Prologue

**CLICK CLICK CLICK**

A HUNCHED over figure of a man dressed in a loosely fitting laboratory gown is found within a room cloaked in darkness, with only one brightly lit monitor giving it some sort of an illumination. Upon closer look, strings of data can be found as they were presented on the screen, pixels in bright white coloration blinking with life, similar to the pair of hands typing away on the keyboard what seemed to be a stream of commands the system processes almost immediately.

>> Execute Protocol_79.exe

>> Error. Command Execution Failed

"Dammit!" The man shouted, evidently annoyed with the computer's failure to execute what he was trying to tell it to do. He further proved this point by letting his fist connect with the table upon which the monitor has been rested on, and it squeaked as if protesting to what have been done to it.

Don't think, Jaymes. Just do it!

He thought.

The man named Jaymes growled as he momentarily withdrawn himself from the display in front of him which glared back at him as if mocking him for losing his temper.

Why is the program not working? He won't let that man's plans to happen! He must make this work.

He began to glide his hands across the keyboard once again, frustratingly entering the keywords he require for the commands to work, yet none of said strings of code can ever change the outcome that is blatantly flashing on his monitor.

>> Error. Command Execution Failed.

The man gritted his teeth in his exasperation. He got up from his seat carelessly as his consciousness dive into a deep thought. The room becomes chilly as if someone decided this was fine to arouse his anxiety further, and he soon found himself pacing back and forth within the room restlessly.

He wondered what had gone wrong for everything to go exactly against his plans. Axel is a dangerous man, and if his ideas were given form... Jaymes could only imagine how wicked it will be.

The young engineer clenched his jaw as he continued to ransack his brain for a plausible solution to his predicament, yet nothing good comes to mind. He knows what Axel is capable of doing, and the last thing he wanted is for that man to threaten those he cares about simply because Jaymes refused to give in to his inhumane ways.

Just in time, the loud ringing of an 8-bit ringtone echoed within the enclosed space he was in, catching his attention and allowing his mind to resurface from the sea of his thoughts. He has never really told anyone about the nature of his work here in Beta Solutions. He was afraid that if he tells anyone about what exactly he was doing to be worthy of a great salary, people will judge him and reprimand him because he agreed to doing it even after knowing it was morally incorrect.

He knows he can't stop now. After all, they were only a couple of days now before the launch.

Jaymes gulped nothing from his throat and then began to reach out a trembling hand against the side of his lab coat. His bangs were already pricking at his eyes protected by a thick pair of glasses, beads of sweat were forming on his forehead as a physical sign of his anxiety as his finger hovered over the green telephone button that flashed onto the screen, along with the name of his employer.

He took another second to compose himself, then courageously pressed his thumb against said button before bringing the phone close to his ear. "The Committee wants to see the project tomorrow. You need to be there." A familiar masculine voice uttered from the other line of the call. Jaymes soon becomes benumbed to even process what was told of him, as his mind was elsewhere. Ringing in his ear were words of how his countermeasures failed him, and apologies were uttered by his own inner voice, as if anyone will hear him do so.

"Axel, I..." He murmured, his voice hesitant about what he was going to say. He has always felt so uncomfortable talking to people this way, but it was worse when it comes to his employer, Axel Foster. It always feels like his strength were being drained from him each time he gives the man a call. Today was not an exception.

"I don't think I can do it. It's still missing a few integral parts to work. C-Can we delay it a bit more?" Jaymes said after mustering all the willpower he had left.

A whole minute of pause will pass. Every second of silence from the other line made Jaymes feel even more scared about his situation.

Had Axel caught up to his countermeasures? Can it be his fault that Protocol 79 failed?

He shuddered at the thought of what may happen to him should any of it happen, just as his employer releases a heavy sigh, the sound of which nearly felt pixelated and rough from Jaymes' perspective.

"I believe your job is quite simple, Jaymes. All you had to do is to finish the project so the Committee and I can close the deal. You do understand that making them wait for you to do your work efficiently will bear heavy consequences, don't you?" The man said. His voice feels cold and evil. It was like he is submerging the young engineer into a pool of freezing water every time he speaks. That is how powerful his hold against Jaymes is.

"Now, wrap everything up and I will wait for you in the Great Hall tomorrow." Axel continued shortly before the call ends. Jaymes knew he can't do anything any further. Axel steeled his mind against his protests long ago. Nothing of what he says will change his employer's mind now.

Jaymes turned his eyes back to his computer, his mind finally deciding on what to do.

He won't give up. This isn't the over yet.