I didn’t reach the pits in time to stop the horror. I was intercepted in the central hub by an elite squad of Aegis “Nullifiers”—humans in heavy, pressurized white suits designed to withstand absolute zero temperatures. They carried liquid-nitrogen sprayers and high-frequency sonic cannons that disrupted the air around them, making it nearly impossible for me to form the ice shields I usually relied on for defence. They moved in a tactical diamond formation, closing in on me with the cold efficiency of professional hunters.
“Do not kill her,” the squad leader commanded through his helmet’s external speakers. “The Doctor wants her neural pathways intact for the final graft. Just disable the limbs and bring her in.”
I laughed, a cold, sharp sound that made the Nullifiers hesitate for a
