The medical wing stabilized into a tense, brittle quiet.
Jack lay on the diagnostic bed, breathing hard but alive, his fingers still intertwined with Maya's. His neural readings fluctuated, but more gently now—like a storm slowly retreating to the horizon.
Every rise and fall of his chest felt like a victory.
Every tremor felt like a warning.
Maya's knife lay at her thigh. Unsheathed. Ready.
Ward stood at the foot of the bed, arms folded, face unreadable.
Rafael leaned against the far wall, eyes scanning every camera, every sensor.
Something was wrong.
Everyone felt it.
No one spoke it.
Until Ward broke the silence.
"We cannot keep him here."
Maya lifted her head sharply. "The medical wing is secure."
"Not from Helix," Ward said, voice flat. "Not from Mantis."
Jack's hand tightened around Maya's.
She squeezed back instantly.
Ward continued, "We're moving Jack to Facility Epsilon."
Rafael choked. "The underground site? That place is a bunker."
"It's designed to withstand biological and enhanced threats," Ward said. "Jack needs to be somewhere Mantis cannot reach."
Maya stepped forward.
"No."
Ward blinked. "Excuse me?"
"No," Maya repeated. "We're not moving him."
Rafael muttered, "Well, here we go again…"
Maya ignored him.
"Jack is still in unstable condition. Moving him could trigger another surge."
Ward countered instantly. "Keeping him here could get him killed."
Maya stepped closer, glare sharp.
"And transporting him without full neural dampener equipment could do worse."
Ward's tone hardened.
"Maya. This isn't optional."
"It is for me," she snapped.
Rafael sighed. "You two should get a room."
Maya glared at him.
He raised his hands.
Ward stepped closer to Maya.
"This is bigger than the both of you."
"No," Maya said quietly, dangerously. "It's not."
She reached out and ran her fingers across Jack's cheek gently, her touch tender in a way that contrasted sharply with the blade at her thigh.
"Jack needs stability. He needs safety. And he needs someone he trusts next to him."
Ward's jaw twitched.
"You're attached."
"I'm responsible."
"It's the same thing."
"No," Maya said softly. "It's not."
Rafael watched her with a strange expression—one part worry, one part understanding, and one part amusement.
Ward exhaled.
"Maya, listen carefully. If Mercer is truly trying to lure Jack, we need to cut all possible avenues. Jack stays here, he dies. Jack moves without proper escort, he dies. Jack moves with you, he might live."
Maya blinked.
"…what?"
Ward gave a rare, humorless smile.
"You're going with him."
Maya stiffened.
Rafael raised a brow. "Ward, you do realize what you just said?"
Ward ignored him.
"Maya, you'll lead the escort. Rafael will follow behind."
Rafael gave a mock salute. "Always second place. My life in a nutshell."
Ward continued, "We're leaving in two hours. That gives you just enough time to prepare."
Maya's heart hammered.
Relief.
Fear.
Resolve.
All tangled together.
She looked down at Jack. His eyes were closed, but his grip on her hand tightened faintly, as if he sensed everything even in unconsciousness.
Ward turned and began issuing orders.
"Seal all internal routes. Disable external access codes. Alert only Level 5 personnel. And prepare two armored transports—"
Maya tuned the rest out.
She leaned closer to Jack.
"We're moving you," she whispered. "But I'm not leaving your side."
His eyelids fluttered.
"Maya…?"
She brushed her thumb across his knuckles.
"Yes?"
His voice was weak.
"Where… where are we going…?"
"Somewhere safer."
He swallowed.
"…are you coming with me?"
She didn't hesitate.
"Always."
His eyes shimmered—not silver, but soft, human, grateful.
Rafael pretended not to notice.
One Hour Before Departure
Maya stood in the armory, checking weapons.
Two pistols.
A close-range shock blade.
A collapsible tactical baton.
Extra magazines.
Thermal disruptors.
Armor inserts.
Rafael watched her from the doorway.
"You're packing like we're going to war."
Maya didn't look up.
"We might."
Rafael frowned.
"Look… Maya… can we talk?"
"No."
"It's about Jack."
She paused.
"…say what you need to say."
Rafael stepped forward, leaning against the table.
"You're getting too close."
Maya didn't answer.
Rafael sighed. "Maya… you're treating him like he's—"
"Important?" she cut in.
"Yes. Too important."
She finally turned to face him.
"And?"
"And you don't do that. Ever. Not since…" He swallowed. "Not since Mateo."
Her eyes flashed.
"Don't say his name."
Rafael stepped back, hands raised. "Fine. But the point stands."
Maya gripped the edge of the table until her knuckles whitened.
"Jack is not Mateo."
"No," Rafael said gently. "But you're acting like losing him would break you the same way."
Maya froze.
She looked away.
Rafael sighed. "I'm not trying to judge you. I'm trying to warn you. Jack is going through something none of us fully understand."
Maya whispered:
"I know."
"He might lose control."
"I know."
"He might turn into something else."
She turned sharply, eyes burning.
