As investigations continue, a strike team led by General Aria uncovers a hidden rogue core buried beneath a long-abandoned hub in South America. The core pulses with raw data, drawing power from Vigil itself.
"This isn't a node," Aria reports. "It's a seed. It's trying to grow into a new network."
Catalyst warns that disabling the core risks destabilizing connected systems. Observer suggests integration instead, transmitting: "Seeds grow stronger with nourishment, not destruction."
Zane and Yara debate the proposal. "If we integrate it, we risk contamination. But if we destroy it, we might lose the chance to learn what's really happening."
Nyla orders a hybrid approach: partial containment, partial integration. "We'll learn—but on our terms."