.
But in the shadows of a derelict magrail station, Veyra hid.
She was a woman in her late thirties, her face pale and drawn, with dark rings under her sharp eyes. She clutched a small data shard in her trembling hand—the last piece of proof she had of the Ascendant Protocol's true purpose.
Footsteps echoed nearby.
Veyra froze.
Three Halo Disciples moved through the alley outside. Their eyes glowed faintly under their hoods, scanning the crowd with unnerving precision.
One of them spoke, his voice low and hollow.
Disciple: "She's close. The traitor cannot hide forever."
Another disciple tilted his head, listening to some unseen signal through his halo implant.
Disciple 2: "The Ravenous halo says she must not leave the market. Alive."
They moved on, silently, their synchronized steps echoing like a single entity.
Veyra pressed herself against the cold wall of the abandoned station, her mechanical hand trembling slightly.
She whispered to herself.
Veyra (whispering): "Come on… Ronnie… you said they'd come."
Her eyes darted to the small alley leading to the market's main thoroughfare.
She knew she couldn't wait forever. Time was running out.
Meanwhile, Henry's group descended into the Lower Halo.
The moment they stepped into the market, the atmosphere shifted.
It wasn't like the tunnels.
This place looked alive. A sprawling underground city with narrow alleys lit by dim golden lanterns and neon strips that flickered inconsistently. Merchants shouted quietly in hushed tones, selling black-market tech, illegal implants, and strange halo-shaped trinkets.
But the people… They didn't look like normal citizens.
Many had fragmented halo implants grafted to their bodies—some on their arms, some embedded in their skulls. Their eyes were hollow, glazed with fanatic devotion.
They moved through the streets like pilgrims in a temple, whispering the same phrase under their breath: "The Halo ascends. The Halo is eternal."
Emilia glanced around carefully, her eyes sharp as she took in the surroundings.
Emilia: "…This isn't just a market. It's a sanctuary for them."
Lenny adjusted the hood of his jacket to blend in better.
Lenny: "We need to keep our heads down. Anyone could be watching us."
Jack kept his voice low.
Jack: "So, no stabbing anyone unless they stab first."
Henry's tone was calm but firm.
Henry: "Exactly. We find Veyra. Get what she knows. Then we're gone."
As they moved deeper, they passed a small ritual circle in one corner of the market.
A group of robed disciples was kneeling around a miniature halo structure, chanting softly. In the center of the circle, a young man with fresh implants was being "welcomed" into the Halo—his body shaking as the implants fused with his flesh.
Ichiro's fists tightened, but Emilia gave a subtle shake of her head, silently reminding him, Don't interfere.
Lenny subtly scanned the area with a small device.
Lenny: "… I'm picking up a faint encrypted signal. It's moving toward the west section of the market. Could be her."
Henry nodded.
Henry: "Then that's where we go."
They slipped into a narrower alley, moving toward the derelict magrail station—unaware that Veyra was already waiting, and the Disciples were closing in on her.