The night was quiet, save for the soft crackle of the fire and the distant howl of the wind over the barren lands. Kael had parked his crawler in a makeshift camp, its bulky frame towering over Mira's sleek, dust-covered bike. The two sat on opposite sides of the fire, their faces dimly lit by its flickering glow. Kael was tinkering with a small transmitter, his tools clinking softly in the stillness. Mira, leaning against her bike, watched him with an intensity that made him glance up occasionally.
Finally, she broke the silence. "Just what is in that chip?"
Kael didn't look up from his work. "What?"
"You heard me," Mira said, her tone sharper now. "I thought it was just rudimentary data, maybe some blueprints or logs. But it has to be something more. Nobody sends squads of killers after something that basic."
Kael let out a long sigh and set his tools down, the metal clinking against the crawler's frame. He leaned back, rubbing his temples as if trying to fend off a headache. "Why does it matter? The less you know, the safer you are."
"That's a lie, and you know it," Mira snapped, crossing her arms. "We are in this mess together, whether you like it or not. If I'm risking my neck, I deserve to know why."
Kael stared into the fire, his face unreadable. For a moment, it seemed he wouldn't answer. Then, finally, he spoke. "Fine. I'll tell you. But don't blame me if you regret hearing it."
Mira leaned forward slightly, her eyes narrowing. "Start talking."
Kael sighed again and ran a hand through his hair. "The first chip," he began, "contains designs. Drone designs. Not your run-of-the-mill reconnaissance drones, either. These are specialized—assault units, repair units, medical units. They're versatile, efficient, and dangerous in the wrong hands."
Mira raised an eyebrow. "Drones? That's what all this fuss is about? Seems a little underwhelming for the amount of firepower they've thrown at us."
"There's more," Kael admitted, his voice dropping slightly. He hesitated before continuing. "The second chip contains blueprints. Facility layouts for some kind of Consortium building. I don't know which one, but it's important. Big. Maybe a research lab, maybe something worse."
Mira frowned, her gaze steady. "And?"
Kael shifted uncomfortably, avoiding her eyes. "And... there was a third chip. And a cylinder."
Mira's expression darkened. "Go on."
Kael took a deep breath, as if steeling himself. "The third chip contained a video. It showed a substance—a bio-engineered compound. They called it a 'bio-engineered substance,' but it's more like a weapon. In the video, they demonstrated its effects. It could melt through anything—metal, stone, flesh. It disintegrated everything it touched in seconds."
Mira's jaw tightened. "And the cylinder?"
"It contained a sample of the substance," Kael said quietly. "I didn't open it—wasn't stupid enough to try. But if the video was anything to go by, it was a nightmare in a canister. I didn't want to be anywhere near it."
Mira stared at him; her expression unreadable. "And you thought it was a good idea to just leave it behind?"
Kael's eyes snapped to hers, his tone defensive. "What was I supposed to do? Keep it? Sell it to the highest bidder? That kind of power doesn't belong to anyone. The Consortium already had their hands on it, so I figured giving it back was the least bad option."
"Do you honestly believe that?" Mira asked, her voice quiet but laced with steel. "That the Consortium will just... leave it alone? Use it responsibly?"
"No," Kael admitted, his shoulders slumping. "But I wasn't equipped to deal with it. I'm not some hero, Mira. I'm just a guy trying to survive."
Mira turned away, her hands clenching into fists. For a long moment, she didn't say anything, the firelight casting flickering shadows across her face. Finally, she spoke. "You realize they're not going to stop, right? Not after all this. Not after the Wraiths, or Danner's crew. They'll keep coming until they get what they want—or until you're dead."
"I know," Kael said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Mira faced him again, her eyes blazing. "Then what's your plan? Because running isn't working. Hiding isn't working. You need a real strategy, Kael. Something that'll get them off your back for good."
Kael picked up his tools again, his hands moving almost mechanically. "I'm working on it."
"That's not good enough," Mira said, stepping closer. "If you want to survive—and I mean really survive—you need to think bigger. These people aren't going to stop just because you're clever or lucky. They have resources, manpower, and time. You don't."
Kael didn't respond, his focus seemingly on the transmitter in his hands.
Mira sighed, her frustration evident. "You're in the middle of something bigger than you realize, Kael. And whether you like it or not, you're a part of it now. We both are."
Kael finally looked up, his eyes meeting hers. "I didn't ask for this, Mira. I didn't ask to be a part of some grand conspiracy. I just wanted to survive. That's all I've ever wanted."
"Well, surviving isn't enough anymore," Mira said, her voice softening but still firm. "Not for either of us."
The two fell into silence, the crackling fire the only sound between them. Above them, the stars stretched endlessly across the night sky, indifferent to their struggles.
Mira sat down on a nearby rock, watching the fire as if searching for answers in its flames. "So," she said quietly, "what's next?"
Kael didn't answer immediately. Instead, he leaned back against the crawler, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "Next," he said finally, "we make them regret ever coming after me."
Mira raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "Now that's more like it."
The fire crackled on, the two of them sitting in its warm glow, their minds already racing with plans for the battles ahead.