The wreckage of Sullivan's Sentinel still smoldered in the distance as Alex and Lena climbed out of Helios. The adrenaline of the battle was beginning to wear off, leaving a heavy silence between them. The infected Sentinel had been destroyed, but the victory felt hollow. Somewhere out there, more Symbiote-infected creatures were likely waiting, hidden in the shadows of the world's collapse.
Alex kicked at a piece of debris, frustration gnawing at him. "Sullivan was our last lead. Now, what are we supposed to do?"
Lena walked up beside him, scanning the area. The remnants of Sullivan's old bunker were scattered around them, but the place had been gutted long before they arrived. "We'll find another way," she said, though her voice lacked confidence. "We always do."
"We're running out of time, Lena." Alex looked toward the horizon, where dark clouds were gathering, shrouding the sun. It wasn't just the Symbiote that worried him—it was the sense that the world itself was dying, slipping further into chaos with every passing day. He had always believed the Sentinels were humanity's last hope, but if they could be corrupted like Sullivan's had… what chance did they really have?
Lena approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're right. But we can't afford to give up. Not now."
Alex nodded, though doubt still clouded his mind. "Let's see if there's anything left in the bunker. Maybe we'll find something—anything—that can help us."
They moved cautiously back into the bunker, the air thick with the scent of burnt metal and decay. Inside, the walls were slick with Symbiote residue, a grim reminder of what had happened to Sullivan. As they ventured deeper, Alex couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.
"This place gives me the creeps," Lena muttered, her eyes darting around the dark corners.
"Stay alert," Alex replied, his voice low. His hand hovered over his weapon, ready for anything.
They reached the control room, or what was left of it. The screens had been smashed, wires hung loosely from the ceiling, and the floor was littered with broken machinery. Lena moved toward the central console, brushing aside debris. "Looks like Sullivan tried to wipe the systems before we got here."
Alex crouched down, examining the floor. The black ooze of the Symbiote was thicker here, seeping into every crack. He frowned. "This infestation—it's worse than we thought. Sullivan's Sentinel wasn't the only thing affected."
Lena was tapping away at the console, her face illuminated by the faint glow of the barely functioning screen. "Give me a second," she said, biting her lip in concentration. "I'm trying to access any backups."
Minutes passed in tense silence as Alex kept watch, the weight of the bunker's eerie quiet pressing down on him. He felt exposed here, like they were standing in the middle of a trap they couldn't see.
Finally, Lena let out a small victory cry. "Got something."
Alex hurried over to her side. "What is it?"
"Looks like Sullivan was tracking something before the Symbiote got him. It's not much, but there's a set of coordinates," she said, pointing to the flickering screen.
Alex's eyes narrowed. "Coordinates? For what?"
Lena shrugged, but there was a spark of hope in her voice. "Could be a location Sullivan was heading to. Maybe he found something out there before he turned. It's a long shot, but it's the only lead we have."
Alex stared at the coordinates for a moment. The location was deep in a remote sector, far from any known settlements. If Sullivan had been tracking something important there, it could be the key to understanding the Symbiote, or even stopping it.
"Then that's where we're going," he said, determination hardening his voice.
Before Lena could respond, a low rumbling noise echoed through the bunker. The floor beneath them trembled.
"What the hell?" Alex spun around, eyes scanning the room.
Lena's face paled. "That doesn't sound good."
A moment later, the walls started to crack, and the ground shook violently. Symbiote ooze began bubbling up from the floor, spreading quickly. Alex grabbed Lena's arm, pulling her toward the exit. "We need to get out of here!"
They bolted for the door, but the ooze was moving faster than they could run. The tendrils stretched toward them, hungry and aggressive, growing in size and strength as they surged forward. The ground shifted beneath their feet, sending them stumbling.
"Go, go!" Alex shouted, pushing Lena ahead as he fought to keep his footing.
The bunker was collapsing around them, the walls groaning under the weight of whatever was lurking beneath. They reached the entrance just as a massive tendril of Symbiote smashed through the ceiling, crashing down behind them. Alex barely had time to shove Lena out the door before the entire structure gave way, crumbling into a pile of debris.
Helios stood nearby, its wings spread wide, ready for action. Alex didn't hesitate. "Get in!" he barked, pulling Lena up into the cockpit as the ground continued to quake beneath them.
As soon as they were inside, Alex powered Helios up, the Sentinel lifting into the air with a mighty burst. From above, they watched as the bunker was swallowed by the Symbiote, the black ooze spreading out like a living plague across the land.
"That was too close," Lena said, breathless.
Alex nodded, his heart still pounding in his chest. "It's spreading faster than we thought. We need to get to those coordinates—now."
Lena quickly input the data into the navigation system. "I'm on it."
Helios shot through the air, leaving the collapsing bunker and the dark infection behind. But as they flew, Alex's thoughts churned. They were running out of time. The Symbiote wasn't just infecting Sentinels—it was consuming everything in its path. If they didn't find a way to stop it soon, there wouldn't be anything left to save.
The coordinates led them far from any familiar territory, deep into uncharted lands. The skies grew darker, and the landscape below became a twisted version of what it once was, covered in the creeping blackness of the Symbiote.
Lena broke the silence. "What do you think we'll find out there?"
"I don't know," Alex admitted. "But whatever it is, it's our only shot."
The sun began to set, casting a blood-red glow across the horizon. Helios flew onward, a lone beacon of light in a world drowning in darkness. Whatever lay at the end of their journey, Alex knew it wouldn't be easy. But as long as Helios still flew, and as long as he and Lena still fought, there was hope.
And hope was all they had left.