Ethan couldn't shake the weight of the message.
"Lena knows where to start."
The words echoed in his mind long after he left the shop. The city of Nexara pulsed around him, neon lights reflecting off rain-slicked streets as he navigated through the crowded night. Hover-cars zipped past overhead, and holographic ads shimmered in the damp air, projecting promises of genetic enhancements to anyone willing to pay the price.
Ethan's mind, however, was elsewhere. The visions had left a mark—one that was growing stronger by the minute. The knowledge he had glimpsed, the fragmented memories of Dr. Daniel Crowe, didn't feel distant anymore. It was becoming... instinct.
And if the message was right, Lena knew something.
When Ethan finally reached her apartment, he hesitated. His fingers hovered over the biometric scanner beside the door. He'd known Lena for years—ever since they were kids navigating Nexara's underbelly—but tonight felt different. His gut told him she wasn't just a friend anymore.
She was part of the puzzle.
The door slid open, and Lena's sharp green eyes met his. "Ethan?" Her voice was laced with concern. "You okay?"
"Not really," Ethan muttered, stepping inside.
Lena's apartment was cluttered with tech—holo-displays scattered across the walls, data pads strewn over her desk, and half-finished prototypes blinking quietly in the corner. She was a hacker by trade, but her talent went far beyond simple systems. She could break into anything given enough time.
"Talk to me," she said, closing the door.
Ethan hesitated for a moment, then told her everything. The headaches. The visions. The memories that didn't belong to him. And finally, the message.
When he finished, Lena's expression had shifted from concern to something closer to fear.
"Ethan..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"You know something, don't you?" Ethan pressed, his eyes narrowing.
Lena exhaled slowly, running a hand through her hair. "I didn't want to drag you into this," she murmured, her gaze distant. "But if you're seeing Crowe's memories... it's already too late."
Ethan's heart pounded. "What do you mean?"
Lena turned to her desk, pulling up a holo-display with a series of encrypted files. She tapped a few commands, and a familiar sequence of numbers and symbols flashed across the screen.
Ethan's eyes widened. He recognized the code. It was the same formula he'd seen in his visions.
"This... this is Crowe's work," Ethan murmured.
Lena nodded, her expression grim. "Crowe didn't just develop the Gene Codex. He discovered something HelixCorp didn't want anyone to know." She paused, her fingers hovering over the console. "Genetic Echoes."
Ethan's pulse quickened. "I've heard that term in my visions. What is it?"
Lena's eyes met his. "It's more than just inheriting traits or abilities. Genetic Echoes allow memories—knowledge, instincts—to be passed down. Crowe didn't just unlock a way to enhance genes... he found a way to embed consciousness within them."
Ethan's mind reeled. "You're saying... I'm not just seeing Crowe's memories. I'm..."
"You're becoming him," Lena finished softly.
The words hit Ethan like a punch to the gut. His hands clenched at his sides. "Why would HelixCorp hide this?"
Lena's jaw tightened. "Because if people knew they could inherit more than just abilities... if they knew they could access the knowledge of their ancestors... HelixCorp wouldn't be able to control them anymore."
Ethan's thoughts raced. It all made sense now—the secrecy, the pursuit. HelixCorp wasn't protecting a breakthrough.
They were hiding a threat.
"Crowe knew they'd come after him," Lena continued. "That's why he disappeared. But before he vanished, he left behind a failsafe." She tapped another command, and a new file appeared on the holo-display.
Coordinates.
"Crowe's last known location," Lena said softly. "If you want answers... this is where we start."
Ethan's jaw clenched. "We?"
Lena gave him a small, determined smile. "You didn't think I'd let you do this alone, did you?"
Ethan's heart pounded as he looked at the coordinates flashing on the screen. The answers he'd been searching for were within reach. But so was danger.
HelixCorp wouldn't let them get that far.
Ethan glanced at Lena, her resolve mirroring his own. Whatever lay ahead, they would face it together.
"Let's find the truth," he said, his voice steady.
Lena nodded. "Let's do this."
As the holo-display dimmed, Ethan felt the weight of the moment settle over him. The past was catching up to him. But this time, he wasn't running.
This time, he was ready to fight.
---