Htms-05801:37:34 Min ✦ Tested

Elias sat in the sterile white light of the Transfer Bay. According to the readout, he had exactly thirty-seven minutes and thirty-four seconds remaining of his biological residency. After that, his consciousness would be compressed into a data stream and archived—a process the government called "Ascension," but everyone else called "The Fade."

Elias didn't wait. He bolted past the startled security droids. He had to descend forty floors. HTMS-05801:37:34 Min

... He reached the basement. It was filled with the roar of massive liquid-nitrogen fans. Elias sat in the sterile white light of the Transfer Bay

When Elias opened his eyes, the timer on his wrist was gone. The terminal screen was dark, save for one line of glowing green text: ERROR: HTMS-05801 - PACKET LOST. He bolted past the startled security droids

The system began the extraction. A blinding pain seared through his temples as the HTMS protocol initiated. 00:10. "Now!" Sarah cried. "Override the upload!"