PART TWO: FACE 2 FACE

The Horizon Rift was unlike any other Zone, it was one of the only ones that was not under the regulation by the coalition. Hidden deep within the Andean ranges, it served as the main mode of transportation for the Children of the Light. They set up a camp near the zone for anyone without a place to call home and serve as their headquarters. Ten years ago, they appeared out of thin air unaware of where they came from. in a world they had never seen, a past they could not remember, they were disoriented to say the least. They soon realized that the danger was about to began.

Ten years is a long time, however, and changes came with the discovery of the Pulse energy. not only were natural-occurring pulse activities over now, but the zones also functioned as transport gateways, basically redefining the concept of space and time. Jax stood in front of his followers, each sitting by a campfire attentively listening to what he had to say.

“We’ve received confirmation,” Jax began. “Operation Firewall is set to go live in less than a month. Once it does, the coalition will have complete control over all the zones. Free movement will be over for us.”

A wave of frustration swept through the crowd. Lila leaned forward, her face set in a frown. “We need to hit their inhibitor network before it goes online. A direct strike.”

“Direct strikes have their limits,” Thalia countered. “We’ve seen what happens when we try to fight them head-on. They’ll label us as terrorists. Again. The public already fears us, we can’t give them any more ammunition.”

“Then what’s your plan?” Lila retorted, her voice sharp. “Sit back and hope they change their minds?”

“No,” Thalia said calmly. “I’m saying we need a smarter approach. If we destroy the inhibitors, we only hurt the citizens who use the zones. And let’s not forget tampering with the zones risks destabilizing the core further.”

Jax crossed his arms, contemplating their words. Everyone erupted into debates about the strategies they could use. Finally, Jax spoke, silencing the murmurs. “Thalia’s right. If we want to dismantle the coalition’s power, we need to strike at the heart of their narrative. And we won't risk destroying the zones but we cannot let the Firewall happen.”

“so what do you propose Jax,” asked Lila

“We need allies within the coalition,” he said, his tone decisive. “ if we can manage to bring them to our side, it might make a difference. We could find proof and reveal the truth to the public.”

A murmur of agreement rippled through the group. Then Thalia spoke, her voice cutting through the noise “Funny you should say that. I just got a signal from Minister Zhao. She wants to meet.”

The portal shimmered, a swirling vortex of light that hummed with energy. Jax nodded to Thalia as she stepped toward it, his voice calm but resolute. “Remember, visualize where you want to go. The zone will do the rest.”

The energy surrounded her and in an instant, she was no longer in the Andes. She emerged on the other side of the region into the metropolis of New Shangai. The city skyline was a marvelous display of futuristic and gravity-defying architecture. Beneath the glow, the streets buzzed with life, automated transports and a line of citizens waiting to pass through the Arc A Zone in the city. Hidden among the towers was a quiet corner, known for its old almost ancient design served as a hub of discretion, with no high technology, the teahouse was frequented by high-ranking officials and citizens alike.

Thalia entered the establishment, eyes scanning the room until she spotted Minister Zhou in a secluded corner. The Pan-Asian Alliance leader sat with a cup of steaming tea, her expression wary but composed.

“You’re bold to approach me here,” Zhou said as Thalia slid into the seat across from her.

“ Well, the situation called for boldness,” Thalia replied, her voice low. “We need to talk.”

Zhou arched an eyebrow. “let me guess. You’re here to recruit me. I am only here as a favour to Voste so don’t expect anything.”

“Understood, let’s get started,” Thalia said firmly. “I’m here because we both know the coalition is full of shit. They claim to protect humanity but only care about lining their pockets and demonstrating their power. You’ve seen their greed and corruption firsthand.”

Zhou sighed, setting her cup down. “You know as much as I, that it was never that easy. Those five years really put us in a tight place, your “friends” never got to experience it when it was really bad. The zones were destroying houses and... people disappeared. We barely survived. The Coalition stabilized the world when no one else could.”

“but they didn’t do it by themselves did they?” Thalia asked leaning back. “My "friends" found the solution and…you took the credit.” Thalia shot back.

Zhou sipped her tea, her silence stretching. Finally, she said, “Even if I agreed with you, aligning with your group would be political suicide. Drex already watches me like a hawk.”

“Then don’t align with us,” Thalia said. “Help us expose what the coalition is really doing. We just need evidence, and you…can help us get that. we are not looking for war…we just want to get the truth out there. We are not safe.”

“And what happens when that evidence leads to chaos?” Zhou countered. “You might not think anything of us, but we are not stupid. We know the solution to the core is only temporary and we are working on a more permanent solution. You just need to give us time.”

“it seems we are at an impasse,” Thalia said taking a sip of tea that had just been brought over by the waiter. “How about this? You help us get the evidence and we promise to give you the time to make it work, say two months.”

“Two months?” Zhou says chuckling. “That’s not enough time. One year and I’ll give you access to the interior zones.”

Thalia’s gaze lingered on Zhou, for a while. After a long pause, she said, “We’ll think about it.”

Back at the Horizon Rift, Lila and the other leaders reviewed the latest intelligence reports. A sudden alert drew their attention—a message from Thalia, encoded and routed through multiple secure channels.

“She made contact,” Lila announced, her eyes scanning the decrypted text. “Zhou’s considering our proposal.”

A ripple of relief and cautious optimism spread through the group. Jax leaned back in his chair, a faint smirk on his face. “I’ll admit, I didn’t think she’d even listen.”

“She hasn’t committed yet,” Lila reminded him. “But it’s a start.”

Thalia’s voice came through the comm channel, her tone weary but hopeful.

“ She wants us to give her some time. A year. She also asks for assurances. I don’t think she’ll budge.”

“We can't give her a year,” Jax said. “Everyone is restless enough as is. Secure the shop, I’m coming to meet her myself.”

Moments later, Jax stepped into the teahouse, removing his hood as he approached their table.

“Minister Zhao,” he greeted smiling at her.

“Well, if it isn’t the elusive leader of the children of the light,” Zhou said, her tone dry. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Jax took a seat beside Thalia, his gaze steady. “We want the same thing, Minister. To save the world from destruction. But Operation Firewall isn’t the solution. It’s going to harm the very people we’re trying to protect.”

“And what do you suggest?” Zhou asked, folding her arms.

“Delay the vote,” Jax said. “Convince them to change their minds, disable the firewall. Whatever works.”

After a long pause, Zhou relented. “I guess I could buy you six months but I won't help you with the evidence.”

Jax inclined his head. “That’s fair. We will take care of that. we will need the schematics of the headquarters and some intel. I hope that’s not too much to ask.”

“Okay. But if I find out you’ve broken our agreement…this partnership ends. And no more random announcements or destruction of coalition's assets.”

The two rose from their seats and shook hands. “Understood Minister,” Jax said leaving with Thalia.