"He's still Jack."
Rafael's expression softened.
"Yeah. For now."
Maya bristled. "I will keep him grounded."
"Can you?" Rafael asked quietly. "Even if he stops recognizing you?"
She didn't answer.
Because she didn't know.
Rafael placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Just… be careful. Don't lose yourself."
She shook him off gently and walked away.
"I don't get to be careful," she said. "I don't get the luxury."
Rafael called after her:
"Then at least let me help you protect him."
She paused.
Then nodded once.
"Thank you."
Jack Wakes
When Maya returned to the medical wing, Jack was sitting up.
Barely.
His hair was damp with sweat.
His eyes were tired.
But he was awake.
"Maya…" he whispered.
She moved instantly to his side.
"You're awake."
He nodded faintly.
"Maya… I had another dream."
Her stomach tightened.
"What kind of dream?"
Jack swallowed.
"I wasn't dreaming," he whispered. "I was… seeing something."
Maya's pulse quickened.
"Seeing what?"
"A room. White walls. Bright light. And…"
He hesitated.
"And what?"
"A door," he said. "Locked. Like something inside me wanted to get out."
Maya felt a chill crawl up her spine.
"Did you open it?"
"No."
"Good."
Jack shook his head slowly.
"Maya… I didn't open it."
Her breath caught.
"It opened itself."
Maya froze.
"What… came out?"
Jack's voice was barely audible.
"I didn't see it. But I heard something."
"What did it say?"
Jack shivered.
"It said:
'Soon.'"
The room went silent.
Maya exhaled shakily and placed her forehead against his.
"Jack… don't let it in."
He swallowed.
"I don't know if I can stop it."
She grabbed his jaw.
"You can. You will."
He closed his eyes.
His voice trembled.
"Do you trust me?"
She didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
He exhaled shakily.
"…then I'll keep fighting."
Her chest tightened.
She brushed her thumb under his eye.
"You're not doing this alone."
Then—
The lights flickered.
Maya's head snapped up.
Rafael rushed in.
"Maya—we have a problem."
Her hand moved to her knife. "What now?"
Rafael's voice dropped.
"The north wing hallway cameras just went dark."
Maya stiffened.
"That's not random."
"No."
Rafael handed her a tablet showing the surveillance feed.
One by one—
the hallways leading toward the medical wing were shutting down.
Lights dying.
Doors unlocking.
Systems rebooting.
Jack's heart monitor spiked.
"Maya…" he whispered. "She's coming."
Maya turned cold.
"Mantis."
Rafael nodded. "She's inside Astra again."
A loud metallic creak echoed through the ceiling.
Jack flinched violently.
Maya squeezed his hand.
"Stay with me."
Another creak.
Closer.
Rafael aimed his gun. "She's above us."
The overhead vents trembled.
Jack's eyes widened in horror.
"MA—YA—"
Maya drew her knife and moved between Jack and the ceiling.
The vent strained—
Bent—
Cracked—
Then—
S K R E E E E—
The grate tore open.
But this time—
It wasn't a drone.
It wasn't Mantis.
It was a message disc.
A small metal cylinder bounced onto the floor and rolled to a stop at Maya's feet.
Rafael cursed. "Don't touch it!"
But Maya already recognized it.
A Helix message beacon.
Her blood turned to ice.
The cylinder flickered—
And projected a hologram.
Mantis appeared.
Smiling.
And she spoke directly to Maya.
"Hello, little wolf."
Maya raised her knife.
Mantis's smile sharpened.
"You're running," she purred. "Taking him somewhere safe. How sweet."
Maya's jaw clenched.
Mantis leaned closer to the hologram, eyes gleaming.
"But you're too late."
Maya stiffened.
"What do you mean?"
Mantis giggled.
"You think you're protecting him. But really, Maya…"
She paused.
Tilted her head.
Smiled wider.
"…you're delivering him to us."
The hologram flickered—
Then died.
A silence like a graveyard filled the room.
Rafael whispered,
"…oh shit."
Jack trembled violently.
"Maya…"
She turned to him instantly.
His eyes glowed faintly.
Not fully.
But enough.
"Maya…" he whispered again, voice hollow with fear.
"I think she's right."
Her heartbeat stopped.
"What?"
Jack's voice cracked.
"Mantis didn't come for me."
He swallowed.
"She came for you."
Maya stiffened.
"And if you leave Astra with me…"
Jack lifted his trembling hand to touch hers.
"…you're walking straight into her trap."
Maya felt the world tilt.
But she didn't step back.
She didn't let go of him.
She leaned in—
And whispered with absolute certainty:
"Then let her come."
Her grip tightened.
"She'll find out I'm the wrong wolf to hunt."
Jack stared at her.
His fear shifted—
Turning into something else.
Something stronger.
He whispered:
"Don't leave me."
She pressed her forehead to his.
"I won't."
Not ever.
But somewhere in the vents—
A soft laugh echoed.
Mantis whispered back:
"Oh, Maya…
I'm counting on it."