Cross Channel

Stopbyte made a promise to a woman living beneath a false sky. Now he has to bring her home.

Syntharia has spent years inside a virtual kingdom, her world controlled by the man who owns the hardware. Her consciousness depends on a physical core hidden beneath his private estate. Getting her out means moving the machine that keeps her alive—without ever cutting its power.

Back in the DFW Megacity, Stopbyte and his digital companion, Calix, are also pursuing Project Juno, an aging military satellite that could give them a future of their own. But admission to its auction requires money, connections, and a sponsor willing to open the right doors.

Stopbyte has no intention of building that future while leaving Syntharia behind.

A trail of freight records draws him into the Oklahoma countryside, where a stolen aircraft becomes his base and an estate's household machinery offers a possible way inside. From a cramped cabin in a salvage yard, he begins assembling a rescue around borrowed access, improvised equipment, and the stubborn belief that a promise should mean something.

Meanwhile, Calix is making arrangements of his own.

Stopbyte knows how to break into systems. This time, he has to get someone out—and make sure freedom doesn't kill her.