The Shattered Cipher

Lead the army. The comms tower's wreckage smoldered, twisted metal and sparking holo-screens casting a neon glow, echoing the cover's tech aesthetic. Jace dragged he

ind burned out in Vault 17, Aria's face flickering-shattered Lena's heart. She, Clara, and Jace, clones of Aria, the rebellion's leader, were

ing. Aria's voice surged in Lena's mind: "I am the first. You are me." Her body jerked, hands reaching to signal drones

sync back, but her thoughts blurred, memories of Berlin labs mixing with Aria's-leading clones, storming Syndicate servers. The Cip

m there." The vault's rebellion code-Aria's archived fight-could stop the army, but Lena's sync meant sh

enade, haze choking the outpost. Lena sprinted, Jace beside her, the Cipher's override pulsing: Directive:

edemption.' A vision slammed her-Berlin, 2023, Aria meeting a Syndicate mole, trading clone lives for power, the Cipher whispering, "You rule the va

o rebel-she's Syndicate." Guilt surged-Clara died for a traitor's legacy, and Lena was he

. Syndicate turned her, used Vault 17 to trap her mind." She hacked a stolen

ock rising. "I'm... syncing." The Cipher's voice leaked: Jace: Aria's enforcer. Ki

, their minds pawns. The Cipher pulsed: New memory fragment: Berlin, 2023. Aria's deal. A vision hit-Aria, laughing, signing clone deaths, Jac

lowing her. The Cipher roared: Override intensifying. Sync with Aria. Lena's vision blurred, Aria's voice

e rebel chopper's roar echoed, blades cutting the storm, but the Cipher pulsed: Broadcast

dimming, tackling Lena to shield her. "You're Lena," he growled, pain in his eyes. "Cla

Vault 17, the army hers. The Cipher buzzed: Aria's sync: 80%. Rebellion lost. A final vision hit-Aria, in Lena's body, laughing, the vault opening, clones marching. Lena's screa