Lena leaned back in her chair, staring at the blinking cursor on the screen. Every muscle in her body felt tense. Her mind was a whirlwind of confusion, and the nagging sensation that someone - or something - was inside her head wouldn't go away.
"We are the Memory Rebels." The words repeated in her mind like a haunting refrain. She didn't know who they were, but they were in her system now. She could feel it. Someone was watching her, manipulating the very thoughts she was trying to hold onto.
Her thoughts scrambled for answers, but there was no clear direction. How had she gotten mixed up in this? Memory hacking was supposed to be a clean, controlled process. In and out. She erased memories and moved on. But now, everything had gone wrong. Not only had her mission failed, but she had been dragged into something far darker than she had ever imagined.
The screen flashed again, and Lena watched as new text appeared, this time with a chilling tone.
"You were hired to erase the senator's mind. But you erased yours instead. We know what's in your head, Lena. We know what you found."
The words felt like a punch to her gut. Her head spun. What had she found? What had she missed?
Before she could process it further, a fragment of a memory surfaced. For a brief moment, a fleeting image of her father appeared in her mind. His face, so clear and familiar, yet distant.
"You're not just a hacker, Lena. They're using you. Don't trust them. Whatever they ask, say no."
Her father's voice. But why had she forgotten that? She hadn't thought of him in years. The message had been a warning, but it was buried so deep in her mind, locked away, that she hadn't even recognized it until now.
Lena's chest tightened. The Memory Rebels weren't just after the senator's secrets. They were after hers.
She stood up abruptly, pushing her chair back so violently it scraped against the floor. This wasn't just a botched job anymore. Her identity was at stake. Her past, her memories, even her sense of self - everything was being manipulated.
And she didn't know by whom.