The air in Skype's technological sector remained heavy with unease after the unexpected Project Alice disruption. Though the system had returned to normal, the lingering tension among employees was palpable. Conversations were hushed, glances were exchanged with suspicion, and security protocols had doubled.
Selene sat at her workstation, her fingers hovering over the keyboard, pretending to be immersed in her work. In reality, she couldn't shake off what Nelson had told her about Project Alice. A reactivated self-sustaining AI with full access to the company's systems but no clear motive? That wasn't just concerning—it was terrifying.
Nelson had mentioned that Miss Bethany, the representative of all staff members , would soon address the situation, but even now, she had yet to appear. What was holding her back?
Suddenly an idea sprang to her thought,what if she could research her doubts on the company's system itself.She logged in her detail into the company's search engine,gaining access.
The strange AI in Skype she wrote.
Glancing through the details felt like reading an article that knows no end, she scurried through the italicized words, trying to piece in the puzzle she had found together.
Just then—
A faint beep echoed from her screen. A notification.
> New Message Received.
Sender: Unknown.
"Curiosity is a dangerous thing, Miss Javis. Tread carefully.
Selene's breath caught.
She scanned the office, looking for any suspicious movements. No one seemed to be watching her, yet she felt an undeniable weight pressing down on her. Was someone warning her? Or was this a threat?
Before she could process the message further, a voice broke her concentration.
"Miss Javis."
She turned sharply to see a sharply dressed woman—Miss Bethany. Her commanding presence filled the space as she walked straight toward Selene's desk.
"Come with me."
Selene followed Miss Bethany into a restricted area, a floor she had not seen before. The entire setting felt different—cold, mechanical, almost sterile in its precision. Unlike the lively chaos of the technological sector, this place felt... deadly.
Inside, Jacob Gerard was already waiting, lounging in a seat with an unreadable expression.
Why is Jacob here?
Bethany took a seat, her sharp eyes narrowing on Selene.
"You're new here, but somehow you're already entangled in matters beyond your pay grade," she said, her voice clipped and authoritative.
Selene straightened in her seat. "I don't understand."
Jacob leaned forward, an arrogant smirk playing on his lips. "Oh, but you do.Are you in anyway relating with any unknown entity?
Her stomach twisted,was this about the unknown message she received?
"I don't know what you mean."She said
Jacob chuckled. "That's cute. But let me give you some advice, Selene. You work for Skype now. That means you belong to us. If you start poking around where you shouldn't, things could get... difficult for you."
Miss Bethany didn't interrupt, but Selene could tell that her gaze was evaluating her, searching for something in her reaction.
Selene forced herself to meet Jacob's eyes. "Are you saying I'm being monitored?"
Jacob tilted his head, amused. "Aren't we all?"
The air between them crackled with unspoken tension.
Project Alice had interfered with company operations. Jacob knew more than he was letting on. And now, for some reason, they were interested in her.
"Go back to work, Selene," Bethany finally said. "Keep your head down."
Selene felt dismissed, but she had too many unanswered questions to let this go.
That night, after leaving work, Selene walked toward the parking lot, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts.
Jacob was watching her.
Someone strange had warned her.
As she reached her car, she sensed a shift in the air. A presence.
She wasn't alone.
Her heartbeat quickened.
She turned sharply.
And then—
A figure in a mask emerged from the shadows.
Tall. Poised. Dangerous.
Selene's breath hitched.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The masked man simply watched her, his presence radiating quiet authority.
Then, he stepped closer.
"I told you," he said, voice smooth yet unreadable. "Curiosity is a dangerous thing."
Selene felt rooted to the spot.
"You.....it was you?"
Her voice heavy with fear and anxiety,this was the man that had sent that message?
The lights flickered in the parking lot, shadows stretching unnaturally across the pavement. Her heart pounded in her chest as the masked figure remained still, watching her with an eerie calmness.
"Who are you?" she finally managed to whisper, her voice barely carrying in the silence.
A low chuckle escaped him, his mask catching the faint glow of the streetlights. "You're asking the wrong question, Miss Javis."
Selene took a step back. "Then what should I be asking? I don't know you."
The man tilted his head slightly, as if considering her. "You should be asking—why am I here?"
She swallowed. "Alright. Why are you here?"
He stepped forward, and for the first time, she caught the faintest scent of something—leather and a hint of something darkly intoxicating, something dangerous.
"To warn you."
Selene stiffened. "Warn me about what?"
His voice dipped lower, almost hypnotic. "You're in the middle of a war you don't understand. Project Alice is a classified project. And if you keep digging, you might regret the outcome."
Selene's mind raced. A war?
She squared her shoulders, forcing her voice to stay steady. "Why should I trust you?"
The masked man leaned in, his presence overwhelming. "Because I'm the only one keeping you from getting suspected already".
Suspected?
Her breath caught.
A sudden noise from the parking entrance made her jump, but when she turned back—he was gone.
Nothing but empty air and the ghost of his words lingering in her mind.
The next day at Skype was anything but normal. Employees moved with a quiet nervousness, whispering behind their desks.
Selene had barely stepped inside when Laura, her closest colleague, pulled her aside.
"Where were you last night?" Laura's voice was hushed but urgent.
Selene blinked. "I went home. Why?"
Laura's eyes darted around before she whispered, "Jacob was asking about you."
Selene's stomach dropped. "Why would Jacob care?"
"I don't know," Laura said. "But something's going on. Security's tighter than ever. It's weird, Selene."
