Snow cut through the night like blades.
Elaris drove fast, fingers tight on the hovercar controls. Every shadow outside felt alive. Every turn felt watched. Kael's presence still clung to her mind like smoke that refused to fade.
The industrial zone rose ahead—dark towers, silent machines, cold metal everywhere.
A hidden platform appeared below.
A turquoise light blinked once.
Biometric scan complete.
The gate opened with a low hiss.
Inside, DreamWare Corp's underground base glowed softly. Black glass walls reflected flowing data lines like glowing rivers. The place felt alive—but controlled.
Safe.
At the center stood Xyren.
His metallic jacket caught the light. One cybernetic eye pulsed gently as he studied her.
"Your heart rate is high," he said calmly. "Too high."
Elaris swallowed."I handled it."
"You survived it," Xyren corrected. "There's a difference."
She sat slowly as the med-kit opened with a click. His movements were precise—cleaning wounds, sealing cuts, placing thermal patches that warmed and cooled her skin.
"You shouldn't care," she muttered.
Xyren paused for half a second.
"I'm not programmed to," he said."Yet here I am."
A thin band locked around her wrist. It pulsed softly, syncing with her heartbeat. Slowly… her breathing steadied.
For a moment, his eye flickered—not with data.
With concern.
And Elaris realized something dangerous.
Here, with him… she felt human.