Yonah was the first to notice. Hours later, he shot to his feet, notebook nearly falling into the water. "Look! There—on the horizon!"
The others scrambled to their feet. At first, Patrick saw nothing. Then—faint, flickering—red lights. Not fire, not shadows. Something different.
"A signal," Yonah breathed. "A beacon."
Maya's eyes widened. "Another survivor group?"
"Or bait," Leo muttered darkly.
"Doesn't matter," Patrick said firmly. "It's hope. We follow it."
The boat's engine roared as they steered toward the glow. The red lights pulsed in rhythmic patterns, like a code. Closer, Patrick could see the outline of another structure—smaller than the oil platform, but sturdier. A research station built on stilts above the sea.
As they approached, a figure appeared on the deck, waving a lantern.
Evelyn's heart leapt. "They're real. They're alive."
