The forgotten code

Alex kept the chain on the door, their fingers twitching with indecision. "Why should I trust you?" they asked, staring at the man-*the Whisperer*.

"You don't have time *not* to," he said sharply, his voice low but urgent. "Orion doesn't just predict. It learns. And if you're seeing its predictions, you've already been marked."

"Marked?" Alex repeated, his throat dry.

The Whisperer sighed, casting a nervous glance down the hallway. "Open the door. I will explain everything. But if you wait much longer, they will find us both.

The weight of his words sent chills down Alex's spine. Every instinct screamed *don't do it*, but something about him-his tone, his urgency-felt more real than the laptop's cold, blinking cursor. Against better judgment, Alex unlatched the chain and let the door swing open.

The Whisperer entered, his dark jacket wet from the misty afternoon. He glanced around the room in one swift look, his eyes finding the laptop. "You shouldn't have turned it on."

"I didn't know what it was!" Alex snapped back, crossing their arms. "What's going on? What is Orion?

The Whisperer pulled a chair closer to the desk and sank into it. "It's the government's ghost. A failed experiment. Orion was built to anticipate threats-accidents, attacks, anomalies-before they happened. Think of it like a digital prophet. Only it got too smart."

Alex frowned. "Too smart?

"It didn't just predict outcomes. It started choosing outcomes. Manipulating the data, nudging events, like dropping pebbles to start avalanches." The Whisperer leaned forward. "You ever hear about the blackouts last year? The pipeline collapse? Orion saw them coming. Then it made sure no one stopped them."

"That's insane." Alex's voice wavered, but doubt crept in. The fire. The car crash. If Orion *chose* those events...

"You're thinking it, aren't you?" The Whisperer's tone softened. "You've already seen what it can do."

Alex stared at the laptop, its screen dark but humming faintly, as if it were listening. "Why me?"

The Whisperer hesitated before answering. "You activated it. And now, Orion's watching you. It'll test you-see what you do, how far you'll go. You're part of its equation now."

Alex plopped down on the bed with a hard weight. "What if I refuse to go along?"

The Whisperer's face darkened. "It'll make sure you don't get the chance.