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We step inside, the outer door sealing behind us.

Immediately, sterilization procedures activate, with UV light bathing the chamber, followed by a fine mist of disinfectant compounds.

My modifications process the chemicals without difficulty, though I note Vex's slight discomfort as his skin absorbs the unfamiliar substances.

"You okay?" I ask.

He nods tightly. "Predator adaptations don't appreciate being sterilized."

After a sixty-second cycle, the inner door unlocks with a pneumatic hiss. Beyond lies exactly what we've come for—Unity's primary genetic research laboratory.

The space is larger than I expected, gleaming white surfaces housing equipment I recognize from my time as a captive.

Display screens show genetic sequences in constant motion, data flowing across monitors in hypnotic patterns.

And at the center, a cylindrical structure containing what must be hundreds of sample containers, each glowing with faint blue illumination.

"Jackpot," I breathe, moving toward the sample storage. "This is it, their entire genetic library for Project Duality."

Vex moves to secure the room's other entry points while I approach the storage unit. Up close, I can see that each sample container bears an identification code, alphanumeric sequences that mean nothing to me until I spot one labeled "ZT-7."

My blood runs cold.

That's me.

Zara Thorne, subject seven.

"Found my samples," I report, voice tight. "Placing charges now."

I remove three explosive devices from my pack, carefully positioning them around the cylindrical storage unit.

Each charge is designed to generate enough heat to destroy any biological material within its blast radius, while the combined detonation will structurally compromise the entire laboratory .

It’s not lost on me that in some ways I’m blowing up parts of myself.

As I work, Vex secures the room's data stations, placing his own charges at key points that will ensure complete destruction of Unity's research.

"Primary target secured," I confirm once all charges are in position. "Moving to secondary objective."

Our second target is one level down, the backup data storage where Unity maintains redundant copies of all research. We exit the laboratory through a maintenance access point, avoiding the main corridors where personnel would be concentrated at this early hour.

"Team Two reporting charges placed at infrastructure targets," Sara's voice comes through our comms, barely above a whisper. "Proceeding to extraction point."

"Acknowledged," I respond. "Team One on final objective. ETA twelve minutes to extraction."

We're making good time, ahead of schedule despite the additional security measures. If the extraction team at Eastern Arcology is similarly successful, both missions could complete before Unity realizes the full scope of our operation.

The thought has barely formed when alarms suddenly blare throughout the facility.

"Security breach detected," an automated voice announces over the facility's communication system. "All personnel to containment stations. Repeat, security breach detected."

Vex and I exchange looks of alarm. "That's not for us," he says with certainty. "We haven't triggered any alerts."

"The extraction team," I realize, heart sinking. "Something's gone wrong."

Our comms crackle with urgent communication from Resonance. "All teams, be advised," Marcus's voice comes through, tension evident. "Extraction team has encountered heavy resistance. Mission parameters compromised. "

Cold fear washes through me. Trent. Lily. Trapped in Eastern Arcology with Unity forces closing in.

"Status?" I demand, protocol forgotten in my urgency.

"Partial success," Marcus reports. "Target acquired but exit route blocked. Team diverted to secondary extraction point. Timeline extended by approximately four hours."

Four hours. Our mission was synchronized precisely, with both teams meant to complete their objectives and reach extraction points simultaneously, before Unity could coordinate a complete and total response. Now that timeline is shattered.

"Proceed with primary mission," Marcus continues. "Extraction team will rendezvous at alternate location Delta."

"Negative," I respond immediately. "If extraction team is compromised, we abort and provide support."

"Cannot abort," comes Jo's voice, cutting through with unprecedented authority. "Strike mission critical to overall success. Complete your objectives as planned."

Fuck. What do I do? I’m torn between mission requirements and personal loyalty. The rational, Sentinel-trained part of me knows the logical choice, to complete our mission as ordered, maximize overall success probability.

But the thought of Trent and Lily in danger, fighting their way through Eastern Arcology without support...

"Zara," Vex says quietly. "The best way to help them is to complete our mission. Create the distraction Unity won't be able to ignore."

He's right, damn him. A massive explosion at their primary research facility will force Unity to divert resources, potentially creating the opening the extraction team needs to escape.

"Acknowledged," I respond finally, swallowing hard. "Proceeding to secondary objective."

We move with renewed urgency, the facility now fully alert around us. Security personnel rush through main corridors, responding to the perceived threat. Ironically, the general alarm works in our favor, creating chaos that masks our movements as we navigate to the backup data center.

The secondary objective proves easier than anticipated as the data center is minimally guarded as personnel respond to the facility-wide alert. We place charges quickly, ensuring complete destruction of Unity's research backups when detonated.

"All charges placed," I confirm through the comm. "Moving to extraction point."

"Acknowledged," Marcus responds. "Detonation timeline remains unchanged. Thirty minutes from mark."

The extraction point is a maintenance exit on the facility's eastern side, which is less heavily patrolled than the main security checkpoints, according to our intelligence.

We navigate through increasingly crowded corridors, using service passages whenever possible to avoid direct contact with Unity personnel.

Halfway to the extraction point, we encounter an unexpected obstacle—a security team establishing position directly in our path. Three modified operators, all showing signs of the unstable adaptations we observed earlier.

"Can't bypass," Vex whispers, assessing the situation. "No alternate route within timeline parameters."

I study the operators, noting their positions and alertness levels. "Frontal approach," I decide. "I'll draw their attention, you circle behind."

Vex nods, understanding the strategy without further explanation. Our partnership has developed its own synchronicity over these past weeks, not the neural connection I shared with Trent, but an effective combat harmony nonetheless.

