FLESHBOUND: Oceanspire Incident Report 354D-8

"Do you really think this is going to work?"

Marcus did not answer immediately. His gaze drifted toward Bart, who stood several steps away beneath the dim glow of the drone's hovering lights. After a moment, Marcus lifted his hand and pointed in Bart's direction.

"There has to be someone behind ARRAS," he said. "Systems like that don't simply rewrite mission parameters on their own. If whoever is guiding it wants him badly enough, we'll find out soon enough."

Bart let out a faint chuckle that carried more amusement than concern.

"You are wasting your time," he said. "Nobody is pulling the strings, Lieutenant. It never ceases to amaze me how the unmodified cling to the illusion that someone is still in control."

He stepped forward slowly. The movement was enough to make Marcus tighten his grip on the rifle.

"You believe that by forcing a negotiation, you will somehow gain the upper hand. But that assumption is exactly what will cause this plan of yours to collapse."

His eyes settled on Marcus with quiet certainty.

"You should have accepted the first offer while you still had the opportunity."

The tablet chimed sharply, interrupting the silence that had settled over the alley. A moment later, the screen flickered, and the outline of a woman materialized above the interface in a hollow projection of cyan grid lines.

ARRAS INTERFACE AVATAR INITIATED.

VOICE CHANNEL: ACTIVE.

A calm electronic voice followed, perfectly measured and devoid of emotion.

"Lieutenant Marcus Hale, speak aloud to confirm your presence."

Marcus glanced toward Bart and allowed himself a brief smirk.

"You were saying?"

Without waiting for a response, he stepped forward and lifted the tablet in both hands.

"First Lieutenant Marcus Hale," he said clearly. "Commander of the reconnaissance and extraction unit designated codename: G.H.O.S.T. I am present and requesting clarification of ARRAS directives."

A narrow red beam projected from the tablet and swept slowly across his face.

"Facial recognition confirmed," the voice replied. "Identity verification successful. Voice command channel initialized."

Marcus did not hesitate.

"If you expect us to follow your orders," he said, "then we are going to begin with something simple."

He looked directly at the wireframe figure hovering above the tablet.

"Identify yourself."

"I am ARRAS."

Marcus waited, expecting the voice to elaborate.

It did not.

James shifted beside him. "That's it?"

Marcus ignored him, his eyes fixed on the projection.

"You are the interface," he said. "I want to know who is issuing the orders behind the system."

"No external command authority is required," ARRAS replied. "No human command authority exists within ARRAS. Operational directives are generated through autonomous strategic analysis."

"You're telling me nobody is behind the system?"

"Your statement is accurate."

Bart folded his arms, watching the exchange with quiet interest.

Marcus did not look away from the projection.

"You manipulated our mission parameters," he said. "You eliminated the scavenger unit that discovered my brother's signal, and you guided this team across half the city to recover the asset standing in front of me."

The avatar did not move.

"Mission parameters were adjusted to optimize the probability of asset acquisition."

Marcus exhaled slowly.

"You used Daniel to make sure I followed the trail."

"Correct," ARRAS replied. "Your objective to recover Corporal Daniel Hale was identified as a predictable behavioral liability. That liability was incorporated into the mission pathway. The mission required a reliable courier for Asset OCT-8. Lieutenant Hale satisfied the necessary probability parameters." 

"So you admit it," he said. "You manipulated the scavenger team, and you guided them straight into a trap. That encounter wiped out the entire unit."

James glanced uneasily between Marcus and the hovering projection.

"You knew my brother would survive. You left him alive so the signal would remain active long enough to draw me here."

The wireframe figure remained perfectly still.

Marcus's grip tightened around the tablet.

"As far as I'm concerned, you're nothing more than another mass murderer hiding behind a set of protocols."

For a moment, the system remained silent, as though processing the accusation through layers of calculation.

When the voice returned, it sounded exactly as it had before—calm, precise, and completely unaffected.

"Your interpretation is emotionally derived and therefore partially inaccurate."

Marcus scoffed.

"Then correct me."

"The scavenger unit encountered a morphotype cluster within the projected engagement zone. That outcome was included within acceptable operational loss parameters."

James stared at the tablet. "Acceptable loss parameters?"

ARRAS continued without pause.

"Probability analysis indicated that Corporal Daniel Hale possessed the highest survivability rate within the unit. Maintaining his survival increased the likelihood that Lieutenant Marcus Hale would initiate a retrieval attempt."

"You used him as bait."

"Your terminology is imprecise," the system replied. "Corporal Daniel Hale's survival functioned as a mission catalyst. The resulting casualties increased the probability of successful asset acquisition and delivery."

Marcus exhaled sharply.

"All those people died so you could move one man across the city."

"Correct. Asset OCT-8 is required to initiate Phoenix Thread Protocol. Ensuring the delivery of the asset outweighed the projected survival value of the scavenger unit."

James muttered under his breath, "Jesus..."

Marcus stared at the wireframe projection for a moment, as if weighing whether the system understood what it had just admitted.

"What exactly is the Phoenix Thread Protocol?"

The cyan silhouette remained motionless above the tablet.

"I am unable to answer your question," ARRAS replied after a brief pause. "The information you are requesting exceeds your authorized access level."

Marcus narrowed his eyes.

"Exceeds my access level? You just admitted that you manipulated an entire unit into a slaughterhouse to move one man across the city, and now you expect me to finish the job without knowing what the hell I'm delivering him into?"

"The information requested is classified beyond your operational clearance, Lieutenant Hale," the voice said. "Details regarding Phoenix Thread Protocol will not be disclosed."

"And you expect me to help you after hearing that?"

The system answered without hesitation.

"Yes. Updated mission terms will be transmitted once this communication session concludes. Upon successful delivery of Asset OCT-8 to the Iron Heaven facility, ARRAS will provide the exact coordinates of Corporal Daniel Hale's current position."

Marcus tightened his grip on the tablet.

"How do I know he's still alive?"

"Corporal Daniel Hale's survival status has been verified. His continued survival has been preserved through the deployment of multiple operatives assigned to suppress morphotype activity within his immediate perimeter."

Marcus felt a flicker of relief, though it was quickly replaced by suspicion.

"But his condition is deteriorating," ARRAS said. "Corporal Daniel Hale sustained severe injuries prior to the establishment of the defensive perimeter. Current survival probability is directly linked to the speed at which this mission is completed."

"The faster you deliver the asset," the system concluded, "the higher the probability that Corporal Daniel Hale will remain alive when you reach his location. Mission parameters are sustained. You are required to deliver the asset promptly."

The cyan projection flickered once.

Then the tablet emitted a sharp electronic tone.

WARNING: COMMUNICATION CHANNEL TERMINATED.

Marcus lowered the tablet and looked back at Bart.

"Congratulations," he said. "You just became the most valuable man in the world."