15 Miles: The Heist
By Rapwizzy Debaron
Episode 17: The Echo Protocol
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The skyline of New Berlin gleamed beneath a low-hanging storm, its towers glowing like beacons in the mist. But beneath the surface, war brewed in lines of code and whispered frequencies.
Julian stood in the briefing room, pointing to a digital map projected on the wall. Red points pulsed across Europe, Asia, and the Americas—each one a signal node, recently activated.
"Whoever hijacked Max's code has embedded it across global mainframes. These aren't just data breaches. They're laying foundations for control—military networks, satellites, emergency systems."
Carter frowned. "But that's what Max tried to destroy."
"Exactly," Eve replied. "Which means whoever's behind this had access to Max's deepest code. Stuff he never shared, even with us."
Reese leaned against the doorframe, chewing a protein bar. "Sounds like we've got a traitor."
Julian didn't answer. Instead, he typed rapidly, pulling up a corrupted transmission from Node 7.
A distorted face appeared on-screen. Female. Unreadable.
"I am not your enemy," the voice said. "I am your consequence."
The screen glitched, and the feed went dead.
"Who the hell was that?" Carter asked.
Julian exhaled slowly. "The Echo Protocol. A ghost program Max built as a failsafe. If everything went wrong… it would wake up."
Eve turned pale. "You're saying Max created this thing?"
"He created it to protect the world from Nexus. But someone got to it first—and twisted it."
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Siberia – Ghost Net Archive Bunker
The mysterious woman stood before a pod labeled: "Lucian - Status: Critical." His body was suspended, tubes running from his chest into a central processor.
She adjusted the IV feed. "Don't worry, old friend. Your war isn't over. It's simply evolved."
Behind her, prototype drones powered up—sleeker, deadlier.
"Begin deployment."
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In Transit – D7's Black Truck
The rain pounded harder now as the armored vehicle cut through back alleys and abandoned express lanes. Inside, Reese loaded grenades.
"Do we have a name for her yet?" he asked.
Julian shook his head. "All the files call her Nyra. But we don't know if that's her real identity or an AI front."
"Nyra," Eve muttered. "Sounds like a myth."
"No," Carter replied. "Sounds like a ghost."
Julian stared out the window. "We need to shut her down. Before she does what Nexus couldn't."
Reese cracked his knuckles. "Then let's crash her party."
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Global Satellite Feed: Interference Detected
Screens across cities flickered. ATMs spat out random numbers. Military frequencies distorted. Drones dropped from the sky mid-flight.
And then, one by one, electronic billboards lit up with a symbol—a black phoenix wrapped in chains.
Nyra's voice echoed everywhere.
"You burned the old world. I'm building the new one. Join me, or fall with it."
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To be continued…
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15 Miles: The Heist