The academy corridor's enhancement dampeners pressed down like a physical weight. Kasper's nanobots sputtered weakly, fighting against frequencies that shouldn't exist.
Sarah's medical scanner pulsed as she worked to stabilize their systems. Her touch on Kasper's neural ports was gentle, familiar. "Your enhancement levels are dropping too fast. These dampeners aren't standard issue."
Jake's prosthetic eye glowed with military patterns as he blocked their path. "Nobody leaves until Cross gets what she wants."
"Yo, waste man," Nailah called out, her Jamaican lilt carrying deadly promise. "Yuh really want to test me today?"
"Medical override protocols." Sarah stepped forward, academy authority in her voice despite her obvious concern for Kasper. "These dampeners are causing neural damage. Or would you like to explain dead students to the board?"
Blood trickled from Li Wei's neural ports as he worked his interface. "Almost got it... security systems are-"
"Need a hand?" Lucas's voice crackled through their encrypted comms. "These protocols look familiar. Like that time we hacked the cafeteria synthesizers."
"Bout time yuh showed up," Nailah muttered, her enhanced senses tracking movement in the shadows. "Where yuh hiding, tech boy?"
"Lab 7. Been tracking some interesting data streams. Cross isn't the only one watching this show."
"Mi nah like dis," Nailah's hand drifted to her concealed pistol. Her Caribbean Division enhancements hummed in response to unseen threats.
Jake's smile turned predatory. "Last chance. Cross wants to talk. Just talk."
"Like she 'talked' to the last team that asked questions?" Sean's tactical systems strained against the dampeners. "Where's Headmistress Vega, by the way?"
"Handling a situation in Valparaiso," Sarah answered quickly. Too quickly? "Emergency protocols."
Something in her tone made Kasper's remaining functional nanobots ping a warning. But before he could analyze it, Li Wei's neural interface sparked.
"Got it!" he gasped. "Overriding dampeners in three... two..."
The lights died.
In the sudden darkness, enhanced senses painted the world in combat shadows. Jake moved with military precision, but Nailah was faster. Sarah's medical scanner switched to combat support mode, boosting their weakened enhancements.
"Stay close!" Sarah's grip on Kasper's arm carried months of shared trust. The scent of her medical enhancers mixed with something else - fear? Determination? "We need to reach Lucas!"
"Watch yuh back," Nailah called as she covered their retreat, Caribbean training making her one with the shadows. "Some people got more dan one face, seen?"
Her words carried layers that made Sarah's hand tighten briefly on Kasper's arm.
They reached Lab 7 as the academy's warning klaxons finally activated. Lucas had the blast doors sealed before they finished filing in.
"So," he gestured to multiple screens showing security feeds, enhancement data streams, and what looked like classified ATA files, "who wants to explain why Cross's private server contains files on Project Lazarus?"
"Or why Vega's 'emergency trip' isn't logged in any official channels?" Sarah added, her medical scanner already checking everyone for damage. She lingered over Kasper's neural ports with practiced care.
"First ting first," Nailah cut in, eyes sharp. "How yuh scanner know dem military frequencies, gyal?"
The question hung heavy in the recycled air. Sarah's hands stilled on Kasper's neck for just a moment.
"Because," she said softly, "I've seen them before. In Mirage City."
Before anyone could process that, every screen in the lab lit up with Cross's face.
"Sweet children," she smiled, all predator grace. "Did you really think you were the first team to ask questions? To dig too deep?"
The screens changed, showing surveillance footage: Their families. Their homes. Their weaknesses.
All being watched.
"Ten minutes," Cross announced. "Then we do this my way."
The feeds cut out, leaving them with impossible choices and too many questions.
In the sudden silence, Sarah's hand found Kasper's. Her touch carried comfort, carried history, carried trust.
Carried secrets she prayed would never come to light.
"Whatever happens," she whispered, meaning every word with all her heart, "I've got your back. Always."
Kasper caught Nailah watching them, her eyes holding something between pity and judgment. "Yuh know," she said softly, her Jamaican lilt gentle for once, "sometimes de sweetest poison be de one that taste like home."
His nanobots pinged a warning he chose to ignore. But as Sarah's fingers intertwined with his, as her medical scanner pulsed in sync with his enhancement frequencies, a treacherous thought surfaced:
When had comfort started feeling like chains?