738 The apartment (2)
The elevator ride seemed to stretch on forever, but in the end, they reached the right floor.
The doors slid open with a soft hiss, revealing a long hallway lined with reinforced apartment doors.
Each door was a monument to security and privacy, their heavy-duty construction designed to keep unwanted visitors at bay. But that wasn't a problem Erik couldn't solve.
Be it brute strength, or the precision of the biological supercomputer, the young man could easily enter. However, it was clear brute strength was going to make the apartment a doorless shell.
Erik and June stepped out of the elevator. There was nowhere in sight, but still the young man kept himself concealed through the Chameleon Veil, with June still in his dog form, to avoid alerting the security system or people coming out of their apartments to go on with their day.
The understated illumination from the led lights bathed the hallway in a muted glow, sculpting elongated silhouettes on the reflective flooring.
The atmosphere was crisp and clinical, a notable divergence from the city's pulsating vitality that thrummed stories below.
<This fellow chose an interesting place to buy a house. >
The apartment doors lined the hallway at regular intervals, reflecting the subdued radiance with their alloyed facades.
Each door bore a number, and it wasn't hard to find the man's apartment door among the many in the hallway.
<616. Is this the right door? > June asked.
<Yes. >
Erik fixed his gaze on the door, already working in his mind on how to bypass its security. June remained by his side, ensuring no one saw them. Despite his unease, he trusted Erik's judgment.
Erik reached inward, mentally connecting with the biological supercomputer.
<Access the security system, > Erik said. The computer gave an almost instantaneous reply.
[PROCESS STARTED. SCANNING FOR NETWORK ACCESS POINTS.]
Seconds later, it gave Erik some additional information.
[ACCESS POINT DETECTED. ESTABLISHING CONNECTION.]
Erik was curious how the biological supercomputer was able to do all of that. After years of having received this miraculous technology, he wasn't yet closer to the truth of its origins or neither how it worked. The only thing Erik knew was that this thing came from the Mur continent, which his father obviously went to. He knew that someone was searching for it, and that those people were likely the Blackguards. But most importantly, he knew that once he died; he was bound to become a biological supercomputer himself.
That honestly sparked questions. Was it possible that a person or a part of a person originally became the biological supercomputer he had?
Were human experiments involved in the making of this thing? Besides, how were the Blackguards aware of it?
As he had these thoughts, the biological supercomputer did his thing. Erik felt the computational processes resonating like a subtle undercurrent in the depths of his mind.
It was akin to a secondary pulse, a rhythmical echo that punctuated his cognitive processes.
This rhythm was a complex symphony of data analysis and algorithmic problem-solving, a testament to the fusion of biology and technology that lived within his brain.
[CONNECTION ESTABLISHED. ACCESSING SECURITY SYSTEMS.]
The supercomputer's voice echoed in Erik's mind.
<Thanks, > he said, but got no reply from the mighty AI this time. Perhaps the mighty AI was too focused on opening the door, and that was why it didn't reply.
Then he felt the supercomputer's processes speeding up, its mental presence growing as it navigated the complex digital landscape of the security systems. It was like watching a master at work, its actions precise and efficient.
[SECURITY SYSTEMS ACCESSED. DISABLING SURVEILLANCE DEVICES.]
There was a moment of silence. Then, the supercomputer spoke again.
[SURVEILLANCE DEVICES DISABLED. UNLOCKING DOOR.]
There was a soft click as the door unlocked, the sound echoing in the silent hallway. Erik and June exchanged a glance.
[DOOR UNLOCKED. SECURITY SYSTEMS BYPASSED.]
<Well. It was easy, right? >
<Yes, Master. >
<Be ready then, we don't know what we will find once inside. >
With the security systems disabled and the door unlocked, Erik and June were free to enter the apartment. Their mission was just beginning.
While crossing the boundary of the doorway, they found themselves enveloped in the apartment's ambiance. It was an expansive, contemporary space. For some reasons Erik expected the place to be spartan. The owner was a mercenary, after all, and not one very respected.
The furnishings had a streamlined and polished appearance, with their sleek surfaces reflecting the chrome finishes and touch-sensitive controls of the innovative appliances that adorned the room.
The walls were more than just structural boundaries. They were canvases for digital art displays.
<I didn't think this guy had an artistic side… Well, there's always something to learn. >
These screens showcased a dynamic array of colors and patterns, their hues morphing and transitioning into an entrancing visual ballet that added a layer of vibrancy to the room.
Some depicted abstract forms, others mirrored the pulsating rhythm of the city, creating a mesmerizing fusion of technology and artistry that breathed life into the space.
The apartment, perched high above the city, seemed to exist in its own world, a bubble of tranquility amidst the ceaseless energy of the metropolis below.
<Finally, I can take a shower, > June's voice echoed in Erik's mind as he surveyed the apartment. His canine form shimmered and shifted, morphing into a human shape very close to Erik's one, but with some differences due to the blood he gave him to morph into a human.
<Don't get too comfortable, > Erik said. <We'll likely get dirty later. >
June's face fell at Erik's words, his excitement replaced by disappointment.
Despite their shared appearance, they were two distinct individuals, each with their own thoughts and feelings, and he clearly didn't relish the idea of getting dirty again so soon.
Erik knew that. Since he spent months close to the clone, he learned a lot about him. He wondered why his power to make clones resulted in creatures that weren't exactly like this, but he assumed it was due to the Mirror's centipede peculiar brain crystal power.
<Alright, > he sighed, his disappointment clear even in his telepathic voice. <I'll just rest then. >
With that, June moved further into the apartment, leaving Erik alone in the entrance.
The young man closed the door, and with a click, the room fell into silence.
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