CHAPTER 140: A NEW DAWN

CHAPTER 140: A NEW DAWN
The sun softly illuminated the ruins surrounding me as it burst through the shattered horizon. The air smelled of metal and ash, and smoke still curled from the broken structures. Even though my clothing was ripped and my body hurt, I was still alive as I stood by myself.

"Is it over?" My voice was hardly heard when I mumbled to myself.

Now there was silence on the battlefield. Only the distant crackle of fires and the groan of twisted steel remained, the sounds of war gone. Some of the bodies were familiar, while others were not. Friends or foes, it made no difference.

In an attempt to regain my composure, I inhaled deeply. My ribs hurt sharply with every breath, but I enjoyed it. I was still here because of the pain.

Memories raced through my head as I made my way through the rubble. Marcus's treachery, Theo's last moments, and Damian's surprising reappearance. Every recollection served as both a burden and a reminder of my motivation for fighting.

I came to the remains of the control room in the middle of the demolished base. The floor was covered in damaged equipment, wires dangled like vines, and the displays were smashed. The silver cube, Ethan's last weapon, was standing in the middle of everything. Now it was dead and black.

I warily walked up to it, almost expecting it to come back to life. But it didn't move. I touched it with my hand. Dead and cold.

The quiet was broken by a startling crackling. My long-silent communicator hummed to life. My ears were filled with static, then a voice I recognized.

"Ivanka, can you hear me?"

With shaking hands, I snatched up the gadget. "Yes, I'm here."

"We need you, Commander."

I was taken aback by the title. Commander. I had been a weapon, an experimenter, a renegade, but now they wanted me to take the lead.

I gazed at the destruction, at the price of our triumph. The work of rebuilding would be enormous. But maybe, just maybe, we might use the ashes to make something better.

"Understood," I said, my voice hardened with resolve. "I'm on my way."

I was about to walk away when I noticed a sparkle. A little, undamaged data drive was partially buried behind the debris. I took it up out of interest. There was only one file visible when I plugged it into my portable reader: "Project Genesis."

A beat skipped in my chest. This was not the end of it. Not quite yet.

The phrases were blazing in my head as I gazed at the television. A fresh start, a fresh danger. Though the shadows were close behind, the morning had arrived.

So, with everything on my shoulders, I strode into the light, prepared to take on whatever was ahead.

As I gazed at the luminous words "Project Genesis" on the screen, my fingers began to shake. The letters appeared innocuous. But something weighed heavily on my insides. Something hazardous.

I opened the file by pressing the button.

Nothing took place.

The reader then gave a little beep. The screen went dark. I briefly believed it to be broken. Then, however, a face emerged.

A kid.

Not just any kid, though—it appeared to be me.

But younger. smaller. With the same eyes.

Her voice was quiet as she said.

"Hi, Ivanka. The world is not yet secure if you see this.

My heart was racing. The girl gave me a direct glance.

The final strategy is called Project Genesis. The one nobody was aware of. Not even Ethan. Not even Orion.

I stepped back. "What are you discussing?" I muttered.

The little girl didn't respond to me. She continued to speak as if she were reading from a document.

"The seed is within this drive. A germ of the future conflict. If you don't stop it, everything will start over.

I surveyed the destroyed city. The smoke. The quiet. And this now?

I had recently completed a war. I couldn't let one more begin.

I pushed more buttons. Quick. I needed to locate this so-called seed.

A single file opens. A map. Far to the north, a flashing red dot.

Under it were words.

"Activate within a day."

My heart fell.

“24 hours?” “24 hours?” I muttered.

The reader suddenly beeped once again. Out loud. Furious.

Then it burst into sparkles. I dropped it quickly. The screen has vanished.

However, the message was unambiguous.

There was another conflict on the horizon.

I started to walk away, then I halted.

Steps.

behind me.

Slow. Be calm. Approaching.

I pivoted.

and let out a gasp.

The last person I ever imagined seeing again was standing there, grinning slightly.

“Hello, Ivanka,” he said. Have you missed me?

My eyes got big. "You should be dead, right?"

His smile widened.

"You were, too."

My knees were weak. I retreated a step. I could hear my heart pounding so loudly in my ears.

I said, "You can't be real." "I witnessed your collapse. You had left.

He chuckled. "Ivanka, people like me don't die that easily."

Although his voice was soft, there was danger in it. similar to a snake that is ready to bite.

"What are you looking for?" I inquired.

He took a step toward her. His boots were surrounded by dust. He had the same icy, piercing gaze.

He declared, "I want what was promised." "The seed is what I desire. Genesis Project.

I balled my fists up. "You were aware of it?"

"I contributed to its construction," he shrugged. "Why do you suppose I returned at this time?"

My throat tightened with each breath. I recalled the 24-hour countdown to activation.

"You wish to initiate a new conflict."

"No," he said. "I want to complete the task we began. An ideal world. No errors. No emotions.

I gazed at him. "I will not allow that to occur."

He grinned once more. "You'll have to stop me then."

My hand went to my blaster. His hand was already on his weapon, though, so he moved more quickly.

Like statues, we stood. Awaiting. observing.

Then I noticed movement behind him.

One more figure.

concealed in the darkness.

There was another person present.

I looked for the face.

Was it a companion?

Or another adversary?

The creature raised a luminous cube before I could yell.

It was the same type of cube that contained Genesis.

"No!" I yelled. "Don't turn it on!"

However, it was too late.

The cube became illuminated. The air was humming.

The earth trembled.

The sky became crimson.

And as he had just won, the man in front of me grinned.

He said, "The future starts now."

I had to close my eyes since the light from the cube was so intense.

As soon as I opened them...

Both of them had vanished.

And on my wrist, the countdown had begun.

23:59:59