"Meet me at the neon-lit alley. Don't be late. ;) – J"

Grabbing your jacket, you step outside and make your way downtown, weaving through the pulsating glow of the city’s digital billboards and streetlights. The air hums with electricity, and somewhere in the distance, the bass of an underground club thrums through the pavement.

As you turn the corner into the alleyway, the world suddenly shifts. Glowing graffiti coats the walls—bright streaks of cyan and magenta forming symbols you don’t quite recognize. Projections flicker in the air like holographic ghosts, shifting and rearranging themselves into different patterns.

And there, leaning casually against the wall, bathed in the flickering neon glow, is Jack. His signature smirk is in place, arms crossed like he’s been waiting for you all night. “Took you long enough,” he teases. “Thought you’d get lost before the fun even started.”

You raise an eyebrow. “And what exactly is the fun?”

Jack’s grin widens as he pushes off the wall. “A little challenge. A game. You and me, one night, one city. Think you can keep up?”

A nearby holographic sign glitches, the words rearranging themselves into a message:

"LEVEL ONE: FIND THE CODE. TIME REMAINING: 5 MINUTES."

Your eyes dart back to Jack. “You hacked the city?”

“Just a little. Now hurry. Clock’s ticking.”

Finally, after what feels like an adrenaline-fueled dream, you reach the final location: a rooftop overlooking the city, its skyline shimmering like a circuit board. A final projection flickers to life in front of you.

"FINAL LEVEL COMPLETE. REWARD UNLOCKED."

Jack turns to you, grin softer now. “Wanna see what you won?”

Before you can answer, he gestures toward the sky. At first, you don’t see anything—then, one by one, tiny lights begin flickering to life. Glitching, shifting, rearranging themselves into a single glowing heart.

You look back at Jack, and for once, he’s not grinning like a troublemaker. There’s something else in his eyes—something real, something warm beneath all the neon.