I emerged from the dark Penthouse server room. The strong night wind of Sanctuary Isles pierced my cold, sweaty skin. On my chest, I felt the ultra-light protective unit pulsing steadily. Dahlia's heart rate in cryogenic isolation remained unchanged. Her frail presence was a focal point that cut through all the systemic and emotional noise surrounding me.
Darkness. Total silence. A discovery that was both soothing and terrifying at the same time. Elara Cypher had chosen a total blackout rather than an announcement of collapse. Below us, on the streets of Oasis, all lights were out. The noise of machines and generators died down, enveloped in an atmosphere of precarious silence that only a total storm possesses. Alpha helicopters were already airborne, heading toward this Penthouse. I had
