Chapter 1

The air in my workshop crackled with the low hum of servers and the frantic energy of a deadline. Tomorrow was the National Tech Innovator' s Competition, the single most important day of my young career. My project, a revolutionary neural network AI, was finally ready. I was completely focused, my fingers flying across the keyboard, when the door creaked open.

It was my older brother, Ethan. He stood there, leaning against the doorframe with that perfect, camera-ready smile he always wore.

"Burning the midnight oil, little sis?"

He walked over, his expensive leather shoes making no sound on the concrete floor. He placed a cold can on my desk, condensation beading on its sleek black surface. It was a popular energy drink, 'Volt-X' .

"Here," he said, his voice smooth as silk. "A little something for good luck. You need to be at your best tomorrow."

As my fingers brushed against the can, a small, transparent window flickered to life in the bottom corner of my main monitor. It was a line of glitched, red text, like a system error.

[WARNING: Item contains a bio-tech neuro-inhibitor. Prolonged contact will induce progressive cognitive degradation. Target: Chloe.]

My heart hammered against my ribs. I stared at the message, then back at Ethan' s concerned face. The pop-up vanished as quickly as it appeared. I had been seeing these strange digital warnings for weeks, fleeting glitches on my screens that I had dismissed as eyestrain or bugs in my own code. Now, I couldn't ignore it.

"Thanks, Ethan," I said, forcing a small smile. My voice was steady, but my hands felt cold.

Just then, the door opened again. It was Liam, my childhood friend, the boy I had trusted with everything since we were kids. He had a charming, easy-going grin that had always made me feel safe.

"Hey, Chloe! Ethan! Just came to wish you luck for tomorrow."

He jogged over, his eyes sparkling with what I had always thought was genuine affection. He held out a small, velvet box.

"I got you something," he said, opening it to reveal a delicate silver charm bracelet. A tiny circuit board charm dangled from it. "For success."

As he moved to fasten it on my wrist, another red-text warning flashed on my secondary monitor, this one more urgent.

[WARNING: Item is a remote data-theft device, paired with neuro-inhibitor. It siphons intellectual property and transmits it to a third party. Target: Chloe. Recipient: Sarah.]

Sarah. My biggest rival in the competition. The seemingly impoverished, humble genius Ethan had taken under his wing as his protégé. The pieces clicked into place with a horrifying, sickening finality. This wasn't just sabotage. This was a plan to destroy me, to steal my mind and give it to someone else.

My breath caught in my throat. I looked at Ethan' s encouraging smile and Liam' s warm eyes, and all I saw was a deep, dark pit of betrayal.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted from the hallway. A loud, abrasive voice echoed down the corridor.

"Where is she? I know that little nerd is in there! She owes me!"

It was Brenda, the notorious school bully who had made my life a living hell for years. She burst into my workshop, her eyes zeroing in on me. She was flanked by two of her cronies.

"Pay up, Chloe," she sneered, slamming a hand on my desk. "You know the deal. Two hundred bucks, now."

Ethan and Liam exchanged a look. Ethan stepped forward, a frown of disapproval on his face. "Brenda, this isn't the time."

But an idea, cold and sharp, was forming in my mind. I looked at the can of Volt-X. I looked at the bracelet in Liam' s hand.

Brenda' s eyes darted to the expensive-looking can and the shiny bracelet. "What' s this? Getting fancy gifts?"

I picked up the can of Volt-X and held it out to her. "I don' t have any cash," I said, my voice quiet. "But this is a limited edition. It' s worth a lot."

Then I looked at Liam. "And this... this is too nice for me." I took the bracelet from his stunned grasp and pushed it toward Brenda. "You take them. Just... leave me alone."

Brenda blinked, surprised by my easy surrender. She snatched the can and the bracelet. "Hmph. Whatever. It' s better than nothing." She pocketed the bracelet and cracked open the energy drink, taking a long, noisy gulp.

Ethan stared at me, his perfect smile gone, replaced by a flicker of pure fury. He grabbed my arm, his fingers digging into my skin.

"What the hell are you doing, Chloe? I gave that to you for good luck!" he hissed, his voice low and dangerous. People in the hallway were starting to stop and watch. "You' d rather give it to her than accept my help? Are you that ungrateful?"

His public attack was meant to shame me, to make me look like a foolish, unappreciative little sister. The pain in my arm was real, but the pain in my heart was a cold, hardening resolve.

Liam rushed forward, playing the part of the peacemaker. He gently pulled Ethan' s hand off my arm.

"Ethan, calm down. She' s just stressed," he said, his voice full of fake concern. He then turned to me, his expression soft and pleading. "Chloe, I can get you another bracelet. It' s important to have a good luck charm. Please, let me help you."

He was trying to push another one on me, another link in their chain to ruin me. I looked from his deceptive face to my brother' s barely concealed rage. They were a team. They had planned this together. My brother and my best friend.

I pulled my arm back, a cold smile touching my lips for the first time. The fear was gone, replaced by something much harder, much more permanent.

"No, thank you, Liam," I said, my voice clear and void of emotion. I met Ethan' s furious gaze. "You' re right. I' ll need all the luck I can get."

My words sounded like a surrender, a promise to be a good little victim. But they saw the look in my eyes and for a second, they both hesitated. It wasn't fear they saw. It was a promise. A promise that their game was over, and mine was just beginning.