Chapter 8: When They Arrived

Chapter 8: When They Arrived Four black drones hovered above the street. Smooth, silent, and armed. Behind them rolled two armored vehicles with silver NovaCore logos on their sides. They stopped right at the edge of the Westside lot. Six figures stepped out. All wore sleek black suits with glowing chest plates. Their boots thudded against the pavement like warning drums. At the front stood a tall man in a grey jacket. No helmet. Clean-shaven. His name badge read: Director Mason. He looked around slowly. Then raised a scanner and pointed it at the building. The AI Apartment Block lit up briefly in response. Smart windows shimmered. Data flowed silently inside the walls. The building was alive—and the system was fully linked to it. "Lock all exits," Mason ordered. His voice was sharp, emotionless. Jaden and the team stood on the roof, watching. Carl handed Jaden a headset. "Talk to them. This is your project." Jaden’s heart pounded. He placed the earpiece in and connected to the public broadcast channel. "This is private property," Jaden said. His voice cracked, but he spoke again, stronger. "You don’t have clearance to enter." Mason’s voice came through cold and clear. "You’re using unauthorized system technology. Surrender it, and there will be no issue." "It’s not yours to take." "You’re not licensed to use city infrastructure. That building is operating on high-level code beyond your clearance." "Because your company locked everyone out," Jaden replied. "You left the slums to rot while you built towers for the rich." There was a pause. "You’ve made an enemy of NovaCore," Mason said. Jaden didn’t flinch. "Then so be it." The drones started to descend. Luke tapped furiously on his console. "They’re trying to override the AI system!" Jaden opened the System Core Upgrade Module he earned from completing the project. Install Module Now? Bonus: Firewall Shield, System Lock, Auto-Repair AI Install Time: 60 Seconds "Do it," Jaden whispered. The system began installing. Shield Installation: 12%... 27%... 44%... Rick and Emma stood ready at the front door. Sarah and Marcus blocked the stairways inside. A loud BZZZT echoed—the drones fired warning pulses. One struck the wall near the garden. Tiles exploded into pieces. "Thirty seconds!" Luke shouted. Carl looked down at the NovaCore team, then at Jaden. "What happens when this shield is up?" "They won’t be able to touch the system again," Jaden said. "Not unless they destroy the whole building." Carl smirked. "They’ll have to go through all of us first." Shield Installation: 98%... 100% System Core Secured Firewall Active – Unauthorized Access Blocked The drones froze. The interface blinked green. NovaCore’s override attempt failed. Director Mason stared at the building, expressionless. Then turned to his men. "Stand down." "But sir—" "I said stand down. It’s locked now." He looked up once more at Jaden. "This isn’t over." And just like that, they left. The drones lifted into the air. The trucks rolled back. Within minutes, the lot was quiet again. Jaden collapsed into a seat on the rooftop, breathing hard. Carl laughed softly. "Congratulations, Architect. You just stood up to the biggest tech company in the region." "And won," Emma added. Jaden looked out across the city. His city. And he wasn’t done yet. Next Main Quest Unlocked: Urban Grid Revival Mission: Power 3 Slum Sectors with Modular Energy Systems Bonus: Command Center Blueprint + Map Expansion Tools Jaden stood slowly. The fight had just begun.