The Last Protocol: Part 4.2 - The Illusion Unveiled
The console’s hum was the only sound in the room as Cipher’s fingers danced across the keys, peeling back layers of encryption. Each line of code revealed more of the Protocol’s secrets—and its dangers. The rebels gathered around her, their faces illuminated by the eerie light.
“Here,” Cipher murmured, pausing on a set of data fragments. “This is it. This is what they’ve hidden from us.”
Lena leaned over her shoulder, her green eyes narrowing. “What are we looking at?”
Cipher’s voice was tight, her bronze eyes flicking between the data and Lena. “A backdoor. A line of code embedded deep in the Protocol—designed to rewrite its core functionality. If activated, it could turn the Protocol into a weapon.”
Kit let out a low whistle, leaning back in his chair. “Well, ain’t that a kicker? We thought the Authority couldn’t touch this thing. Turns out, they’ve been hidin’ their grubby fingers in it all along.”
Jarek’s face was impassive, but his voice carried a weight that silenced the room. “If the Authority planted this, then they’ve known about the Protocol’s existence from the beginning. The question is: why haven’t they used it yet?”
Lena straightened, her jaw tightening. “Because they’re waiting for the right moment. A moment when we’ve come to depend on it completely.”
Cipher nodded. “It’s not just about control. It’s about timing. If they activate this backdoor now, they risk exposing their hand. But once the Protocol becomes the backbone of the rebellion, they can flip the switch and turn our own weapon against us.”
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The tension in the room was palpable. Kit broke it with a nervous laugh. “So, uh, any bright ideas on how we stop this thing? Or are we just hopin’ they’ve got butterfingers?”
Cipher hesitated, her hands hovering over the console. “The code is elegant. Brutal, but elegant. Whoever wrote this knew the Protocol inside and out. I can disable it, but it’s going to take time. And we can’t let the Authority know we’ve found it.”
Lena crossed her arms, her voice firm. “Then we protect Cipher while she works. No one gets in or out of this room until that backdoor is gone.”
Jarek’s calm voice cut through the tension. “And if someone tries?”
Lena’s gaze was steely. “Then they’ll wish they hadn’t.”
Cipher nodded, her resolve hardening. “I’ll need your help monitoring the network. If the Authority suspects anything, they’ll flood the system with decoys to distract us. Kit, can you set up countermeasures?”
Kit grinned, his mischievous energy returning. “Oh, luv, you just sit tight. This ain’t my first dance with digital devils.”
As Kit moved to a secondary console, Cipher refocused on the code, her bronze eyes gleaming with determination. But as she worked, a nagging thought tugged at the back of her mind. The code was familiar. Too familiar.
It wasn’t just the Authority’s handiwork. Someone else had been involved—someone who knew the rebellion’s systems as well as the Authority’s. Her hands stilled for a moment before she pushed the thought aside. The truth would have to wait.
The room was silent save for the rhythmic tapping of keys and the faint hum of the consoles. Shadows danced on the walls, cast by the flickering screens, as the rebels worked together to secure the Protocol.
But the illusion of unity was just that—an illusion. Beneath the surface, doubt simmered. And as the backdoor’s code unraveled, so too did the fragile trust holding the rebellion together.