Page 54

Sharp, mountain air hits my lungs like an electric shock after hours in the tunnels.

It’s cold carrying scents of pine and something I’ve never smelled before, something like ice.

Snow, perhaps? The vast expanse of sky above us—not Unity's carefully controlled environment but wild, cloud-streaked blue stretching to the horizon.

We emerge onto a narrow ledge halfway up a sheer cliff face. Below, dense forest blankets the valley floor, trees swaying in wind patterns my enhanced vision tracks automatically. Above, jagged peaks thrust toward the sky, many still capped with white despite the summer warmth.

I’d never seen snow before. And it seems I’m not the only one impressed.

"Wow," Lily breathes beside me, silver eyes wide with wonder. "It's so...big."

I get it. After the arcology's contained spaces, the wasteland's sheer scale is overwhelming. Especially for a kid who's spent her entire life in Unity's bubble, just as I did.

"Which way?" Vex asks, already scanning for threats.

Trent consults his navigational equipment, comparing it with the crude map we salvaged from the outpost. "Northern ridge line offers most concealment. Three days to reach the coordinates if we maintain good pace."

"Three days assuming no Unity patrols," I remind him.

"Always the optimist, Flutterby," Vex teases, though his expression remains vigilant.

We follow a game trail down from the ledge, descending toward the tree line where we'll have better cover. The path is steep, loose rocks sliding under our boots. My enhanced reflexes compensate automatically, balance adjusting to the treacherous terrain.

Lily struggles more, her modifications still stabilizing after Unity's suppression compounds. I offer my hand at the trickiest sections, surprised by how naturally protective I feel toward her. Is this how Trent felt all those years, watching over me without my knowledge?

By midday, we've reached the forest proper.

Ancient pines tower overhead, their needles creating a canopy that dapples the ground with shifting patterns of light and shadow.

The earth feels alive under my feet—soft with decades of fallen needles, occasionally interrupted by gnarled roots that seem to reach for us as we pass.

"Hear that?" Vex pauses, head tilted.

We freeze, all senses alert. At first, nothing registers beyond forest sounds—wind through branches, small creatures moving through undergrowth, distant water. Then I catch it—the faint mechanical hum of Unity drones.

"Northwest," I confirm. "At least two units, standard search pattern."

"Moving this direction?" Trent asks, already scanning for cover.

I focus, filtering out natural sounds to isolate the mechanical signature. "Holding their current grid position. Just outside optimal detection range."

"Let's keep it that way," Vex says, adjusting our course slightly eastward .

We continue through the forest, moving with practiced stealth. Even Lily adapts quickly, mimicking our careful foot placement and controlled breathing. The data crystal pulses occasionally in her pack, responding to her proximity like a living thing.

The afternoon stretches on, golden light filtering through the canopy as the sun begins its westward journey. My enhanced stamina handles the physical demands easily, but I notice Lily tiring despite her brave attempts to hide it.

"Let's take five," I suggest when we reach a small clearing.

Trent nods, helping Lily settle onto a fallen log while Vex secures the perimeter. I distribute water and protein rations from my pack, the bland emergency food still better than anything Unity provided.

"How are you holding up?" I ask Lily.

She straightens, clearly wanting to appear stronger than she feels. "Fine. My modifications are processing the remaining suppressants efficiently."

"You don't have to pretend," I tell her gently. "Even with modifications, extended exertion after what you've been through is challenging."

Her shoulders slump slightly. "It's just... everything's so different out here. So many inputs. My perceptive abilities keep trying to catalog everything at once."

I understand completely. My first days outside the arcology had been similarly overwhelming—enhanced senses bombarded with unfiltered information after years of Unity's controlled environments.

"Try focusing on one sense at a time," I suggest. "Filter out everything else temporarily."

She nods, silver eyes closing in concentration. Her breathing steadies gradually, tension easing from her small frame.

"Better?" I ask.

A small smile touches her lips. "Better. Though I still can't believe how many different kinds of birds there are. I can hear seventeen distinct species just in this clearing."

"Eighteen," Vex corrects, returning from his perimeter check. "There's a hawk circling about half a kilometer east. Hunting patterns suggest it's tracked us for the past hour."

"Is that bad?" Lily asks, suddenly concerned.

