Rain fell endlessly over Neon City.

Not natural rain.

Acidic water filtered through the upper towers before descending toward the lower districts like poisoned mist. Above the clouds, corporate skyscrapers pierced the artificial sky, their glass walls glowing with cold blue light. Massive holograms floated between buildings.

HELIX IS THE FUTURE.

TRUST THE SYSTEM.

YOUR MEMORIES ARE SAFE.

At the highest levels of the city, executives drank synthetic wine beneath controlled sunlight while orchestras played inside private sky gardens.

Far below them, millions survived beneath neon lights that never turned off.

And beneath even that...

Rust Layer.

The lowest level of Neon City.

A place abandoned by sunlight.

Water dripped constantly from rusted pipes overhead. The streets were flooded with oil, smoke, and electrical sparks. Illegal cybernetic clinics operated behind broken shutters while modified humans wandered through endless darkness.

Nobody looked up anymore.

There was nothing above except corporations.

A black transport vehicle moved silently through the narrow industrial streets.

Inside the vehicle, Commander Victor stood motionless.

Tall.

Cold.

A black military coat covered the armored frame beneath his clothing. A neural visor glowed faintly across his right eye while encrypted data scrolled through his retinal display.

Three armed soldiers waited behind him.

None of them spoke.

Victor’s reputation moved faster than fear.

Across from him, Sari sat beside the digital operations panel.

Her fingers moved rapidly across floating holographic screens while streams of encrypted code reflected in her gray eyes.

“Target entered Sector Nine,” she said calmly.

Victor remained silent.

One of the soldiers shifted nervously.

Sari continued.

“Black-market chip dealer. Connected to illegal Ghost activity.”

Victor finally spoke.

“Alive?”

“Preferably.”

The transport vehicle stopped.

Outside, neon advertisements flickered across the wet alleyways.

Artificial music echoed from hidden speakers while drones scanned civilians moving through the streets.

Victor stepped out first.

Rain struck his coat immediately.

The squad followed behind him as they entered the crowded district.

Rust Layer smelled like burned metal and dead circuits.

Street vendors sold stolen neural chips beside dismantled android parts. Children with cheap cybernetic eyes watched silently from dark corners.

Nobody trusted anyone.

Above the market entrance, a damaged screen displayed static before briefly flashing:

MISSING CITIZEN REPORT

Then the image disappeared.

Sari walked beside Victor.

“The dealer is moving underground.”

Victor glanced toward the tunnel entrance.

“Cut the surveillance grid.”

“Already done.”

The lights above them suddenly shut off.

Darkness swallowed the alley.

The civilians panicked instantly.

Victor moved through the crowd without hesitation.

Two armed men appeared near the tunnel entrance.

The first raised his weapon.

Victor shot him once through the chest.

The second tried to run.

A suppressed shot from Sari struck the back of his leg.

He collapsed into the flooded street screaming.

Victor grabbed him by the collar.

“Where is the dealer?”

The man shook violently.

“I don’t know—”

Victor pressed the pistol against his head.

“The truth.”

“Sector Twelve... underground station...”

Victor released him.

The squad moved deeper into Rust Layer.

Steam poured from broken vents along the walls while old train tracks disappeared into darkness.

Sari suddenly stopped walking.

Her neural interface flickered.

“There’s encrypted traffic nearby.”

Victor looked at her.

“HELIX?”

“No.”

She paused.

“Unknown signal.”

A holographic icon suddenly appeared across her screen.

PROJECT GHOST

ACCESS DENIED

Sari’s expression remained cold.

But for the first time that night...

Something inside the system noticed them.

BLACK NEON — الفصل 5

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