In the neon-lit underbelly of the city, where the hum of machinery drowns out the cries of the forgotten, Alec plies his trade. As a Splicer, he works in the shadows, grafting black-market cyberware to those who can't afford the luxury of legal augmentation. For years, Alec believed in the promise of technology, in the idea that cybernetics could elevate humanity beyond its frail limitations. But watching his little sister slowly disappear—her body replaced piece by piece, her warmth fading with each cold implant—has shattered that faith. The corporations, with their godlike control over life and death, hoard their advancements, letting the poor rot while they sell immortality to the highest bidder. Now, Alec no longer splices for hope, but for defiance. He works for the desperate, the lost souls clinging to existence in a world that has abandoned them. He knows he can’t save his sister—not truly—but if he can carve even a small rebellion out of steel and circuitry, then maybe, just maybe, there’s still a reason to keep going.