Nanopanels replicated the sky.
A surreal glow.
Photosynthetic pigments.
Solar and lunar cells lit the wide streets.
Holofacades.
Territories marked.
To the left, Solterra.
To the right, Vermina.
At the center, Tentro.
In the heart of Tentro, sleek cars filled the streets.
Elevated skyways.
Specialized commerce.
Implants.
External.
Subdermal.
We passed by pedestrians.
Eyes shifting colors.
Holohair flowing like liquid.
Metamorphic body parts.
Chromatic prosthetics reflecting adwares.
Multicolored holoflowers glowed from shopfronts.
Civilians.
Mercenaries.
Vendors.
Androids.
Unbothered—even those with contracts on their names.
Bounties exceeded millions of bireais.
"Impressive," I murmured, hypnotized.
Displays showcased wild animals—
augmented with prosthetics beyond the natural.
Other stores—
My eyes widened.
An android stripper boutique?
My jaw dropped.
I recoiled, flustered.
Humans.
Androids.
Entwined bodies.
Electric touches.
Artificial sighs.
I didn't know…
absolutely nothing about this world.
We crossed the avenue.
Food stalls.
Flavors from different countries.
Sweet and spicy aromas overwhelmed my senses.
We arrived at the stone of old São Paulo—a landmark now surrounded by shops, hotels, a cacophony of voices, ads, music.
"We need to see someone,"
Kiara whispered.
We entered an establishment.
A violet facade:
The Oneiric Oasis.
Soft mist shimmered under neon lights.
Interior blurred.
Pillows.
Scattered couches.
Cozy.
Dreamy.
Uninhibited individuals—some naked— drinking, drugged, blowing glittering vapors, tiny floating stars.
The sweet, cloying scent stuck to my skin.
We walked down a narrow corridor.
Explicit paintings.
Vibrant orgies on the walls.
The images pulsed.
Hard to look away.
Kiara opened a door without knocking.
A room filled with shelves.
Overflowing.
At the center— a table.
A cyborg.
Gill.
Behind them:
blond hair in a messy bun.
Shirt open.
Exposed torso.
Striped pink pants.
Lilac glasses—
pixelated, blinking in shifting patterns.
Fingers to lips.
They analyzed us with theatrical flair.
"Kiara."
We sat without ceremony.
Kiara showed the holopass.
"Hey, man.
Need a Sentinil.
She's meeting the Mother or Father for the first time.
Also need info on the thirteen-million contract."
A long sigh.
"The infamous contract.
Of course.
Let's start with the Sentinil.
I have exactly what she needs."
They opened a drawer.
A small vial.
Greenish liquid.
Handed it to Kiara.
"One drop under the tongue is enough."
"And the contract?"
She pressed.
"You didn't come all this way just to accelerate the Aurum's deadline, right?"
They raised a brow.
Kiara kept her expression steady.
"Came to rescind it."
She nodded.
"The termination clause is simple:
Kill the hirer."
Kill the hirer.
The words hit me.
Dry blow.
The air thickened—like all oxygen had vanished.
My stomach churned.
My vision blurred for a moment.
That was what it meant to rescind a contract?
Take a life?
What did that make me?
Agony bloomed in my chest.
"Who would that be?"
Kiara asked casually.
Gill let out a low chuckle.
"You think they'd tell you?
If you want details…
talk to one of them.
The Mother has a slot on the 20th.
Want to book it?"
Kiara nodded.
Gill picked up a pen.
A thick notebook.
Tiny, meticulous handwriting.
"Great.
Monday, 5:30 PM.
Booked."
"Cool."
Kiara stood.
Pocketed the vial.
"Thanks."
Gill stared at us in silence.
We stepped out.
"We'll have to stay here until then,"
Kiara said, looking around.
"Let's explore a bit.
Get you familiar.
Doesn't have to be now.
I'll book a room."
I smiled.
Felt a bit more at ease.
I'd have to get used to it.
This place—
an alternate universe.
Kiara looked so comfortable, as if every detail made perfect sense to her, even as she scanned the surroundings with care.
I wanted to trust.
But the more this world revealed itself, the more lost I felt.
She returned the smile.
A rare moment of softness.
"Booked."
She said.
"Maybe you'd like to rest."
I nodded, eager.
Fatigue finally catching up to me.
We reached the lobby.
Verdant Suites.
Modern.
Clean.
Beige walls.
Porcelain floors reflected our silhouettes.
Real plants hung from the ceiling.
Pots meticulously arranged exuded a welcoming sensation.
Surprisingly elegant—something that could've belonged to Zenith.
An Technological Essence (TE) greeted us.
"Kiara, good to see you."
A cordial voice.
"Your room on the 25th floor is ready."
The room was spacious.
A wide living area.
Comfortable couches.
A pristine double bed.
Wall-embedded virtual reality connector.
A glowing jacuzzi tub.
"You can take off the mask,"
Kiara instructed.
I did, inhaling deeply.
The scent of fresh plants.
Vanilla.
Cookies from the kitchenette.
Revitalizing, as if the air itself had been purified of tension.
"Make yourself at home.
I'll run some scans."
I didn't hesitate.
Threw myself onto the bed, sinking into its softness.
Kiara removed her coat.
More relaxed now—but still distant.
Her arms revealed intricate tattoos, lines that seemed to move under the light, stories of distant galaxies.
Beautiful.
Enigmatic.
Like her.
My hands itched to ask.
What did those star maps mean?
But it didn't feel like the right time.
Kiara didn't seem open to sharing anything about herself.
That's when I noticed something unpleasant.
A sour smell.
I sniffed my armpit.
"I'm taking a shower."
I laughed at myself.
As the tub filled, my skin itched.
The smell of dust, blood, fear clung to my clothes.
Clung to me.
I searched for the express washer.
Needed to deal with the filthy clothes.
The uniform and Maia's items were caked in grime.
I removed everything carefully.
The watch.
The compass.
Saymon.
How did he know about them?
Why did he want them?
More importantly…
Why did Maia leave them with me?
Each question—
a tightening knot.
I slipped into the tub.
Exhaled.
The hot water poured over me, and for a moment,
I thought maybe it could wash everything away.
"Ahh, that's so good."
I closed my eyes.
Tried to relax—but flashes invaded me.
The horrors of Nobody's Land.
Saymon's predatory aura.
My concern for Alícia.
It gnawed at me.
I needed to know.
The CogniSynth should be active by now.
If it could access memories from twenty years ago, we could reverse half of Alzheimer's.
Takashi and Liana would know what to do.
Or at least, I hoped.
Kiara said she wouldn't speak to him again.
She feared tracking.
Our location exposed.
"It'll work," I whispered, trying to convince myself.
"Ugh, this is agonizing."
I splashed water on my face.
"How did Kiara install that nanocryptography in Takashi?
Androids aren't built for that.
Argh.
The more I learn, the less I know."
Memories of Nobody's Land returned.
A terrible nausea.
The children…
The brutal execution…
Cron and Kiara.
Just another day for them.
But not for me.
It wasn't normal.
It couldn't be normal.
It wasn't just another death.
It was murder—coldly executed.
I was trying to save lives.
They took them as if they meant nothing.
My head throbbed.
Too many emotions.
I was definitely not ready for the unpredictability of this journey.
"Was this your universe, Maia?"
I whispered to the void.
Maybe it was just a fragment.
A tiny piece of her vastness.
But right now, I needed to push those memories aside.
It wasn't time—not to face them, not to talk to Kiara.
I closed my eyes.
Tried to hold on to something good.
Maia.
Inevitably, her memories spilled into me.