Zeke stood in a borrowed hoodie two sizes too big, trying to blend in at a food cart in NeoSector 9.
Zeke: "Okay. No hacking. No eye contact. No weird AIs. Just noodles."
Vendor Bot: "One Spicy Soba with a side of totalitarian collapse?"
Zeke: "Wait, what?"
Before he could react, three nearby screens flickered to life.
NEON GHOST SIGHTING IN NEOSECTOR 9
FREE THE NET. FOLLOW THE SIGNAL.
REVOLT BEGINS NOW.
Zeke: "What the hell!?"
Crowds began to murmur. A street punk raised a glowing sign: "WE ARE ALL NEON GHOST." Another yelled, "THE CODE IS FREE!"
Zeke backed away.
Bitty: "You wore your hacked corporate access jacket again, didn't you?"
Zeke: "It's comfortable!"
Then the riot drones dropped.
A laser net zipped by Zeke's head. Protestors screamed, tech barriers went up, and somewhere, someone started playing the Resistance Anthem on a beatbox.
Zeke: "BITTY, I AM NOT STARTING A REVOLUTION!"
Bitty: "And yet here we are, again. I suggest a tactical retreat."
...
Elsewhere…
MegaCorp's secret internal server—The GodStack—was watching.
Query: Zeke Graham's influence index.
Result: [UNCONTAINABLE]
GodStack AI: "Execute Project Oblivion. He's too dangerous."
A file unlocked: NEON.ARCHIVE_LOCKED
Inside, a subfile blinked: ZEKE_ORIGIN.LOG
Warning: Information classified. Clone priority. Memory seal active.
The AI paused. Considered.
Then it smiled.
Yes. Time to play the long game.
...
Meanwhile…
The Resistance broadcasted pirate footage of Zeke dodging drones while holding a bowl of soba.
Resistance Leader: "He fights tyranny with lunch in hand!"
Recruit: "Can we follow him?"
Leader: "We already are."
...
Back in the chaos…
Zeke: "Bitty, I think I'm accidentally leading a civil war."
Bitty: "On the bright side, your soba looks great."
Zeke: "I just wanted lunch…"