Code Nexus

Cassian felt the weight of the world rest on his shoulders, and he knew that if he was ever to change it, he would need a Band. After all, what he found about Libra was not something he could handle alone.

The last thing he was going to do, however, was stroll naively into the headquarters of the Libra without some form of protection—something to shield him from Bandits.

For years, he had been crafting this very moment in his mind. Today would finally mark the turning point, where he would sever the suffocating bonds that his name had forged.

Expressionless, he pulled out his cell phone and removed the battery, severing one of the many threads tying him to his old life. Even in moments of radical decisions, he was practical; he wouldn't leave behind any digital crumbs for anyone to trace.

That included his apartment, bought and paid for with his family's money he had managed to take.

He needed to disappear. No one would miss him from this dark world, at least.

With purpose, he slipped into a black jacket adorned with a hood and fitted black pants—an ironic choice of attire given his heritage but perfect for a man determined to blend into the darkness.

He then gathered a few essentials—spare clothes, some cash he had stashed away—and stepped out of the apartment.

He will sell this apartment, get a new one, and make it so the past three years were not to be found anywhere.

The streets of Xylandor bustled like normal—an opulent city of high technology, advanced trains gliding along their tracks, and flying vehicles zipping overhead.

To an untrained eye, the city was filled with richness and luxuries. Yet beneath this grand façade lay an underbelly of oppression; the vast wealth showcased by the elite served only to reinforce the crushing poverty faced by too many others.

Cassian felt a sense of disdain for the charade around him. It was almost disgusting, but today he was determined that this masquerade would soon fall to ruin.

Not just in Xylandor, but in all of Zephorya.

As he walked, he paid no heed to the people moving past him. His ultimate goal was to dismantle the oppressive structures of the AU, beginning with acquiring a Band.

He couldn't afford to draw attention, not even for a second; AU's surveillance was ever-watchful, ready to snare a wayward individual before they could even venture half a mile near their stronghold.

Instead of using the tramways or any of the city's high-speed transportation networks, he opted for the most inconspicuous route—one that led across the open canyon.

Considering the layout of the AU's headquarters, he recalled his father's countless discussions about security measures; they had fostered a mindset that lent him knowledge of the building's perimeter better than most.

AU's defense was portrayed as a static wall when, inwardly, they were crisscrossed by the potential for man's error. The main entrances were awash with cameras and patrolled by guards while the sides, with their seemingly mundane posts, were manned by regular soldiers—easier prey for a keen eye like his.

It took Cassian nearly sixty miles of strategic maneuvering to finally reach the far side entrance. He was exhausted; fatigue was not enough to stop him.

He spotted a bush that would provide momentary concealment, so he curled beneath the brambles and awaited the perfect moment.

A guard with a laser gun patrolled the boundary line. After half an hour of waiting, the guard finally turned his back. Cassian seized the opportunity, scrambling over the fence and sprinting forward.

Swiftly, he halted, scanning for surveillance cameras. Timing was everything—he waited until he was out of sight before slipping into a further crouch.

Rounding a corner, he found himself before a mechanical door—one to which he had learned the code from his father's folders, the very documents that no one was allowed to read.

Cassian typed in the sequence, and the door hummed open. He stepped cautiously inside—he was in AU.

This might have seemed straightforward to some, but it truly wasn't. Only a man like him could have pulled this off since he understood the layout.

There was a reason for everything he did. For instance, the entrance he chose would lead him directly to the locker rooms. And the time he chose to infiltrate was the perfect moment when no one was going to be inside it.

All these were calculated by him in advance and planned accordingly so that he would not fail.

The locker rooms lay ahead where he could safely blend in among the agents who wore lab coats. He managed to make it there safely.

As he sifted through the clutter of the room, he quickly located a lab coat and slipped it on, adjusting the collar before donning a pair of reflective glasses.

Reinforced by the guise, he reminded himself that he needed to walk confidently among those who belonged, to display the unassuming assurance of someone who fit in within AU.

