Episode 14
The title "Project Seraphim" echoed in Iris's mind like a ticking bomb.
She traced the ink on the file's cover, Alec's slanted handwriting precise and cold. This wasn't just another operation. This was his endgame—the one he never told even her about.
Lucien leaned in. "Are you ready?"
Iris met his gaze. "I have to be."
They opened the file.
Inside were schematics, coordinates, and photographs—each more disturbing than the last. Images of girls who looked exactly like Iris, in different parts of the world. Same eyes. Same bone structure. Different names.
Clones.
But not just copies.
Improvements.
> "Seraphim was my legacy," Alec's recorded voice whispered through the embedded audio chip.
"Not just perfection. Evolution. The final phase of human design. Born without fear, immune to emotion. Created to lead the world into a new age. They are not just your sisters. They are your replacements."
---
The Seraphim Directive
There were seven Seraphim subjects. Each raised in isolation. Each given a unique designation:
S1: Aria – Europe
S2: Nyx – Russia
S3: Kaela – USA
S4: Eiko – Japan
S5: Zaira – UAE
S6: Lyra – Australia
S7: Iris – The original.
But now… only six remained.
S4, Eiko, had gone rogue six months ago. The notes indicated she broke protocol, assassinated her handler, and vanished.
Iris clenched her fists. "She's awake. Like me."
Lucien's voice was low. "And the rest?"
"They don't know yet. They're still programmed."
The file ended with one chilling line:
> Initiate Protocol Omega upon Thea's awakening. All remaining Seraphim will be activated. And only one will survive.
---
A New Threat
The lights in the study flickered.
Lucien checked the system. "Power's being diverted. We're being hacked."
A screen on the wall turned on.
A girl's face appeared—pale skin, silver eyes, jet-black hair in braids.
> "Hello, sister."
It was Eiko.
Iris stared. "You're S4."
Eiko smiled faintly. "I've been watching. You woke up too late. Alec's dead, but his machines are still running. The other Seraphim are awakening… and they'll come for you."
"I don't want to fight them," Iris said.
"They'll make you. It's in their code."
Lucien stepped forward. "Why contact us?"
"Because I don't want you dead. You were the first. You deserve a chance."
The screen went black.
---
A Race Against Time
The next morning, Iris and Lucien prepared for their departure.
"I have to find them before Omega is fully triggered," Iris said. "Before they become monsters."
Lucien handed her a slim black chip. "I pulled this from Alec's vault. A failsafe. It can reboot their neural networks."
Iris nodded. "If I can reach them in time… I might be able to save them."
Lucien hesitated. "And if you can't?"
Iris's jaw tightened. "Then I end it. One way or another."
They boarded the jet. First stop: Vienna—home of Aria, the eldest.
---
Vienna – The Silent Song
Aria lived like royalty. The Seraphim dossier described her as "emotionless, surgical, brilliant."
But when Iris found her, Aria was already waiting.
In an abandoned opera house.
"I thought you'd come," Aria said, her voice melodic but devoid of warmth.
"You're not a killer, Aria," Iris said gently.
Aria tilted her head. "We were made to survive. Nothing else matters."
"You have a choice."
"I don't want one."
Suddenly, she lunged.
Iris dodged, the two of them moving like mirrors—flashes of speed, elegance, and fury.
Aria's blade grazed Iris's cheek.
"I don't want to remember!" she screamed.
"You don't have to forget to be free!" Iris shouted back.
At the last second, Iris slammed the chip into Aria's collar.
A blinding pulse.
And then silence.
---
Sister Down
When Aria awoke, her silver eyes were different.
They held tears.
"I remember… the pain. The loneliness."
Iris embraced her. "You're not alone anymore."
Lucien entered. "That's one down. Six to go."
But their celebration was cut short.
The jet's emergency comms crackled.
Zaira (S5) has been activated.
She had just taken out an entire security convoy in Abu Dhabi.
"She's moving faster than expected," Lucien said grimly.
"And she won't hesitate," Iris whispered.
Aria looked up. "She was always the most loyal to Alec."
Iris exhaled. "Then I need to reach her next."
---
At The Edge of a Storm
As they flew through the night, turbulence rocked the jet. The sky was a churning sea of clouds—ominous, electric.
Iris looked out the window, her reflection barely recognizable anymore.
Lucien approached quietly. "You okay?"
She nodded. "No. But I will be."
He touched her shoulder. "You don't have to carry this alone."
She turned to him, eyes glassy. "They're my sisters, Lucien. My blood. But Alec made us all into weapons."
Lucien nodded. "Then it's time you disarmed the last bomb."
Iris closed her eyes. "Seraphim isn't just about control. It's about identity. Purpose."
She opened her eyes again—clear, focused.
"It's time to rewrite the code."