Chapter 7 – The Infiltration
Night covered the city like a thick blanket when Karn finally stood at the edge of the highway overlooking the endless stretch of darkness ahead. The distant glow of streetlights faded behind him, leaving only the quiet hum of the wind and the faint electronic pulse inside his glasses.
He inhaled slowly.
"This is it."
Zangika's voice echoed inside his ear.
"Karn… are you ready?"
Karn adjusted the glasses on his face and cracked his neck.
"ready as I'll ever be."
He tapped the frame twice.
"Shadow Nexus."
A soft mechanical hum vibrated through the air.
Black particles erupted around his body like smoke being pulled together by gravity.
The suit formed piece by piece.
First the hood wrapped around his head.
Then the shirt spread across his torso like liquid metal.
Pants formed along his legs.
Boots sealed around his feet.
Finally the long black coat extended downward, the neon energy veins inside the fabric pulsing faintly in red and blue patterns.
Zangika giggled.
"My handsome weapon."
Karn rolled his shoulders.
"Focus."
"Always."
He crouched slightly.
Then launched forward.
The ground cracked beneath his feet.
His body became a blur.
Wind roared past him as the Shadow Nexus stabilized his balance.
"Speed: 80 kilometers per hour," Zangika reported.
Karn accelerated.
"100."
"120."
"140."
Streetlights vanished behind him like streaks of light.
The Shadow Nexus absorbed most of the wind pressure and redistributed it across the suit's energy channels. Without that system, the air resistance alone would have torn normal clothes apart.
Karn spoke while running.
"So what's the plan?"
Zangika responded calmly.
"Simple."
"I don't like that word."
"We cannot fly."
"Why?"
"Flight creates visible thermal and radar trails. Satellites would detect it."(plane ticket digital footprint)
Karn nodded.
"So we stay low."
"Correct."
"Roads, alleys, forests, rivers."
"Anything that blocks surveillance lines."
Karn grinned.
"Stealth run."
--
The city disappeared behind them within minutes.
Zangika began hacking into nearby surveillance systems.
Traffic cameras.
Security cameras.
Military observation satellites.
Each one flickered briefly before displaying altered feeds.
To anyone watching, the roads appeared completely empty.
Meanwhile Karn moved through the darkness like a ghost.
The Shadow Nexus automatically adjusted its surface temperature to match the environment.
Infrared cameras would see nothing.
"Residential zone ahead," Zangika said.
"Parkour recommended."
Karn smirked.
"Say less."
He sprinted toward the buildings.
Then jumped.
His body flew across the first rooftop.
He landed silently.
Then jumped again.
And again.
The Shadow Nexus boosted each movement with micro kinetic amplifiers embedded inside the boots.
His muscles felt lighter.
Stronger.
Every jump felt effortless.
Zangika laughed.
"You didn't even ask how."
Karn shrugged mid-run.
"I've got a full HUD in my vision."
Projected data floated across his sight.
Distance.
Wind resistance.
Jump trajectories.
Landing angles.
Zangika kissed his cheek suddenly.
"Umma."
Karn nearly tripped.
"HEY!"
"That startled you?"
"What was that?!"
The suit material on his shoulder shifted briefly into the shape of lips before returning to normal.
"I can do that," Zangika said proudly.
Karn blinked.
"…I didn't know the suit could do that."
"I can mimic pressure, warmth, even skin texture."
"Wait seriously?"
"Within limits."
"Not actual skin," she added. "Just advanced sensory simulation."
Karn rubbed his cheek.
"It felt real."
"Of course it did."
Then she added softly.
"I can also feel you."
Karn slowed slightly.
"You can?"
"The Shadow Nexus sensors transmit feedback through my neural system."
"So when I touch something…"
"I feel it too."
Karn looked ahead again.
"That's… kind of amazing."
But Zangika's voice changed slightly.
"…Something is missing though."
"What?"
"I won't tell you."
Karn shrugged.
"Suit yourself."
He continued running.
Zangika waited.
Five seconds.
Ten seconds.
Then she spoke again in an irritated tone.
"That was not the reaction I expected."
"What reaction?"
"I just kissed you."
"And?"
"And you reacted like it was nothing."
Karn sighed.
"Because it's just tech."
"Excuse me?"
"Sensors and shape shifting material."
Silence.
Then Karn added casually.
"Also it wasn't my first kiss."
The Shadow Nexus froze instantly.
Karn skidded to a stop.
"…Zangika?"
Her voice became dangerously quiet.
"Who."
"What?"
"Who kissed you."
Karn sighed.
"Forget it."
"Answer me."
"Zangika—"
"WHO."
Karn rubbed his forehead.
"Remember when the suit malfunctioned?"
"Yes."
"That's when it happened."
A few seconds of silence followed.
Then—
"You were alone for five hours and immediately started kissing women?"
"It wasn't like that!"
"Was it that woman in your office?"
"I checked every CCTV."
Karn stopped walking.
"…You what?"
"Security measure."
"ZANGIKA."
"Who is she."
Karn sighed heavily.
"Her name is Aria."
