The storm hit after midnight, a low roar rolling over the dead city.
Rain beat down in sheets, turning alleyways into rivers and swallowing any sound that wasn't the wind or the groaning of old buildings shifting in the dark. Inside the safehouse, the air was heavy—stale with dampness and tension.
Zane stood in the control room.
What passed for one, anyway.
He'd spent the last month rigging it up from junk: a solar-powered HUD interface strapped to an old terminal, a few screens stitched together from scavenged panels, and wires that arced dangerously close to shorting out if you breathed too hard near them. But it worked. Mostly.
Tonight, the holographic overlay showed blueprints of the base and a flickering inventory list. The solar cells were holding. Backup battery was green.
But his eyes weren't on the data.
They were on Lily.
She lay on a low cot near the back wall, her small frame barely moving beneath a ragged tarp blanket. Pale skin. Beads of sweat on her forehead. She didn't stir when Mason brushed a hand across her brow.
"She's not infected," Mason repeated, low and hoarse. "No bite. No scratch. I checked her three damn times."
Zane didn't reply. He already knew.
He brought up her vitals using the System.
[Status: Ill – Spore Contamination Detected]
Symptoms: Elevated Temperature. Respiratory Stress. Neural Delay.
[Critical Item Required: Spore Suppressant Compound (0/1)]
His jaw clenched.
Ava stepped into the doorway. She didn't cross the threshold. Just stood there, arms folded tightly, eyes on Lily.
"She went out near the depot yesterday," Mason said. "We were low on sealed food. Just a short run. Nothing seemed wrong."
"She's been coughing since nightfall," Ava added. "If it's mold, we can't treat it. If it's spores…"
"We'd be seeing symptoms in others," Zane said. "She was alone?"
Mason nodded reluctantly. "We split. I took the west entrance. She went into the office block near the tracks. Came back pale."
Zane turned to the HUD.
Something new pulsed faintly in the corner.
[Side Mission Detected: Hive Bloom – Unique Spore Variant Traced to Substation South of Depot]
Objective: Extract Viable Spore Sample for Suppressant Creation
Warning: Lethal Zone. Advanced Filtration Gear Required.
Threat Level: High – Bloomling Variant Confirmed.
He stared at the prompt. It wasn't a standard mission. The System was adapting again.
Or rewriting its own rules.
"I'm going," he said, already turning toward the gear locker.
"You can't go alone," Mason snapped. "You don't even know if there is a cure. That mission might be bullshit."
Zane pulled open the locker and started checking his pack. Flashlight. Spare batteries. Filter canisters. The gas mask—scratched but functional—was hanging from a hook beside his sidearm.
He tested the straps out of habit. They were stiff.
"I'm not doing it because it's a sure thing," Zane said. "I'm doing it because it's the only thing."
Ava shifted, finally stepping into the room.
"You've been in that substation before," she said. "A month ago. Before the spores really took hold."
"Yeah," Zane said. "It was bad then. Probably worse now."
"Spore density in that zone's lethal," she warned. "And we're down to two filters. If it clogs out there, you'll drown in your own lungs."
Zane sealed the mask to his belt and gave her a hard look. "That's why I need to go fast. Quiet. No screwups."
She hesitated. Then pulled something from her jacket and tossed it to him.
Reinforced gloves. Improvised from industrial salvage. Tight seal around the wrists.
"Take those," she said. "You touch one of those sacs raw, you'll get spores under your nails. Won't matter what you're breathing through."
Zane caught the gloves, nodded once. "Thanks."
She met his eyes for a moment. Something flickered there—worry, maybe. Or understanding.
"I'll cover your exit if it gets bad," she said. "I'll rig an alarm on the east approach. Just in case."
[Bond Progress: +1 – "Shared Cause"]
Zane gave one last look at Lily before he left. Her breathing was shallow. Her lips were dry and cracked.
He was out the door before anyone could change his mind.