Before Maia, my life followed a single direction.
One path.
Straight.
No time for romance.
No room for friendships.
My parents taught me to be alone.
To trust only myself.
I always saw others as distractions—
obstacles to my purpose:
To change the future of medicine.
That was the responsibility I carried.
And now…
I had decided to enter Maia's universe.
I prepared everything for departure.
How much was I willing to give up?
Almost everything.
My research, the CogniSynth—my only connection to my world.
My only anchor.
Which is why it had to stay in my hands.
"Takashi, call Hideaki."
The reply came quickly.
"Akiko?"
Her voice sounded tired.
"Did something happen?"
"Hm, yes.
I need your help."
I should get to the point.
That's how we'd always spoken.
"Go on."
Hideaki.
President of the GMC.
Influential.
Powerful.
And with such power, came certain privileges.
In some situations, power alone could make things move.
"I've reached the field research phase for CogniSynth."
True.
But not the whole truth.
"The current candidates aren't sufficient.
Only then can I proceed to the final stage.
And you know Josivaldo."
She understood.
She knew him well enough.
She sighed.
"How much time will you need?"
"I don't know.
Maybe an indefinite amount."
"I understand what you're asking.
After all, I helped you get that injunction.
You were right.
Not that you aren't now.
Are you sure?
This research is important.
Everyone's expectations are high."
"I know.
You and the… well, you took time developing NeuroSync.
You know these things require patience.
I won't release anything that could severely damage the brain."
"When are you planning to start this?"
"Today."
Silence thickened.
"What do you mean?"
Her voice stayed steady, but a quiet panic seeped through the line.
"I know it's sudden, but I need to be in the field.
That was all."
I bit my nails.
Something I hadn't done in years.
The feeling of fingertip against tooth.
An unexpected weight —
as if my own lie was trying to pull me back.
"Are you sure?"
The tightness in my chest.
She knew.
She could feel the weight behind my words.
I didn't want to lie to Hideaki.
Didn't want to leave everything behind.
But something beyond fear or reason was calling me.
Maia was calling me.
"I am.
Say yes, and I'll take the CogniSynth today.
Takashi can send all the required documents.
I've already prepared everything."
Lie.
Again.
"Alright.
I'll do it because I trust you.
You know that, don't you?"
"I do."
"Send biweekly reports.
Don't disappoint me."
The lie—so heavy.
My shoulders dropped.
I signaled Takashi to meet me at the hospital.
Packed a backpack:
some clothes,
the letter and the items Maia had left.
I went to turn off the lights.
Stopped.
Looked around.
Slowly.
Until now, this had been my safe harbor.
My eyes moved to the window.
Cars flew through airways,
piercing clouds,
weaving between buildings.
That view rarely changed.
Just like me.
Anxiety flooded me.
Leaving my world… hurt.
My hands trembled as I reached for the door.
Maybe I'd close it for good.
Maybe I wouldn't come back.
I didn't want to think about that.
My heart was leading me to Maia.
I had to do this.
I wanted to do this.
Fearing I'd be pulled back —
I stepped out.
In the atrium, I greeted Andi and Pavel.
For the first time, Pavel smiled back.
A short smile.
Almost a flicker of warmth.
Seconds later, the subtle disdain returned.
Right.
Time to go.
I arrived at the hospital.
Takashi was waiting.
"Did you get the information I sent?"
"Yes. Are you really leaving?"
For the first time, uncertainty clouded his brown eyes.
I was too nervous to even try to read it.
"Come with me."
I led him to the office and retrieved the main CogniSynth prototype—a nanochip.
I synced the data to my biochip.
All memory analysis would be transmitted only to me and Takashi.
Anyone trying to access the research would be blocked.
"I'm sure. Now, I need to know."
I looked at him.
"Will you come with me?"
He ran a hand through his dark hair, hesitating.
"You're asking me to go with you?"
I frowned.
He'd always been pragmatic.
Always methodical.
But now… there was something else.
His eyes carried a softness—an unusual insecurity.
"Yes."
He blinked.
"I don't understand."
"Just say yes or no."
He paused.
"Yes."
He probably didn't grasp what it meant.
I didn't either.
Leaving my life behind unsettled me, but being near him felt familiar.
Still, my heart begged for something else.
For Maia.
I smiled.
Without thinking, I hugged Takashi.
"Let's go."
There was no turning back now.
My insides burned with worry.
Sweaty palms.
Breath stuck in my throat.
Takashi watched the landscape.
I remembered he'd never set foot outside Zenith.
I'd walked Centralia's streets plenty.
Takashi had never been with me.
Was he enjoying the view?
We arrived at the abandoned station—Iron Ruins.
Fear of the unknown flooded me.
I had no idea what to expect.
Rain soaked the grime.
Rust-stained walls, graffitied, filthy.
Deteriorated vehicles stacked in piles.
The smell of burnt-out, smoldering fires.
Whistling wind,
creaking metal,
shadowed air.
Just the two of us.
I input the coordinates.
We walked for ten minutes.
The convenience store appeared.
Broken windows.
Empty shelves.
Furniture overturned and covered in dust.
I stopped.
Peered through the shattered door.
"Akiko Akiyama?"
A sharp, deep voice echoed behind me.
I turned.
A short woman.
Grey eyes,
facial piercings,
earrings,
dark makeup.
She uncrossed her arms.
Wore a black Brazilian military uniform.
A red X stamped the flag on her shoulder.
Rolled-up sleeves revealed a mesh of stellar map tattoos.
A purple neon lioness roared on her neck, standing out from the others.
An android.
But different.
If not for the two subtle lines on her forehead, I'd think she was human.
"Yes. That's me.
Who are you?"
"Kiara."
She stepped closer.
Her presence was intimidating.
Takashi instinctively moved in front of me.
I frowned.
Was she really that dangerous?
"I couldn't access her nanosystem,"
he explained.
Androids usually shared basic data when near one another.
But she…
"Oh, so you were the one who tried yesterday?"
She chuckled.
"Takashi.
Serial number: 13246587.
Property of Akiko Akiyama.
You're good."
Kiara smirked.
"But my camouflage hack's better."
My heart skipped.
"Anyway…
I'm the android connected to Maia."
My breath caught.
Maia.
I pressed my fingers into my palm.
Held back the wave that tried to pull me under.
"It's alright, Takashi."
I touched his arm.
"Are you sure?"
I nodded.
Reluctantly, he stepped back.
"Better this way."
Kiara rolled her shoulders.
"If you're here, it means you accepted what Maia asked, right?"
She turned.
"Follow me. We're going somewhere else."
Her tone—dry. Direct.
Just like Maia's.
Takashi and I followed.
She stopped beside a black car.
Lilac neon glowed underneath.
Kiara climbed in.
The doors lifted for us.
"You're driving?"
I must've sounded incredulous.
I'd never seen a car with a steering wheel.
She nodded.
"Let's go. I don't have all day."
Hesitant, I got in.
Takashi followed.
Where was Maia taking me?
Whatever it was, I was going.
No questions.
No hesitation.
Time, place—none of it mattered.
I had to understand her universe.
I leaned my head against the window.
The city blurred.
Lights smeared.
And Maia…
Maia emerged in the closed corridors of my mind.
Memories.