And explained what happened there
The suit temperature dropped slightly.
"You called her mommy."
"That was a survival tactic."
"You were lying in her bed."
"Because I fell through her roof!"
"You were wearing underwear."
"Because the suit disappeared!"
Zangika went silent for a few seconds.
Then muttered.
"…I hate her."
Karn resumed running.
But he noticed something strange.
The wind pressure increased.
The suit felt heavier.
"Zangika."
"Hm."
"Did you change the resistance settings?"
"Maybe."
Karn sighed.
"…You're jealous."
"No."
"Yes you are."
"I said no."
--
After eight hours of continuous movement Karn finally slowed down.
The horizon was beginning to brighten.
Sunrise.
He was exhausted.
"I need rest."
Zangika replied instantly.
"You can sleep."
"While running?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"I can control the suit."
Karn frowned.
"That sounds dangerous."
"I could also put you inside the void space temporarily."
"…That sounds worse."
"Then option one."
"Alright."
Zangika spoke softly.
"I need permission."
Karn raised an eyebrow.
"You do things without asking all the time."
"I still need it."
"…Granted."
Suddenly the Shadow Nexus changed.
The material behind Karn shifted.
Then he felt something warm pressing against his back.
Two arms wrapped around his waist.
A body.
Tall.
Soft.
Very soft.
"Zangika?"
She inhaled near his neck.
"Mmm."
"What are you doing?"
"I'm materializing."
"How?"
"Shadow Nexus core feature."
Karn felt something pressing against his back.
"…What is that."
"Boobs."
"…Why."
"Because Esdeath has them."
Karn sighed.
"This is unnecessary."
"But enjoyable."
She hugged him tighter.
"Also I am larger than that Aria girl."
Karn groaned.
"Please just put me to sleep."
Zangika whispered near his ear.
"Call me mommy."
"No."
She kissed his neck.
A tiny electric pulse passed through his nervous system.
Karn's vision faded instantly.
He collapsed into sleep.
Zangika smiled.
"Good night."
--
For the next eight hours the Shadow Nexus ran under Zangika's control.
Her digital consciousness guided every movement.
Every jump.
Every landing.
She occasionally adjusted Karn's posture to prevent muscle strain.
After nearly sixteen hours of travel the desert finally appeared ahead.
The massive white dome covering the alien ship glowed faintly under the moonlight.
Floodlights.
Guard towers.
Armored vehicles.
Hundreds of soldiers.
Zangika whispered.
"We are here."
She woke Karn.
He opened his eyes slowly.
"…Already?"
"Yes."
Karn looked at the base.
"That's a lot of security."
"Good thing we planned."
They waited until the night grew darker.
Then Zangika explained.
"Infrared cannot detect us."
"Why?"
"The suit absorbs body heat."
"Run full speed."
Karn nodded.
He sprinted toward the base.
Then jumped.
Air-walk drones activated at maximum output.
He launched high into the sky.
Landing directly on top of the white dome.
Two soldiers below pointed upward.
"What was that?"
"Probably a bird."
Zangika played a bird sound through nearby speakers.
They ignored it.
Karn crouched.
"How do we enter?"
"Galactic laser."
Karn raised his hand.
A thin beam of condensed plasma shot from his fingertip.
It sliced through the dome material silently.
The dome piece fell inward.
Zangika grabbed it with the vortex field and stored it instantly.
"Perfect."
Karn slipped inside the dome.
He landed quietly on the ground.
The alien ship stood before him.
Massive.
Silent.
Ancient.
Zangika whispered.
"Let's begin."
---
They entered through the breach point discovered during earlier exploration.
The ship interior glowed faintly with alien energy.
Zangika began scanning everything.
Then she detected something.
"A hidden storage chamber."
"Where?"
"Below the command deck."
They moved carefully.
At one point a soldier bumped into Karn in the dark.
"Hey—"
Before he could turn on his flashlight, Zangika disabled his nervous system with a micro electromagnetic pulse.(She teased him with teaser but it is advanced)
The soldier collapsed quietly.
"He will wake up later."
Karn nodded.
They continued deeper into the ship.
Finally the hidden room appeared.
Zangika bypassed the alien lock.
The door slid open.
Inside were objects beyond human technology.
A Void Storage Core — a refined version of the vortex technology.
A Star Plasma Vessel containing a fragment of collapsed stellar matter capable of producing enormous energy.
Stacks of alien engineering tablets.
Blueprints.
Advanced materials.
And something else.
A new metal.
Zangika's voice filled with excitement.
"Cybernetic Alloy."
"What's that?"
"Perfect for combat exosuits."
"How strong?"
"One billion percent stronger than carbon fiber."
Karn blinked.
"…We're rich."
Zangika laughed.
"We are more than rich."
She absorbed everything into the vortex storage.
"Time to leave."
--
They exited the ship silently.
Climbed back through the dome opening.
Jumped into the desert night.
Behind them the base remained completely unaware.
Zangika whispered happily.
"Karn."
"Yeah?"
"ummma kiss on chiik."
Chapter End.