Rj01272168

The projection faded. In its place, a single line of text appeared on Aris’s monitor:

It was a heartbeat.

Aris looked at the little girl. Then at the growing void. Then back at the swing. rj01272168

Behind Jia, the sky cracked open—a hole revealing the dark web of corrupted data, fragments of broken memories spiraling like black snow. The projection faded

The girl touched her chest where a label would be. “I only know the number they gave me. rj01272168. But I think… I think I used to be called Jia.” The projection faded. In its place

Leo grabbed her arm. “You don’t know what’s in there. Eleven years of isolation? That mind could be fractured, hostile—a digital ghost with teeth.”