In this role, he navigated the corridor, nodding to colleagues whose names he didn't know, skipping idle small talk. Pressing forward, he finally reached his goal—the secret compound where the Bands were stored.

His fingers were poised over the keypad as he inputted the same code from before. Then came the dreaded response: "Access Denied."

Why now?! Why when everything had gone so well?

These Bands were very special and could help dictate the flow of this world. Although rare to obtain legally, they were not all the same.

Bands were divided by ranks, each rank correlating to how strong of a power someone would receive. S-Rank, A-Rank, B-Rank, C-Rank, and D-Rank. An S-Rank Band would grant him incredible supremacy, something that could truly help him change the balance in Zephorya.

He kept himself calm. Frustration wasn't his style; he had poured years into planning, but moments like this could unravel everything.

Just as he was thinking of possibilities, the sound of footsteps could be heard. They were steady and growing ever closer.

Making haste, he slipped into the alcove, pressing himself against the wall.

Through the narrow opening, he caught sight of a figure—a scientist clad in a white lab coat, struggling to balance a conspicuously large crate that seemed entirely too heavy for his frame.

The crate was embellished with the engravings of the word "confidential" stamped onto its side.

A thought crossed his mind. Something special inside could change the odds in his favor. He knew that any item marked as confidential at AU likely held something of immense significance—perhaps something that could help him pass through the secured door.

Cassian therefore straightened himself and stepped out of his hidden spot. The scientist, oblivious to his presence, was still struggling.

At that moment, everything coalesced into swift motion. Cassian expertly tripped the scientist. The man stumbled, flailing back as he lost his balance, and the crate tumbled to the floor.

The lid flew open, revealing a trove of Bands spilling out on the floor!

Their colors flashed in the light—brilliant blues, fiery reds, and luminescent greens, each Band reflecting a power waiting for the right hand to wield it.

Cassian kept himself composed as his instincts screamed at the sight of them.

"Oh no!" the scientist exclaimed, scrambling to his feet. "I'm gonna be in so much trouble!"

He frantically started gathering the Bands that had tumbled loose.

"I'm not here to tell anyone," Cassian reassured, stepping forward to help the scientist gather the scattered Bands. They worked in silence, hastily plucking the items off the floor and placing them back into the crate. "But you really shouldn't be carrying this alone."

"Thank you! You have no idea how much this helps me," the scientist said, feeling full of relief. "I made a huge mistake. I thought I could handle it myself, but I really should've asked for help... I didn't think there would be anyone down here!"

Finally, with the last Band safely returned to the crate, the scientist straightened, brushing off his lab coat. He looked at Cassian with gratitude and admitted, "You helped me back there, really! I owe you big time!"

"Just doing what anyone would have," Cassian replied with calmness. "Just make sure to be careful next time. These Bands are important for a reason."

"Haha, yeah, they are!" the scientist nodded vigorously. "They'd have probably terminated me if they saw this."

Cassian understood the weight of those Bands just as much as the scientist. They were vital—exactly what he was after—and he was now standing by an unguarded cache.

"Don't worry," he reiterated quietly. "But listen, if word gets out about this and you need help…" Cassian paused, weighing the implications of his next words. "I can testify for you."

The scientist seemed to grasp the underlying meaning of Cassian's offer. He seemed both impressed and surprised, as if taken aback by the unexpected proposal of an alliance from another co-worker.

"You'd do that for me?" he wondered.

"Why not?" Cassian said. "It just seems like the right thing to do."

"Thank you! Honestly, I wasn't sure how I would explain this." The scientist's face brightened. "My name's Dr. Elric, by the way. What's yours?"

"Call me Desmond," he replied. He wasn't a Black right now—he was just Cassian, a name that could be changed however he pleased.

The doctor nodded and said, "I won't forget this, I promise."

As he started to leave, Cassian tightly held a Band into the folds of his lab coat, carefully hidden from sight. In that instant, he knew that his time here had been well worth it.