Vex's lip quirks in that not-quite-smile of his. "Not unless you're a field mouse."

As we rest, Trent joins me at the clearing's edge, his shoulder brushing mine in a touch that seems casual but sends warmth through me nonetheless.

"Unity drones have adjusted course," he reports quietly. "Still outside detection range, but moving to expand their search grid."

"They're being methodical," I note. "Standard containment protocols, starting from the outpost and working outward."

"We have maybe fourteen hours before they reach this position," he calculates. "Less if they deploy additional aerial units."

I glance back at Lily, now engaged in quiet conversation with Vex about different bird calls. "She's tough, but not at full strength yet. Pushing too hard risks compromising her recovery."

"Agreed," Trent says. "We need shelter for the night. Somewhere defensible if necessary."

As if the universe has a personal vendetta against our planning, a distant rumble sounds from the western sky. Heavy clouds now darken the horizon, moving toward us with concerning speed.

"Weather front," Vex observes, joining us. "Major storm system based on barometric pressure."

"Perfect," I mutter. "Just what we needed."

"Actually," Trent says thoughtfully, "it might work in our favor. Storm will disrupt drone scanning capabilities, provide natural cover for our movement. "

"And soak us to the bone, drop temperatures at least fifteen degrees, and create potential flash flood conditions in the valley," Vex counters.

"I'll take wet and cold over captured by Unity's modified operators," I tell them.

We resume our journey, pace quickening as the storm approaches.

The forest grows denser, older trees giving way to secondary growth that clutches at our clothing and scratches exposed skin.

My modifications handle the minor injuries automatically, accelerated healing sealing cuts almost as they form.

Mind-blowing.

Lily keeps up admirably despite her fatigue, the coming storm seemingly lending her new energy. The data crystal pulses more frequently now, its internal light occasionally visible through her pack fabric.

"The resonance is stronger," she reports as we navigate a particularly dense thicket. "We must be getting closer to something."

"The Northern Archive?" I suggest.

She shakes her head. "Different signature. Less structured, more...alive."

Before I can question her further, the storm arrives with startling suddenness. One moment we're moving through twilight forest, the next we're being drenched by sheets of cold rain driving through the canopy. Wind whips through the trees, branches creaking ominously overhead.

"We need shelter," Trent shouts over the storm's fury.

Vex points to a rocky outcropping visible through the trees. "There. Might be caves."

We make for the formation, rain turning the forest floor treacherous underfoot. Lightning splits the sky, thunder cracking seconds later with enough force to vibrate my chest cavity. Not just a storm—a full-blown tempest.

As we approach the rocks, my enhanced vision picks out a dark opening near the base—a small cave or at least a deep overhang. Better than nothing in this deluge.

"There," I call, pointing toward the opening.

Vex reaches it first, amber eyes peering into the darkness. "Clear. About four meters deep, dry toward the back."

We pile in gratefully, dripping water forming puddles at the cave's mouth. The space is tight but sufficient, allowing us to shed soaked outer layers and access dry supplies from the waterproof sections of our packs.

"Some shelter," I comment, wringing water from my hair. "Cozy."

"Better than drowning," Vex observes dryly.

Trent distributes emergency thermal blankets—thin metallic sheets that reflect body heat. Not exactly luxury accommodations, but they'll prevent hypothermia as temperatures continue to drop with nightfall.

"We should take advantage of the storm cover," he suggests, unfolding a tactical map protected in waterproof material. "Push through the night once the worst passes."

"The drones will be grounded," I agree. "And any ground patrols will seek shelter like we did."

"What about the crystal?" Lily asks, retrieving it from her pack. In the cave's darkness, it glows with subtle blue-green light, pulsing like a heartbeat. "It's been getting more active for the past hour."

I study the strange object, modifications sensing something beyond standard perception. "It's almost like it's responding to our location. Like we're getting closer to whatever it's keyed to."

"The map showed the Northern Archive approximately forty kilometers from this position," Trent calculates. "Not close enough to explain increased activity."

"Unless there's something else," Vex suggests. "Something not on the map."

Lightning illuminates the cave entrance in brilliant white, followed immediately by thunder that shakes loose soil from the ceiling. The storm rages outside, rain now falling in nearly horizontal sheets driven by gale-force winds.