Blue light enveloped Ethan's body like a layer of life.
Not just a reflection from the core.
But originating from within himself.
His eyes were open.
Glowing.
Yet not empty.
There was something there.
deeper than mere human consciousness.
Daniel stepped back half a pace.
"Ethan…?" his voice was uncertain.
Leonard Graves did not move.
His gaze was sharp.
Assessing.
Measuring.
Richard Blackwood stood right in front of Ethan.
They were only a few steps apart.
Close enough to see the changes clearly.
"How much of you is still left?" he asked flatly.
Silence hung in the air.
A few seconds passed.
Then.
Ethan replied,
"Enough."
His voice was calm.
But there was another echo behind it.
Like two frequencies speaking at once.
Daniel swallowed.
"That doesn't sound reassuring…"
Ethan did not turn around.
His gaze remained fixed on the core.
Or perhaps
on something no one else could see.
"I can see everything now," he said softly.
Leonard raised an eyebrow.
"That's usually not good news."
Ethan continued,
"This network isn't just here."
He lifted his hand slightly.
The light around the core pulsed in time with his movement.
"It spreads… to the city… to other facilities… even to places we haven't found yet."
Daniel immediately pulled out his device.
Data began to appear.
Signal surges.
Many points.
Too many.
"He's right…" he whispered.
Richard did not look surprised.
As if he had already suspected it.
"How long until everything is fully active?"
Ethan was silent for a moment.
As if calculating something invisible.
"Less than twelve hours."
The silence immediately turned tense.
Leonard let out a long breath.
"Alright. That's way faster than I was hoping for."
Daniel shook his head.
"We don't have that much time!"
Ethan finally turned around.
His gaze settled on each of them in turn.
As if assessing.
As if confirming something.
"There's a way to stop it," he said.
Richard immediately asked,
"What is it?"
Ethan took a deep breath.
"I have to take full control of this core."
Daniel froze.
"Aren't you already doing that?"
Ethan shook his head slightly.
"Not yet."
He took one step closer to the core.
The light around him grew brighter.
"This… will be integration."
Leonard crossed his arms.
"Sounds like you'll stop being yourself."
Ethan did not deny it.
Because he knew
it was most likely true.
Richard stared at him sharply.
"The risks."
Not a question.
But an order to explain.
Ethan answered without hesitation,
"I may not be able to come back."
Daniel spoke at once,
"No. We'll find another way."
Ethan looked at him.
"There is none."
His voice was not loud.
But firm.
"If this network becomes fully active, nothing can stop it from the outside."
Leonard let out a slow breath.
"Always the lovely choice die for the world."
Daniel looked at Ethan.
His face was full of conflict.
"We can evacuate… we can warn others…"
Ethan shook his head.
"Not fast enough."
He looked at the core.
"This isn't a local threat."
He looked back at Daniel.
"It's global."
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Leaving no room for denial.
Richard finally spoke,
"If you do this… will you control all the nodes?"
Ethan nodded.
"For some time."
Leonard raised an eyebrow.
"Some time?"
Ethan replied,
"Until the system adjusts itself."
Daniel whispered,
"And after that…?"
Ethan did not answer immediately.
Because he knew the answer.
"After that… I don't know."
Silence returned.
But this time—
colder.
More real.
Richard stepped closer.
Just one step.
But enough to show his decision.
"If this is the only way…"
he paused for a moment.
"…then do it."
Daniel immediately turned around.
"Are you serious?!"
Richard did not look away.
"We have no other choice."
Leonard nodded slightly.
"I hate to admit it… but he's right."
Daniel looked at the two of them.
Disbelieving.
Then back at Ethan.
"You don't have to do this alone."
Ethan smiled faintly.
A small smile.
But sincere.
"This isn't something that can be shared."
He stepped closer to the core.
The light now covered almost his entire body.
"I'm the one connected to it."
He raised his hand.
"So I'm the one who has to finish it."
Daniel clenched his fists.
But could not say anything more.
Because deep inside
he knew.
Ethan was right.
Leonard looked at Ethan.
"If you turn into something weird… I'll feel really guilty."
His joking tone was still there.
But this time
it sounded heavier.
Ethan glanced aside.
"Keep them alive."
Leonard nodded.
Without a word.
Richard stood tall.
His gaze unwavering.
"We'll wait."
Ethan did not reply.
He turned back to face the core.
The blue light was now pulsing faster.
As if responding to his decision.
He took a deep breath.
Once.
Deep.
Then
he stepped forward.
His body passed through the layer of light.
No explosion.
No loud noise.
But the light immediately engulfed him.
The entire room changed.
Vibrations intensified.
The structure shook.
Daniel almost lost his balance.
"It's not stable!"
Leonard shouted,
"Hold your position!"
Richard remained standing.
His eyes locked on the core.
Inside the light
Ethan's silhouette was still visible.
But slowly
it faded.
As if merging with the energy.
Daniel stared with wide eyes.
"We're losing him…"
Leonard did not reply.
Richard remained silent.
But his jaw tightened.
The light reached its peak.
Bright.
Dazzling.
Then
in one instant
everything stopped.
Silent.
Total.
The light dimmed.
Vibrations vanished.
The air stabilized again.
Daniel slowly opened his eyes.
Looking at the core.
The blue light was still there.
But different.
Calmer.
More… controlled.
Leonard let out a long breath.
"Did… did it work?"
No one answered immediately.
Because in the center of the core—
Ethan was gone.
Only light.
And silence.
But
a voice sounded.
Soft.
Yet clear.
From within the core.
"I'm here."
Daniel immediately turned around.
"Ethan?!"
The light in the core pulsed gently.
As a response.
Richard looked at it.
His gaze deep.
"Can you still hear us?"
A few seconds passed.
Then
the answer came.
"For now."
Silence fell once more.
But this time
different.
Not from fear.
But because they all knew.
Ethan was still there.
But no longer entirely the same.
And what he had just done.
Had changed everything.