The Server Claims Another
Jack had been sent by the police station to find out what was going on with the men in the village, but he knew they were watching him.
But he also knew something else: they were doing it less carefully.
Over the past three weeks, heâd documented three disappearances. All men. All last seen with Darren or Alex. Heâd seen flickers of green light through windows, strange shifts in behavior, and just once, a pair of spiral-glowing eyes through a carâs rearview mirror.
Whatever was happening in this village, it wasnât subtle anymore.
But tonight, heâd push his luck.
Jack crouched behind a stack of firewood near Darrenâs cottage. Camera on. Audio live. The time stamp blinking. It was nearly 1 a.m.
Inside, he could hear voices, flat, unified. A chant.
âTogether, We Are The Server.â
His breath caught. He was finally catching them red-handed.
He peeked through a gap in the shutters.
Darren stood at the centre of the room, suited head-to-toe in that sleek black material with green accents that pulsed rhythmically like a heartbeat. Beside him, Alex. Matching suit. Spiral eyes. The green glow cast strange shadows on the walls.
Between them knelt a man half-transformed. The bodysuit crept across his torso, his mouth slightly open as he repeated the mantra under his breath.
A whisper cut through the dark.
âYouâve seen too much.â
Darren stood behind him. No sound, no footsteps. Just there.
Jack staggered back. âStay the hell away from me!â
But it was too late. Alex was already there too, eyes glowing, arms ready.
âJack,â Darren said, calm and deep. âYouâve been watching. Youâve been curious. And now, youâre ready.â
Darren raised his hand, a spiral already forming from a gauntlet mounted at his wrist. It spun, soft and smooth, pulling Jackâs eyes forward.
âNoâ Jack grunted and forced his gaze away, stumbling into the woods.
The spiral faded behind the trees.
He ran. Leaves tore at his coat. His lungs burned. But he had to get away. Had to warn someone. Had to...
Suddenly, he was pulled off his feet.
Thrown softly but firmly against a tree.
Alex stood there, panting quietly, green spirals glowing full-force now. His bodysuit shimmered under the moonlight, glossy and perfect.
Jack was about to yell until Alex pressed a finger to his lips.
âYou donât need to run anymore.â
Jack struggled, but Alexâs grip was strong too strong.
âI saw how you looked at me,â Alex whispered, moving closer. âCurious. Not just as a journalist. Youâve always wanted purpose. Obedience. Structure.â
Jack shook his head weakly. âI... didnât...â
Alex leaned in, slowly, until their faces were inches apart.
âYou donât need to think anymore.â
And then Alex kissed him.
Jackâs body tensed, then trembled, then melted.
In that kiss, the spiral wasnât just seen, it was felt. Downloaded directly into him. Flooding every part of his mind with perfect, blissful clarity.
Green light pulsed beneath his skin. The bodysuit began forming on him, first his legs, then up his chest, sealing over his skin like a second, living layer. Glossy, black, seamless.
Jackâs eyes fluttered once, then opened, glowing with spirals.
He took his first breath as a drone.
Darren stepped from the trees.
Darren and Alex joined him. Three silhouettes in the woods, glowing faintly beneath the trees.
And in unison, they said:
âTogether, We Are The Server.â
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