The pizza van screeched down the highway, dodging traffic as Ava worked the wheel like a race car driver. Lucas clutched the glowing pen with both hands, breathing hard.
"Okay," he panted, "can we all agree that those laser-sword creeps weren't playing a game?"
Ava didn't answer right away. She stared at the rearview mirror, eyes sharp. "Shadows. We trained with rumors about them. But I never thought they were real."
"Cool," Lucas said, "because I never trained, and I can confirm—they're very real."
Behind them, a sleek black motorcycle zipped onto the road. The rider wore a glowing visor just like the Shadows in the arcade.
"We've got company!" Lucas yelled.
Ava hit a button on the dashboard. "Engaging defense mode."
The back of the van opened with a hiss, revealing a small turret. Lucas stared at it.
"No way."
"Yes way," Ava said, tossing him a joystick. "You're up."
"Me?! I've only ever used these things for video games!"
"Then you're overqualified."
Lucas grabbed the controls. The turret spun to life. The motorcycle closed in—fast.
"Don't shoot the tires, shoot the helmet!" Ava shouted.
Lucas aimed, took a deep breath, and fired.
The turret blasted a flashbang round. It hit the ground beside the bike. The explosion lit up the road—and the rider swerved, lost control, and crashed into a signpost.
Lucas screamed in shock, then blinked. "Wait… did I just… WIN?!"
Ava grinned. "Nice shot, rookie."
Lucas sat back, heart racing. "I think I just unlocked a new phobia: death ninjas with glow-in-the-dark eyes."
---
Thirty minutes later, they pulled off the highway and drove into a hidden tunnel Ava said was a MAYHEM fallback base.
It was quiet. Too quiet.
Lucas followed Ava down into a long underground hall until they reached a steel door with heavy locks.
Ava placed her palm on a scanner. "Clearance: Ava Ramirez. Code: Firefly Tango Seven."
The door opened with a hiss.
Inside was a high-tech command room—dimly lit, full of flickering monitors and one big screen in the center. On it was a grainy photo: a man in a long coat, standing in the shadows of a shipyard.
"Who's that?" Lucas asked.
Ava walked over. "That's our new target. He's been spotted near one of the locations on the Echo Protocol map. We think he's working with the Shadows."
The man's face was mostly hidden, but Lucas felt a weird chill just looking at him.
The computer labeled him as: Cipher — Status: Unknown. Affiliation: Classified.
"Great," Lucas muttered. "He even sounds evil."
Ava leaned in. "He's the one we think is giving orders to the Shadows. Maybe even the one who turned Agent Zero against MAYHEM."
Lucas nodded slowly. "So Cipher's the big bad guy."
"Maybe," Ava said. "Or maybe he's just the start."
Just then, the lights flickered. The screen glitched.
A voice—cold, electronic—filled the room.
"You're looking for answers, Lucas Reyes. You won't like what you find."
Lucas froze. "Uh… did that voice just say my name?"
Ava looked around, scanning the room. "He hacked us."
"The pen was never meant for you," the voice continued. "You're a mistake. An error. And I will correct it."
Then silence.
The monitors went black.
Lucas turned to Ava, face pale. "Okay. I officially hate pens."
Ava didn't smile. She looked serious. "He knows who you are. Which means we don't have much time."
Lucas gulped. "What now?"
Ava pulled up the Echo Protocol map. One of the red markers was blinking faster than the others.
"We go here," she said. "To the first Echo Node. It's hidden on a private island owned by a tech billionaire. We'll go in quiet, find out what Agent Zero left behind, and get out."
Lucas raised his hand. "I just have one question."
Ava raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"
"Does this island have pizza? Because I am emotionally drained."
She actually smiled. "Let's survive the mission first. Then we'll talk snacks."