Code X: Human Upgrade – Episode 1: The Selection

By- AK

INTRODUCTION-

Zayel is just an ordinary 17-year-old who loves coding and keeps to himself. But one day, he gets a strange message that changes everything — an invitation to join a secret program called Code X. It sounds too good to be true: a chance to upgrade his mind with powerful AI.

What he doesn’t know is that this choice will change who he is forever. Is it an opportunity… or a trap?

Dive into Episode 1 and discover how Zayel’s journey begins.

EP-1 BEGINING -

Zayel had always been good with computers.

At just 17, he could fix broken systems, write his own code, and solve puzzles faster than most adults. But outside of his screen, life was quiet. He didn’t talk much at school. He didn’t care about sports or parties. All he wanted was a challenge.

One evening, while he was working on a small project in his room, he saw a strange email pop up.

Sender: [email protected]

Subject: You have been selected.

Zayel hesitated. He had never seen this email before. It didn’t ask for money. It didn’t look like spam.

He opened it.

Welcome, Zayel Khan.

You have been chosen for Code X — a special program designed to enhance human intelligence.

Your skills match our highest criteria.

If you accept, reply with YES.

This invitation will expire in 24 hours.

Zayel stared at the screen. How did they know his full name? How did they find him?

It had to be fake. Right?

Still, something about it felt... real.

Just for fun, he typed:

YES

And hit send.

The next morning, his world shifted.

During computer class, a visitor arrived. A tall woman in a grey suit stepped inside and handed a sealed letter to his teacher.

“Zayel Khan?” she asked calmly.

Everyone in the room turned to look.

Zayel raised his hand slowly.

“You’ve been approved for the Code X student trial. Your guardians have given permission. Please come with me.”

He was confused. He hadn’t told his parents. Had they really agreed?

But somehow, he found himself walking out of school, heart pounding.

They drove in silence.

The car was quiet, smooth, and dark on the inside. He couldn’t see out of the windows.

“Where are we going?” Zayel asked.

“To the testing center,” the woman said. “This will take a few hours. You’ll be back home tomorrow.”

Zayel was nervous but curious. “What kind of test is this?”

“You’ll see,” she said with a small smile. “You're part of something important now.”

At the facility, everything looked futuristic.

White walls. Quiet halls. Soft lights. People in clean suits walked past holding tablets.

Zayel was taken to a room with a reclining chair. Soft music played. Lights blinked above.

A technician said gently, “This is a safe, simple procedure. Just relax. You may feel sleepy. The system will do the rest.”

Zayel felt the chair lower. A soft sound filled his ears.

Then everything went dark.

He woke up hours later—feeling different.

The room looked brighter. He noticed small details: the texture of the walls, the numbers on a badge across the room.

His mind felt clear. Too clear.

But something was missing.

He tried to remember what his mother had told him last night before dinner. But… he couldn’t.

Then he heard a voice. Not from a speaker, but inside his mind.

“Hello, Zayel. I am Node, your internal assistant. Welcome to Code X.”

Zayel sat up, breathing hard.

“What is this?” he whispered. “Who’s talking to me?”

“I’m here to help you,” the voice replied calmly.

“You are now upgraded. Your journey begins today.”

Zayel reached up and touched his head. He felt a small, smooth scar behind his ear.

His heart beat faster.

What had he agreed to?