~Caleb~
"Disconnect everything," I ordered, already moving toward the hidden panel that would take us to the emergency command center. "They're after the countermeasure research."
Maya rushed to the main terminal, frantically typing commands. "I'm trying to isolate the drives, but they're already in the system. This isn't a standard attack—it's... it's learning as it goes."
The elevator that had carried Elara away minutes before pinged again. I spun toward it, claws extending instinctively, but instead of Lyra or security, the doors opened to reveal two figures in tactical gear.
Not human. Not entirely wolf either.
They moved with unnatural fluidity, their eyes glowing with silver light—not the natural silver of a wolf's gaze, but something mechanical and wrong. I caught the scent of
