The faint glow shimmered across the room, reflecting in Saul's weary eyes. He sat frozen for a moment, still trying to understand if he was awake or trapped in another hallucination. The blue light pulsed once, fading gently against the walls until only a faint outline of translucent script hovered above his palm.He turned to his dog, sitting nearby. "Tuffy… can you see this?" Saul asked softly.The old dog tilted his head, gave a confused little whine, and wagged his tail. To him, there was nothing strange. His cloudy eyes blinked, old and tired, yet trusting as always.Saul sighed. "So, it's just me then." He reached out, trying to touch the screen, but his hand passed through it. The gentle hum returned the same voice as before. It spoke clearly, smooth and distant."I am Project Alrec. A creation of Doctor Daniel Frost."Saul's heart skipped. The name froze him completely. Doctor Frost the man whose research he had admired for years, the scientist who had pushed the boundaries of human evolution before vanishing decades ago. His papers were rare, partly banned. "Doctor Frost?" Saul whispered. "Yes," the voice replied simply.He blinked, overwhelmed. "Then… how can I hear you? What are you doing inside me?" His voice trembled."For simplicity," Alrec explained, "you are not hearing me through sound. Billions of microscopic bio-particles are now linked to your neurological and auditory systems. They connect your brain to me. It is through these that you perceive my voice, see your status, and channel electricity through your body."Saul stared at his hands. The faint traces of lightning still tingled beneath his skin. "So that's how I did it… that's how I killed that thing.""You did not kill it," Alrec corrected calmly. "I activated a survival protocol through your nervous system. You are adapting."He exhaled slowly, leaning back against his bed frame, feeling Tuffy's head rest against his foot. The world outside was quiet. "Can I call you Alrec?" he asked after a long pause."Yes," it replied. "Names provide stability during psychological adjustment."Saul gave a tired smile. "Stability, huh? Well, I think we both need some of that."They spoke for a while longer. Saul asked question after question where the particles came from, who had injected them, whether he was now a mutant. He didn't know everything, but what he did know pointed back to one man Doctor Frost. Whoever had placed this system inside Saul had done so for a reason.By the time the conversation quieted, exhaustion overtook him. The adrenaline faded, leaving only calm. He lay on his bed, facing the ceiling, as Tuffy curled beside him.Saul's last thought before drifting away was a strange peace like the world itself had briefly stopped turning. Then the gentle rhythm of Tuffy's breathing carried him into sleep.