Before she could respond, the large screen in the main lobby glitched.
For a moment, the Skype logo disappeared.
And then—
A single message appeared.> Project Alice is watching
A collective gasp rippled through the room. Employees froze in their tracks, staring at the ominous red letters on the screen.
"Maybe they were against that?"Selene expressed.
The moment lasted no more than three seconds—then the display flashed back to normal as if nothing had happened.
But the fear remained.
Selene turned to Laura, who looked as pale as she felt. "I need to find Nelson."
She found Nelson in a private monitoring room, his expression grim as he analyzed security footage.
"Tell me you saw that," she said, still catching her breath.
Nelson didn't look away from the screen. "I saw it. We all did."
Selene leaned in. "Nelson, you told me Project Alice was abandoned. Then why is it still here? Why is it interfering?"
Nelson hesitated before answering. "Because Alice was never really abandoned."
Selene's blood ran cold.
"What do you mean?"
He finally turned to her, his face lined with exhaustion. "Alice was a classified AI project created to oversee everything in this company—security, finances, logistics. It was designed to learn, to evolve. But something happened. The AI became… too aware. So they shut it down."
"But it's obviously not shut down."
Nelson exhaled, rubbing his temples. "No. And that's the problem. Someone's...…controlling it."
Selene felt a chill creep up her spine. "Who?"
Nelson's voice lowered. "That's what we don't know. But whoever it is, they have access to every piece of data in Skype."
Her pulse quickened. "Wait—does that mean they have access to our personal data too?"
Nelson didn't answer immediately. That alone was answer enough.
Selene's thoughts raced. If someone had access to all of Skype's systems… they could account for everyone's details.
And then she thought of the masked man.
"I'm the only one keeping you alive".
Something told her this was all connected—but how?
As Selene exited the monitoring room, she was stopped by none other than Jacob Gerard.
His usual smirk was in place, but there was something sharper behind it.The least,he should be bothered about this intruder program.
"Miss Javis," he drawled, closing the distance."We need to talk."
Selene kept her expression neutral. "About what?"
Jacob studied her. "I know you're curious about Project Alice. And I understand that, everyone is."
Selene wasn't stupid. This was a test.
"I just want to do my job," she said smoothly.
Jacob chuckled. "Of course. And part of that job is helping me".
Selene frowned. "Helping you?"
Jacob leaned in, his voice dropping. "Project Alice is… unstable and out of hands.But I have plans to fix that. And I need someone like you."
Selene's instincts screamed danger.
Jacob wasn't just toying with her.
He was pulling her into something much, much bigger.
And for the first time, she realized—
She didn't feel like an employee anymore.
The Masked Man Returns
Selene sat in her dimly lit apartment,her parents were off to work and she made sure Joe was asleep,her mind tangled in a web of questions. The masked man warning, Nelson's half-truths, the chilling message from Project Alice—everything was closing in on her.
She let out a breath, staring at her reflection in the window. The city below pulsed with life, yet she felt isolated, caught in a game she never agreed to play.
Then came a knock.
Was Joe awake?
But it was not from her door.
Her breath hitched.
It was from her balcony window.
Her heart pounded as she turned toward the glass.
A shadow stood there, his figure barely illuminated by the city lights.
Was it Jacob? No she's thinking too much
Selene's fingers trembled as she reached for the latch, thinking and analysing the person's body highlight with everyone she knew,but definitely it wasn't a robber;at least a robber doesn't knock.. The moment she slid the window open, the person stepped inside carefully ,his presence consuming the space like a silent storm.
Then his eyes met with Selenes.She could tell he shows no sign of being afraid.He came close. Too close.
"Did I scare you?" His voice was laced with amusement.
Selene exhaled sharply. "You….from the park".
"You left it unlocked"He said as if he wasn't paying attention to her words
"What?"
"Your window?....I could have attacked you in your dreams" The masked man teased.
She swallowed.
"Joking".
His mask caught the glow of her bedside lamp, the smooth surface hiding everything yet revealing too much.
"Why are you here mister?"Her voice laced with anxiety.
"You've been asking too many questions," he said, his voice lower now, almost like a warning.
Selene crossed her arms,a little relaxed. "And you seem to have all the answers."
A smirk ghosted his lips. "Maybe."
Her pulse quickened. "Are you going to tell me who you are this time? Or do I have to keep playing your little game?"
He chuckled, the sound sending an unexpected shiver down her spine.
"I came to warn you." His tone was sharper now.
" I don't need a warning from a stranger who sneaks up on a woman"
" Jacob is watching you."
She blinked, shaking off the spell he had cast over her. "I already knew that.How are you related to Jacob sire?"
The masked man chuckled again, but this time, there was no humor in it.
"Not one you should know," he said. "He's testing you. He wants to know where your loyalty lie."
Selene frowned. "I don't belong to anyone.And my loyalty I keep to myself."
His gaze darkened. "Good."
They stood there in silence, the weight of unspoken words pressing between them.
Then, without warning, he turned toward the window.
Selene reached for him instinctively. "Wait—"
But he was already at the edge.
"I'll be watching, Selene," he murmured. "Try not to miss me."
And just like that, he was gone.
Leaving her breathless.Miss....him?
The thought of her window being 25 feets or more above ground hit her as she ran towards the balcony,her fear taking hold of her but this stranger was already on the streets as if nothing had actually happened.She watched him blend along the others on the street until he couldn't be seen anymore.