Page 27 of Cyborg's Tether
“Xavier...” she said, her voice thick with sleep.
He turned, his expression softening slightly when he saw her. “You should rest. You’ve pushed yourself too hard.”
“I’m fine,” she said, though her body protested as she straightened in her chair. “We can’t afford to waste time.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but a sudden flash of light on his interface caught his attention. His cybernetic eye whirred as he focused on the screen. “Someone is accessing the Restricted Cybernetics Lab, and only a few are cleared to do so,” he said, his tone sharpening. “Admiral Zorn, the facility commander, and the head of research, but they’re all in their quarters.”
Her mouth went dry. “What? Who—?”
“Stay here,” he said, already moving toward the door. “I’ll handle it.”
Ignoring his warning, she jumped to her feet. She wasn’t going to let him face this alone. She trailed behind him through the research facility’s dim corridors. The soft hum of machinery filled the silence as they moved toward the Restricted Cybernetics Lab. Who would access it this late? And why?
He moved with quiet efficiency, his cybernetic eye glowing faintly in the darkness, scanning for any sign of danger. She inhaled deeply when they reached the lab. Xavier signaled for her to stay back, but she stepped forward. They had come too far for her to be sidelined now.
As they entered the lab, the figure hunched over the terminal was unmistakable.
“Dr. Vex?” Amaya’s voice cracked in disbelief.
Dr. Zara Vex, the woman who had mentored her, stood frozen for a moment before slowly turning to face them. Her expression was calm, but her eyes betrayed a flicker of panic.
Xavier stepped forward, positioning himself between Amaya and Dr. Vex. “You aren’t authorized access to this lab, so why are you here?”
Dr. Vex’s gaze shifted between them, calculating. “I could ask you the same question, but I suppose it’s too late for that now.”
Her stomach twisted as she looked at the woman she had admired for so long. “We found encrypted files,” she said, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and sadness. “They point to you. Are you behind the sabotage?”
For a moment, silence filled the room. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and then she let out a sigh. “It’s true. I’ve been working against the facility.”
Amaya’s breath hitched. Hearing it confirmed from Dr. Vex herself made it all too real. Xavier’s posture stiffened beside her, his processors whirring audibly in response.
“Why?” she asked, her voice breaking. “Why would you do this?”
Dr. Vex stepped away from the terminal, her movements slow and deliberate. “Because someone had to,” she said, her voice low but steady. “Someone had to stop them before it was too late.”
“Stop who?” asked Xavier, his tone even, but there was an edge of danger beneath it.
Dr. Vex’s eyes met Amaya’s, her expression softening for a brief moment before hardening again. “You don’t understand what’s happening here, Amaya. What they’re planning.”
Amaya shook her head, her confusion growing. “What are you talking about?”
“Project Guardian,” said Dr. Vex, her words dripping with disdain. “It sounds so bening, but it’s a covert program designed to implant control chips into cyborgs, turning them into slaves for high-ranking military officials. They’ll be used as a privatearmy—completely obedient, no free will, and no autonomy. Zorn is the mastermind behind it.”
Amaya’s heart sank. “Admiral Zorn? That’s impossible. He’s a respected leader—”
Dr. Vex cut her off with a bitter laugh. “Respected? He’s a power-hungry tyrant. He’s been orchestrating this for years, waiting for the right moment to seize control. For him, the cyborg program isn’t just about enhancing soldiers. It’s about creating an army he can control with the flick of a switch—or a single thought.”
Amaya’s mind raced, struggling to comprehend the enormity of what Dr. Vex was saying. She turned to Xavier, who stood rigid, his organic eye narrowing as he processed the information.
“How do we know you’re telling the truth?” he asked sharply. “This could be a fabrication to cover your tracks.”
Dr. Vex’s expression darkened. “You don’t have to believe me, but I have proof.” She reached into her coat and pulled out a small data chip. “Everything you need to know about Project Guardian is on this chip—schematics, communication logs, and evidence of Zorn’s involvement.”
Amaya’s hands shook as she took the chip from the doctor. She inserted it into her datapad, breathing harshly as the information flooded the screen. After several moments of analysis, she swallowed a lump in her throat to speak. “Xavier, it’s all here. She’s telling the truth.”
His gaze flicked to the screen, his organic pupil dilating as he absorbed the evidence. “If this is real, this is catastrophic.”
“Exactly,” said Dr. Vex, her voice weary. “That’s why I’ve been working to sabotage the facility. I couldn’t let them move forward with this plan.”