#FLASH BACK 635

[POV: Sofia Lanka]

"Does it feel quiet to you, Lyon? Not just the city, but the space behind your eyes. For the first time since the Sahara, the hum is gone. I don’t hear the satellites screaming, I don’t feel the heartbeat of the network, and the 'Voice'... that ancient, heavy weight that called itself my heritage, is finally silent. I’m just Sofia. It’s terrifyingly hollow."

Sofia’s voice was a soft thread in the darkness of the ruined penthouse. She was sitting on the edge of a velvet chaise lounge, her fingers digging into the plush, dusty fabric. The room was illuminated only by the flicker of...