I move forward, deliberately making enough noise to attract attention while remaining in partial cover. As expected, the security team responds immediately .

"Movement detected," one calls out. "Section B-7."

Two operators move to investigate while the third maintains position. Perfect division of their forces.

I let them spot me briefly before ducking into a side passage, drawing them away from their stationary companion. The operators follow as anticipated, their enhanced speed evident in their movements but lacking the fluid grace of natural adaptation.

Behind them, Vex strikes with efficiency. The remaining operator drops silently, neutralized before he can alert his companions. Then it's my turn to act, emerging from cover to engage the pursuing operators directly.

The fight is brief but intense. These modified operators move faster than standard Unity security, their strength enhanced beyond normal parameters.

But their adaptations are crude imitations of true Haven modifications: unbalanced, unpredictable, lacking the integrated harmony of designed evolution.

My own modifications respond with instinctive precision, body anticipating their movements, reflexes outpacing their enhanced speed, strength matching their augmented capabilities. I feel almost sorry for them as they fall, victims of Unity's arrogance as much as my superior adaptations.

But I can’t let emotions get in the way here.

"Clear," I confirm as the second operator drops unconscious. "Route secure."

We continue toward the extraction point, now only minutes from our escape. The facility remains in alert status, but the chaos works to our advantage, security forces dispersed rather than concentrated.

"Two minutes to extraction point," I report through the comm. "No additional opposition encountered."

"Acknowledged," comes Marcus's response. "Be advised, detonation sequence set for twenty minutes from mark. All teams must clear minimum safe distance before activation. "

We reach the maintenance exit without further incident, using acquired security credentials to bypass the final checkpoint. Beyond lies a service tunnel similar to our entry point, leading away from the facility toward the wasteland beyond.

"Team One clear," I confirm as we exit the main structure. "Proceeding to safe distance."

The morning sun has fully risen now, illuminating the wasteland in harsh clarity.

We move quickly across open ground, using natural terrain features for cover whenever possible.

Behind us, the research facility continues its alert procedures, unaware of the destructive charges now placed at its heart.

At the designated distance marker, we pause, turning to observe the facility one final time. From this vantage point, it looks deceptively peaceful, with white walls gleaming in the morning light, surveillance drones maintaining their patrol patterns overhead.

"Fifteen minutes to detonation," Marcus confirms through the comm. "All teams report status."

"Team Two clear," Sara responds. "Minimum safe distance achieved."

"Team One clear," I add. "Awaiting detonation confirmation."

Now comes the waiting, fifteen minutes that feel like hours as we monitor the facility from safe distance. My thoughts turn to Trent and Lily, fighting their way through Eastern Arcology with their rescued Haven child. Are they safe? Have they escaped the arcology's security forces?

"Any update on extraction team?" I ask, breaking communication protocol in my concern.

A brief pause, then Marcus responds. "Last contact indicates successful acquisition of target. Currently proceeding to secondary extraction point. Communication limited due to arcology shielding."

Okay. Not much information, but at least they're still moving, still fighting. I hold onto that thought as the minutes tick down toward detonation.

"Five minutes to detonation," Marcus announces. "All teams confirm clear status."

Confirmations echo through the comm system as each team verifies their safe position.

I watch the facility with enhanced vision, observing the continued alert operations, security personnel moving with purpose, modified operators patrolling key access points, surveillance systems scanning for the intruders they never actually detected.

"Two minutes to detonation."

Vex shifts slightly beside me, his instincts clearly sensing the impending destruction. Sara joins us at our observation point, her color-shifting eyes fixed on the facility with intense focus.

"One minute to detonation. All personnel confirm minimum safe distance."

I find myself holding my breath as the final seconds approach. This destruction serves multiple purposes—eliminating Unity's research into forced modification, destroying the genetic samples harvested without consent, and creating the distraction that might save Trent and Lily from capture.

"Detonation initiated."

For a moment, nothing happens. The facility continues its operations, unaware of the countdown reaching zero.

Then a flash of light from deep within the structure.

The first explosion, barely visible from outside.

Followed seconds later by a larger blast that blows out windows along the western face.

The chain reaction continues, each charge detonating in carefully planned sequence. The primary sample storage erupts in spectacular fashion, a blue-white fireball consuming the central section of the facility. Secondary explosions follow as research equipment and chemical storage units catch fire.

Within minutes, Unity's primary genetic research facility is transformed from pristine scientific complex to blazing inferno.

Black smoke billows skyward, visible for kilometers in every direction.

Emergency protocols activate too late to make any difference, the destruction is complete, and irreversible.

"Primary objective achieved," Marcus confirms through the comm. "All teams proceed to rendezvous point immediately."

We don't need the reminder. Already, response vehicles are mobilizing from distant Unity outposts. Aerial support will arrive within thirty minutes, and ground teams shortly after. We need to be long gone before the full reaction force descends on this location.

"Moving to rendezvous point," I confirm, tearing my eyes away from the destruction we've wrought. "Expected arrival in two hours."

As we travel across the wasteland, putting distance between ourselves and the burning facility, I feel a complex mixture of emotions.

Satisfaction at completing our mission. Concern for Trent and Lily still fighting their way out of Eastern Arcology.

And a strange sense of finality, as if a chapter of my life has concluded in that conflagration.

The genetic material Unity harvested from me is destroyed. The research into forced modification set back significantly. Whatever happens next, Project Duality has been dealt a crippling blow.

Now we just need to reunite with the extraction team and return to Resonance with the rescued Haven child. Complete the circle. Twelve Haven children united at last.

Whatever the "final protocol" might be, we're one step closer to finding out.