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The drone passes, its engine sound receding gradually. Neither of us moves immediately, that strange charged moment stretching between us.

"They're returning to the monitoring station," I report, trying to focus on the mission rather than our proximity. "Sounds like they're buying the diversion."

Vex nods, but doesn't immediately retreat from our shared space. "Your control is impressive for someone newly awakened," he says, voice low. "Most struggle with the sensory integration for weeks."

"Feels like cheating," I admit. "Having designer modifications when everyone else had to adapt the hard way."

"Evolution doesn't care about fair," he says with a slight shrug. "Only what works." His eyes hold mine, something almost challenging in his gaze. "And your modifications work beautifully."

There's an undercurrent to his words that makes my pulse quicken. Before I can analyze it, he steps back, breaking the moment.

"We should circle back to the settlement," he says, all business again. "Different route in case they've deployed more drones."

We navigate the ravine in silence, eventually emerging into denser forest that provides good cover for our return journey. As we approach Haven's Edge from the southeast, I catch Trent's scent before I see him—waiting at the perimeter with barely concealed tension.

Relief crosses his face when he spots us, quickly masked by Sentinel control. "Mission successful?"

"Beacon activated," Vex confirms. "Unity patrol diverted to investigate. They've called in the anomalous readings as equipment malfunction."

"Good work," Trent says, his eyes finding mine. "Both of you."

Something in his tone makes me wonder exactly how much he observed of our mission. Did he watch our return route? See that moment in the ravine?

Nah. He couldn’t have. Still. The thought makes me unreasonably self-conscious. "Any changes here?"

"Settlement's maintained blackout protocols as a precaution," Trent reports. "Nora wants a full debrief once the patrol clears the area completely."

Vex nods. "I'll check perimeter security." He glances at me, that faint challenging smile returning briefly. "Good work, Thorne. We'll resume training tomorrow. Your enhancements have potential."

He walks away leaving Trent and me in awkward silence.

"You worked well together," Trent observes neutrally, though something flickers in his eyes.

"He knows the territory," I say with a casual shrug that feels anything but. "Andhe understands the modifications."

Trent nods, accepting this surface explanation even though we both know there's more beneath it. Our partnershiptaught us to read each other too well for comfortable deception.

"Your abilities integrated remarkably fast," he says instead. "Reid was impressed."

"Apparently that's how they were designed," I respond, unable to keep the edge from my voice. "Perfect integration, minimal disruption."

Trent studies me for a long moment. "They suit you," he says finally, echoing his earlier comment. "The enhancements. They don't seem foreign on you, like they do on some of the others."

It's the closest thing to a peace offering he's made since our fight—an acknowledgment that maybe, just maybe, these changes aren't simply contamination or deviation but something that belongs to me, something that completes rather than corrupts.

"Thanks," I say awkwardly, not sure how to respond to this tentative olive branch. After all, I’m the one holding the grudge here.

He nods once, professional distance reasserting itself. "Nora called a community meeting for tonight. Apparently they want to discuss longer-term arrangements for us."

"Us?" I raise an eyebrow. "You planning to stick around among the modified after all?"

Something complicated passes across his face. "I go where you go, Zara. That hasn't changed."

The simple declaration hits harder than it should. Before Unity, before Sentinels, before everything went sideways, that was our promise to each other in the field.

I don't know what to say, so I fall back on practicality. "I should report to Nora about the Unity patrol."

Trent accepts that with a small nod. "I'll join you."