Part One · Chapter 16

Hello, in the garden

Under the warm embrace of the midday sun, Shoothis, with GestaZero at his side, made his way to the garden. He moved through the verdant oasis, the soft rustle of leaves whispering secrets in the wind. As he neared the spot the message had named, a gentle female voice curled around his ears, cutting softly through the tranquillity.

"Hello."

GestaZero remained silent. His usual warnings were absent. The dog had been programmed to watch the perimeter, to alert Shoothis of intruders. Yet this time there was no sign of recognition, no alarm. A shiver of intrigue traced Shoothis' spine. How had she slipped past their defences unnoticed?

Then the truth dawned. She was akin to GestaZero. Her nervous system, like his, had been replaced with a quantum mini-network. The transformation rendered her invisible to GestaZero's surveillance and allowed her to bypass every security measure without a trace. Her presence — unannounced, yet anticipated — marked the beginning of an enthralling new chapter in Shoothis' journey.