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A connection that defies rational explanation yet drives every decision leading to this moment.

A smile forms—not the practiced expression employed for tactical advantage or the cynical version that warns of impending action, but something genuine that surprises even me with its appearance.

"Yeah," I acknowledge quietly, the admission carrying unusual vulnerability. "We were strangers when you think about it, but I guess that instant connection has made me cynical enough to return, even if it means it could be my last with him."

Something shifts in Riot's expression—recognition flowing beneath tactical assessment, understanding that transcends our limited shared history.

"Is this the alpha with the same name as me?" she asks, curiosity colored by what might be interpreted as emotional investment in someone less damaged by institutional experience.

Pride flows through me with unexpected warmth as I nod confirmation.

"Mmmm. The Reaper of Rot," I confirm, the designation carrying none of the fear it typically inspires but something closer to reverence. "My Aries."

The astrological identification emerges without conscious decision—the celestial connection between us that transcends institutional designation or simple biological compatibility.Something in the stars themselves recognized what belongstogether long before we encountered each other in this institutional hell.

I lift my hand toward her, fist extended in a gesture of camaraderie that feels simultaneously foreign and perfectly natural—emotional connection expressed through a physical ritual rarely employed in my tactical existence.

Riot stares at my outstretched fist with visible surprise, emotion briefly overwhelming her carefully maintained composure. I catch the slight movement of her throat as she swallows hard, vulnerability showing through the tactical facade with rare transparency.

Then determination replaces hesitation, a brave face constructed not for deception but for mutual preservation of dignity in a moment of genuine emotional significance.

"Guess I'll see you around," she whispers, voice carrying unusual roughness beneath forced casualness.

"Yep," I respond with deliberate confidence, offering certainty where circumstances provide none. "Don't go die off unless it's glorious."

She huffs with what might be genuine amusement, rolling her eyes as if our separation represents a mere temporary inconvenience rather than potentially permanent divergence.

Her fist meets mine with perfect pressure—not too aggressive, not too hesitant, just right for the strange connection formed through shared purpose and parallel circumstance.

"Whatever," she mutters, the dismissive response contradicted by the lingering contact of our knuckles before she turns away with swift efficiency.

I remain motionless as she proceeds down the left passage, her figure gradually disappearing into the darkness beyond the emergency lighting's reach.

Each step carries her further from our temporary alliance toward whatever waits in the chilled environment ahead—reunion or disappointment, success or failure, life or death.

The uncertainty hangs in the air between us with almost physical presence—neither of us knowing if this separation represents a brief interruption or a permanent conclusion to our unexpected connection. The Parazodiac offers no guarantees, no promises beyond the certainty that most who enter will never leave.

Riot's silhouette grows increasingly indistinct as distance and darkness claim her presence.

For a moment, I experience the peculiar urge to call her back; to suggest an alternative approach involving continued cooperation rather than immediate separation.

Before I can act on this uncharacteristic impulse, institutional mechanisms activate with merciless efficiency.

A metallic wall rises from the ground with pneumatic precision, sealing the left passage with an impenetrable barrier that eliminates any possibility of reconsidered strategy or maintained alliance.

The sound of hydraulics and locking mechanisms echoes through the remaining corridor with final determination—choice made, path selected, consequences now unavoidable regardless of potential reconsideration.

I stand alone at what remains of the junction, the right passage now my only option. The finality settles around me like a familiar weight—isolation representing standard operational condition rather than unexpected development.

"Your companion's biometric signature has been separated from monitoring range," Maverick observes, analytical mind returning to practical considerations now that emotional exchange has concluded. "Junction security protocols appeardesigned to enforce independent navigation rather than cooperative progression."

I take a deep breath, oxygen flowing through systems that function with perfect efficiency despite extended periods of heightened alertness. The exhale emerges with deliberate control—measured release that symbolizes transition from unexpected emotional engagement back to tactical functionality.

"Now I can claim what's fated to be mine...unapologetically," I whisper to the empty corridor, voice carrying absolute conviction despite the uncertainty waiting ahead.

The cynical smirk returns to my features with comfortable familiarity, tactical persona reclaiming control from the brief vulnerability permitted during our unexpected connection.

My eyes widen with the exhilaration of imminent action after extended preparation—adrenaline flowing through systems primed for optimal performance.