The safehouse's med bay hummed with sterile tension, the faint beep of monitors a lifeline for Daniel Mercer, clinging to life after Elias's shot. Alex stood by his father's bedside, Valor's three orbs dark in his hands, their drained power a mirror of his own exhaustion. Seris's threat—Deliver Valor, or your family pays—hung like a guillotine. His mother, Elena, sat vigil, her tear-streaked face a mask of resolve. Outside, New Haven's shield flickered, battered but holding against Zenith's lingering grid. Maya, shoulder freshly bandaged, leaned against the wall, while Marcus, scarred and grim, checked his pistol. Fae, side patched, sharpened her blade, and Jace monitored a holo, tracking Zenith's coastal signal.
Laura's voice broke the silence, patched through from the war room. "Seris's ship is moving—offshore, heavily armed. She's got Kael, Elias, and the prototype core."
Alex's jaw clenched. "They're running—or baiting us."
Marcus nodded. "Safehouse is secure, but Daniel's critical. We can't stay long."
Elena's voice cracked. "He'd want you to fight, Alex—not wait."
Maya stepped closer, eyes fierce. "Seris wants Valor—she'll hit us if we don't move first."
Fae's smirk was sharp. "Ship's a fortress, but I know weak spots—smuggler routes."
Alex synced the orbs, coaxing a faint pulse. The holo flickered—Seris's ship, a sleek cruiser, docked at a hidden reef. "We board, take the core, end this," he said, resolve hardening despite grief.
Jace frowned, leg braced. "We're low on agents—can we pull it off?"
"We have to," Alex replied, meeting Elena's gaze. "For Dad."
The team prepped fast—stun staffs, rifles, a patched skiff. Laura sent a datachip to jam Zenith's drones, her voice steady. "Valor's got one surge left—use it wisely."
Elena hugged Alex, her grip fierce. "Bring them down—for your father."
He nodded, throat tight, and led the team out. The skiff cut through stormy seas, Fae navigating hidden channels to the reef. The cruiser loomed, steel glinting under lightning, drones patrolling. Alex synced Valor, its cloak faltering but holding. They slipped beneath, boarding via a maintenance hatch.
Inside, the ship hummed with menace—corridors pulsed with tech, guards in exosuits patrolling. Fae led, blade silent, slicing a drone's core. Maya stunned a guard, her movements sharp despite pain. Jace planted charges, his limp slowing him, while Alex's orbs guided to the bridge—Seris's signal.
A trap sprung—lasers flared, grazing Fae's arm. "Sloppy," she muttered, pushing through. Exosuits charged, and the team fought back—Alex's staff cracked armor, Maya's strikes a blur. Marcus fired, precise despite blood seeping through his bandage. Jace's charges sparked, disabling traps.
The bridge door loomed, sealed. Alex pressed an orb to the lock—circuits fried, and it hissed open. Seris stood at a console, Kael and Elias beside her, the prototype core glowing dark. New Haven's grid flickered on a holo, crumbling under their signal.
"Mercer," Seris purred, her voice cold as ice. "You're tenacious—but outmatched."
"Surrender the core," Alex demanded, staff raised.
Kael laughed, pistol drawn. "You're bleeding out—literally."
Elias stepped forward, rifle gleaming. "Hand over Valor, or your father's next."
Rage surged. Alex synced the orbs, a pulse jamming their drones—sparks flew, but the core held. Fae lunged at Kael, blade clashing, while Maya tackled Elias, her staff sparking. Marcus stunned a guard, but Seris fired—a bolt hit Jace's chest, dropping him.
"No!" Alex yelled, diving to Jace, blood pooling. He was alive—barely.
"Focus!" Fae shouted, pinning Kael. Maya stunned Elias, but Seris slipped to the console, amplifying the prototype. New Haven's shield cracked on the holo.
Alex dragged Jace to cover, syncing Valor's last surge. Laura's chip clicked in—a shockwave erupted, frying the bridge's tech. The prototype sparked, its signal faltering, but Seris laughed, undaunted. "You think this is the end? The board's eternal."
She hit a switch—a holo flared, revealing Daniel, wired to a Zenith rig in the safehouse med bay. "One signal, and he's gone," Seris said, finger hovering.
Alex froze, horror choking him. "You're bluffing."
"Test me," she replied, eyes void.
Elena's voice screamed through comms: "Alex, they've breached—Daniel's rigged!"
Fae broke free, slashing Seris's arm—blood sprayed, but she fled with Kael and Elias, the core in tow. "Out!" Marcus roared, carrying Jace. The ship quaked—Jace's charges blew, corridors collapsing.
They reached the skiff, Jace barely breathing. Alex synced Valor, its last pulse stabilizing the shield—but Daniel's fate loomed. The cruiser sank behind, Seris's shuttle escaping. Back at the safehouse, Elena met them, sobbing—Daniel was stable, the rig disarmed, but Zenith's breach had taken agents.
Laura's holo flickered, grim. "Shield's up, but the core's gone—Seris is regrouping."
Alex sank beside Daniel's bed, orbs dark. "I failed him."
Elena gripped his hand. "You saved him—you're still fighting."
Fae, bandaged, smirked. "Seris bled. Next time, she's mine."
Marcus rallied the team. "We track her—find the board."
A holo blinked—Voss, escaped, his face frantic. "Mercer, Seris isn't the board's head—she's their blade. The true leader's in New Haven, tonight, at the Spire."
The feed cut. Alex's pulse raced. The Spire—Zenith's hidden fortress, the board's heart. It was a chance—or a final trap.