Futuristic

Zara Voss stared at her reflection in the polished chrome surface of the elevator doors. Her lab coat was crisp and white, her dark hair pulled back in a neat bun. The picture of scientific professionalism. But her eyes betrayed a hint of uncertainty, a flicker of doubt. As the elevator ascended to the top floor of Helios Corp headquarters, Zara’s mind raced. After years of tireless work, her team was on the verge of a breakthrough that could change everything. But at what cost? The ethical implications made her stomach churn. ...

Zara’s boots crunched on broken glass as she made her way through the abandoned building. Shafts of pale moonlight pierced the gloom through gaps in the boarded-up windows. She swept her flashlight beam across peeling wallpaper and moldering furniture, alert for any movement in the shadows. A faint whisper reached her ears. She froze, straining to listen. There it was again - a sibilant hiss, barely audible. Zara’s hand tightened on the sonic disruptor at her hip. After years maintaining the city’s sound barriers, she knew all too well the dangers that lurked in the silence. ...