The bio-stasis tank vibrated. Inside the glass, suspended in a solution of thick, amber gel, Lyra floated. Cables were surgically threaded into her neck, spine, and wrists, pulsing with faint blue light as they forced stabilizers into her bloodstream. Her skin was translucent, the veins beneath darkened like cracks in porcelain.

Viola moved across the console, her fingers flying over the haptic keys. "Cellular degradation is slowing," she said, her voice tight. "But the genetic unraveling is aggressive. It's like her DNA is trying to rewrite itself into something that can't exist." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Beside her, Kylus's Assistant adjusted a fluid valve. "We're just putting a majestic bandage on a bullet wound. The unexpected variable is the second subject."

She gestured to the adjacent bed.

Iria lay there, hooked up to a dialysis-style machine that cycled her blood through a filtration unit. She was awake but barely. Her eyes, sunken and dark, watched Lyra's tank with a dull fascination. The machine beeped once in a while, unlike the chaotic data scrolling on Lyra's monitor.

"Her system is failing, but it's stable failure," Viola muttered, glancing at Iria. "She's dying by inches. Lyra is dying by miles."

Outside the sliding blast doors, the corridor was dim, lit only by the emergency strips along the floor.

Kylus leaned against the bulkhead, a lit cigarette dangling from his fingers despite the 'No Combustion' warnings stenciled on the wall. He looked like he hadn't slept in a week. His jacket was discarded, sleeves rolled up to reveal the grease and scars on his forearms.

"Stop pacing," Reva said. She stood like a statue near the door, arms crossed, her eyes closed. "It doesn't help."

"I'm not pacing," Kylus snapped, taking a drag. "I'm vibrating with suppressed rage. There's a difference."

Requiem sat on a supply crate opposite them, sharpening a small throwing knife with a whetstone.

Scritch. Scritch. Scritch.

The sound was grating.

Three decks up, Arlen and Rin were in the conference room.

It was dark, save for the blue cone of light projecting from the center table. A massive hologram of Director Hale hovered there, his image flickering slightly with the interference of deep-space transmission. Behind him, the emblem of the Warden Corps rotated slowly.

Arlen stood at attention, her uniform pressed, her face a mask of professional detachment. Rin leaned against the back wall, deep in the shadows, cleaning his fingernails with the tip of a dagger.

"Report status on the Iron Mandate," Hale's voice crackled, distorted but commanding.

"Eliminated," Arlen said smoothly. "The primary stronghold at Sector 4 was compromised. Structural integrity failed following a kinetic bombardment. No survivors confirmed among the leadership caste."

"And the AIL Chairman?"

"Deceased," Arlen lied without blinking. She didn't mention the torture. She didn't mention Xavier's hands on the man's throat. "Found amidst the wreckage. Confirmed via biometric scan. The organization is currently fracturing into warring splinter cells. They are no longer a cohesive threat."

Hale nodded, typing something onto a datapad invisible to them. "Efficient. The Board is pleased with the swift resolution. The instability in the sector is... regrettable, but necessary for the re-establishment of order."

He looked up, his holographic eyes narrowing. "And the Asset? Xavier?"

"Secure," Arlen said. "He was instrumental in the breach. Current status is... resting. He sustained fatigue during the operation."

Rin snorted softly from the back of the room, but Arlen ignored him.

"And the contraband? The rumors of the Bull's treasure?" Hale asked.

"Unfounded," Arlen said. "We found scraps. Nothing of significant value. It appears the Mandate burned their assets before we breached."

"Very well," Hale said finally. "Excellent work, Arlen. You have exceeded expectations."

Arlen relaxed her shoulders, just a fraction. "Thank you, Director. We will proceed to—"

"You will return to Headquarters immediately," Hale cut in. "A transport has been dispatched to rendezvous with your current coordinates. You are to debrief in person. The Board wants to pin a medal on you."

Arlen froze. "Sir, my team is still—"

"Your team is irrelevant. Your orders are to return. The mission is complete. Do not make me repeat the command."

The hologram cut out. The blue light vanished, plunging the room into darkness.

Arlen stared at the empty space where Hale had been.

"Well," Rin said, his voice cutting through the gloom. "That went well. Except for the part where he owns you."

Arlen turned, her face crumbling from the stoic mask into something tired and bitter. She placed her hands on the table, leaning her weight on it.

"I can't go back," she whispered. "Not now."

"You don't have a choice," Rin said, pushing off the wall. "Unless you want to be hunted like the rest of us."

Arlen looked down at her hands. "I liked it better when I was a hunter."

"Yeah," Rin smirked, walking toward the door. "But the pay is better on this side. And the boss is prettier."

Arlen then left and went to the room assigned to her.

Sometime later, Arlen threw the last mag-lock on her case, the metal snapping shut with a finality that echoed in the cramped quarters. She didn't look up. She grabbed the handle and turned for the door.

Rin was leaning against the frame. He didn't move. He took up the entire space, arms crossed over his chest, a bruise blooming purple on his jaw from the war a few hours ago.

"Move," Arlen said. Her voice was brittle.

"No," Rin said.

He didn't shout. He just stood there, a slab of muscle and stubborn refusal.

"I have orders, Rin. Direct recall from Hale. If I don't report in, they flag me as a rogue. They flag us as rogue. I'm not dragging you down with me."

"Bullshit," Rin spat. He pushed off the frame, stepping into her personal space. "You aren't leaving to save your clearance. You're running because you're scared of what happens when he gets back."

Arlen dropped the case. It hit the deck with a heavy thud. "I am protecting my mission. What did you think, I was on some adventure with you and Xavier? I was just doing my duty and using you to get past all the trouble and chaos. Now that I am done, I am leaving."