Sector 18 had once been a shining dream.
At least, that's what the faded banners said at the gates:
"NovaCore Innovation Zone – The Future Begins Here."
Now it was silent.
Dead.
Jaden stood at the edge, staring at the rusted towers, shattered glass, and long-dead drones hanging from wires like broken birds. Weeds had broken through the concrete. Doors dangled off broken hinges. Steel bridges sagged from corrosion.
There were no people. Just the echo of what once was.
Warning: High Surveillance Zone
Access Restricted. Unauthorized Entry May Trigger Auto-Defense Systems
Luke checked the readings on his tablet. His eyes narrowed. "Motion sensors are still active. Something's watching."
"I know," Jaden said quietly.
Emma adjusted her tool belt, tightening the strap around her waist. "Are you sure this is worth it?"
Jaden opened the new blueprint the system had just given him.
Command Center (Basic)
Unlocks Sector Management, Upgrade Routes, Defense Systems, and Long-range Blueprint Transfer.
Requirements:
Remote Access Point
Full Sector Grid Connection
Power Core Crystal
That crystal wasn't easy to find. But according to the system scan, Sector 18 had one buried beneath the plaza—left behind during NovaCore's shutdown years ago. Most people thought the tech had been cleared out. They were wrong.
"I need that core," Jaden said. "And this place still has enough wiring and structure to support a grid."
Carl stood beside him, arms crossed. "Then we go in fast and quiet. Get what we need and get out."
The team split into pairs.
Luke and Marcus worked to jam the signal towers and disable surveillance feeds. Luke's drone zipped through the air, dropping micro-scramblers along power lines. Marcus used an old signal booster to create a noise loop to confuse the automated scanners.
Sarah and Rick climbed the leaning towers to manually cut long-range sensor wires. It was dangerous work. One wrong step, and they'd fall two stories onto cracked pavement.
Emma and Jaden crossed the central plaza, stepping carefully over fallen lamp posts and crushed tech. At the center of the plaza stood a collapsed dome—a once-glorious control hub now buried in rubble and ash.
The system glowed in Jaden's vision:
Power Core Crystal Detected: 10 Meters Below
Begin Extraction?
Jaden tapped "Yes."
A blueprint appeared: Auto-Drill MKI – a mechanical digging arm with a plasma cutter and stabilization claws. It required one Build Token and his last few scrap materials.
He accepted the build, and a glowing 3D frame formed on the ground. In seconds, the tool materialized—half-machine, half-ghost. It buzzed as it extended into the earth and began to dig.
Unauthorized Power Use Detected
NovaCore Alert Triggered. Response Team ETA: 5 Minutes
"Jaden, we've been flagged!" Luke's voice crackled through comms.
"We're too close to stop now," Jaden replied, his voice calm but firm.
The drill cut through the layers of stone, pipe, and concrete. Sparks flew. The earth shook slightly.
And then, with a bright burst of light, the stone cracked open.
A small crystal floated into the air—pure blue, glowing from within like it held a star. The Power Core Crystal.
Power Core Crystal Acquired
Jaden grabbed it and slotted it into the generator slot on the interface.
Command Center Construction Started...
The ground vibrated again—not from the drill this time.
Distant engines.
Emma looked up. "We've got company."
Behind them, four NovaCore drones flew low into the sector. Sleek and silent, with red eyes glowing under their armored plates.
More followed—six, then ten.
And behind them came the hum of transport vehicles.
NovaCore was back.
Jaden ran with Emma to regroup with the others at the build zone—an open platform with scattered tech panels and a small tower base beginning to rise. The Command Center had started assembling, each part blinking into reality as if drawn from light.
"Keep building!" Jaden shouted. "Don't stop no matter what!"
Luke activated the signal blocker again, trying to slow the drones. Rick picked up a steel pipe and stood guard at the stairs. Marcus began reinforcing the base of the tower with scrap armor plates.
Construction Progress: 32%... 49%...
Carl yelled, "Incoming!"
A drone fired a pulse round—it struck the edge of the plaza, blowing apart part of the ground. Dust flew. People ducked.
Emma returned fire with a handheld EMP grenade. It exploded in a burst of blue, taking down one drone.
Jaden dropped behind cover and opened the system menu.
Emergency Boost Protocol Available: Use 1 Build Token to Double Construction Speed for 60 Seconds
"Do it!" he said.
Speed Boost Activated. Progress: 52%... 70%... 88%...
The Command Center tower unfolded rapidly. Holograms turned into glass. Metal supports locked into place. A blue dome covered the core.
Command Center Complete
Sector 18 Grid Activated
NovaCore Signal Scrambled
Auto-Defense Online
Suddenly, from the tower base, turrets unfolded and fired bursts of static. Drones spun out of the sky.
NovaCore's forces turned to retreat.
Jaden stood in the middle of it all, breathing hard, dust in his hair, light glowing from the Command Center behind him.
Carl walked up beside him, bruised but smiling. "That... was insane."
Jaden looked at the glowing map inside the center.
Three sectors powered.
One city starting to breathe again.
But the war was far from over.