The tunnels bled into silence. Only the echo of their footsteps and the faint hiss of steam from ruptured pipes broke the quiet.
Ethan led the way now, the faint glow beneath his skin dimming to a soft pulse. Every few seconds, a spark of light flashed under his veins — a reminder that whatever was inside him wasn’t done.
Behind him, Hannah swept her weapon side to side, eyes sharp, jaw locked. Dr. Myles was hunched over her wristpad, fingers flying across the holographic interface as she tried to decode the last transmission from the fallen Helix.
“Anything?” Hannah asked.
Myles shook her head. “Encrypted. The beacon used a frequency I’ve never seen before. It wasn’t just transmitting coordinates…”
Ethan slowed. “Then what?”
“It was syncing.”
“Syncing with what?” Maya asked softly.
