"Testing limits," Riley rasped, his voice still hoarse. "Pushing the enhancements. They wanted to see how much I could take before… I broke. To prepare me for… integration with the Leviathan." He met Arkan’s gaze, a flicker of his old, sardonic self returning. "Guess I wasn’t as compliant as they hoped."
Arkan felt a surge of respect. Riley, even under extreme duress, was still fighting. "You broke their toys instead." He helped Riley off the table, supporting his weakened frame. "Can you walk?"
Riley pushed himself upright, swaying slightly. "Barely. Legs feel like jelly. But… my senses, Arkan. They're still active. The tremors… I can feel them in the structure. The weak points." His blue-tinted eyes, still unnerving but now focused, flicked around the damaged medical bay. "The main ven
