The world smelled of antiseptic and static when Leon woke.
Light pierced through his eyelids like knives. His chest burned as if someone had poured fire straight into his lungs.
He gasped. The sound was raw, animal.
Monitors beeped. Cables tugged against his arms and chest. His muscles seized as if rejecting the air itself.
Then—
[SYSTEM: Reinitializing neural pathways...]
[Warning: Hybrid synchronization at 42%.]
[Cognitive stability — unstable.]
He ripped the breathing mask off his face and sat up with a violent jolt. The metal table beneath him groaned under the sudden movement.
“Easy, Leon—”
Nova’s voice.
He turned his head sharply. She stood beside the med unit, her hair pulled back, circles under her eyes, but alive.
Raze and Iko were in the corner, watching from behind r
