Several minutes later—
The atmosphere in the hidden lab had dropped.
Not loud.
Not active.
Just—
Low.
Everyone had settled into their own space.
Their own thoughts.
Their own concerns.
---
Across the lab—
Summer moved.
Quick.
Focused.
Her earlier fear had thinned out, replaced by something else entirely.
Curiosity.
She moved from one station to another, eyes scanning screens, panels, structural layouts. Her fingers hovered near interfaces but never touched—waiting, assessing.
Winter stayed beside her.
Steady.
"Most of these systems are currently dormant," she said. "However, core functions can be restored with minimal time investment."
Summer leaned slightly closer to one console, eyes narrowing as she took in the layout.
"And this?" she asked.
"Environmental control," Winter replied. "Airflow, pressure stabilization, filtration."
A pause.
"I can restore partial function if necessary."
Summer nodded slowly.
Her attention already shifting.
