There was a moment between death and waking.
A second of nothing. No heartbeat. No breath. Just the echo of a gunshot, and the taste of blood he couldn't swallow.
Then—
[System Initialization Complete.]
[Welcome, Operative. You have been selected for the "Perfect Spy and Family Man System."]
[Please stand by. Memory synchronization with host "Loid Forger" in progress…]
He opened his eyes.
Clean ceiling. Blinding white. Hospital?
No—too clean. Too fake.
He sat up abruptly, every muscle responding faster than it should have. His breath came out sharp, fast—wrong. He looked down.
This wasn't his body.
Slimmer. Younger. No scars. Hands not calloused from thirty years of combat. He flexed them slowly, jaw tightening. This wasn't a dream. This wasn't him.
"What the hell…" he muttered, voice deeper than he remembered—but also smoother. Refined. Like it belonged to someone who drank tea with two fingers raised.
[Synchronization 87% complete. Please do not resist host identity. Neural conflict may result in nausea, memory loss, or spontaneous internal combustion.]
He froze.
"…System?"
[Affirmative.]
"And I'm in someone else's body?"
[Affirmative. You are now operating as "Loid Forger," elite agent of WISE, undercover in Ostania. Mission objective: Preserve peace between East and West. Side Objective: Build and maintain a socially functional family unit.]
"…Of course."
He swung his legs over the side of the bed, eyes sweeping the room with practiced instinct. Dull beige walls. A window showing an immaculate city skyline. No security personnel. But a standard-issue spy briefcase sat near the foot of the bed. He knew that design. He'd killed a man who carried one.
This was real.
And he was alive.
In a stranger's body.
With an AI assistant that wanted him to play house.
[First Main Quest: Enroll target child into Eden Academy within 10 days.]
[Bonus Objective: Do not cause diplomatic incidents, civilian casualties, or minor property damage during child recruitment process.]
[Failure Penalty: Mental Sync Regression. Have a great day!]
"…This is going to suck."
By noon, he'd broken into his own apartment.
Or rather—Loid Forger's apartment. Immaculately staged, minimalistic. It reminded him of safe houses he'd used in Prague. Everything had a place. Everything screamed "function over personality." Even the books were alphabetized.
The fridge contained only protein bars, black coffee, and a precisely labeled Tupperware marked "Lunch: Wednesday."
"So he was efficient," he muttered. "At least I don't have to clean up after some slob."
He found the files he needed in the bedroom—coded dossiers detailing Operation Strix, Eden Academy, the target: Donovan Desmond. And the plan.
Create a fake family.
The absurdity would've made him laugh if he wasn't already trying not to vomit. Family. He'd killed families. Burned them to escape. Used them as leverage. But he'd never had one.
Never wanted one, either.
[Side Mission Unlocked: "Daddy Training 101 – Learn to Smile Without Looking Like You're Planning a Murder." Reward: Charisma Boost +2.]
"…This system is mocking me."
[Affirmative.]
That night, he found the adoption files.
Orphanages. Ages. Academic potential.
And one name.
Anya.
A six-year-old with inconsistent records, multiple rejections, and an unusual intelligence rating. He flagged her file for further investigation. Something about her pinged his instincts.
[WARNING: Telepath Detected.]
"Excuse me?"
[Caution: Subject Anya possesses limited extrasensory perception. However, subject is unable to read host's thoughts. Proceed with mild deception and bribe-based persuasion.]
Now that was interesting.
He leaned back, fingers steepled beneath his chin.
A world where people could read minds, but not his?
He was starting to see the advantage here.
A ghost in the machine.
A corpse in a borrowed suit.
And, apparently, someone's future father.
"…Screw it," he said, standing and shrugging on the coat Loid left behind. "Let's go adopt a kid."