Jade put her hand on the tank before anyone pushed it toward the violet crack.
"The pumps cross first, and the gold rim stays here."
Ty braced his good shoulder against the tank base. Erebos spread shadow beneath the loosened mount, ready to lift. Both stopped under Jade's raised hand.
The woman in the tank pointed toward the extraction filter. Her graft repeated the gesture through Kegaku's damaged arm.
"Blood filter first because the ordinary current will move faster."
Jade shut the filter's upper clamp. Gray fluid packed against the mesh while she closed the lower side, trapping enough tank water to keep the cartridge full. Two bolts held it beneath the control box.
The first bolt turned. The second had bent when the Reaper split the floor.
Kegaku pulled his lip free from the broken flute. Skin tore against the open brace, though he kept the metal piece pinched between his fingers.
"Use this under the bolt before you strip its head."
