The metro base felt like a tomb.
Dim lights buzzed overhead, casting flickering shadows across the concrete walls. People moved like ghosts—silent, stiff, eyes sunken. The battle with Dive had left more than wounds. It had cracked the air, poisoned the morale.
Xin sat on a steel bench near the south tunnel, sweat dripping from his forehead. His ribs still screamed with every breath, but that didn't stop him. He jabbed forward, again and again, hitting the rusted practice dummy in front of him. His knuckles bled.
Jab. Cross. Step back. Breathe. Jab again.
He missed.
"Too slow," he muttered, wiping blood from his split lip.
A voice echoed from behind. "You're gonna snap your wrist doing it like that."
Tara stepped into view, arms crossed, rifle slung over her back.
Xin ignored her. "I need to keep moving."
"You need to rest."
He threw another punch—hit the dummy hard enough to make it shake.
"I almost died. I don't get to rest."
Tara walked over and stood beside him, silent for a second. "You're not wrong. You don't get to heal, not in a war like this. None of us do."
Xin finally looked at her. "Then train me."
She raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"
"I survived Cassius. I don't want that to be luck next time."
Tara looked him up and down, bloodied hands, trembling legs, bruises all over.
"You're barely functional."
"I'm still breathing."
She stared for a long second.
"…Alright."
Scene Shift: Training
Tara took Xin to an abandoned train tunnel—damp, echoing, lit only by makeshift lamps bolted to the ceiling.
"First rule," she said, tossing him a dull training knife. "Never try to look cool. That's how people die."
Xin caught the blade, breathing hard. "I'm not trying to be cool. I just don't want to be useless."
"Then listen."
She lunged suddenly—barehanded—and swept his legs out from under him. He crashed hard.
"Lesson two: don't announce your intent. You're not a hero."
Xin groaned. "Could've just said that without breaking my back."
"I don't teach with words. Get up."
For hours, they trained.
Dodging drills. Knife combat. Close-quarters techniques.
Xin failed more than he succeeded. He gasped, slipped, fell, bled.
But he kept getting up.
And Tara—maybe for the first time—was impressed.
Scene: Kaila and Andy
Kaila walked through the main logistics bay, clipboard in hand. Resistance members were loading food crates, patching radios, and stacking medpacks.
Andy walked beside her, trying to carry two full crates and still keep up.
"You know, I used to be a pretty good cook back home," he said. "Now I'm just a glorified delivery guy."
Kaila smiled. "At least you're useful."
"Ouch."
She nudged him. "I'm kidding. Kind of."
Andy dropped the crates, wiping sweat off his forehead. "You always work this hard?"
Kaila didn't answer right away. Her eyes scanned the room—scanning for her brother, for threats, for anything unstable.
"…Yeah," she finally said. "Always."
Andy looked at her seriously. "You know he's pushing himself too hard, right?"
She nodded. "He has to."
"You really believe that?"
"He's not like us. He won't let himself fall behind."
Andy sighed. "Then I guess I won't either."
Scene: Dive HQ
Far away, behind sealed doors and sterile floors, Dive headquarters pulsed with cold light.
Cassius stood motionless in front of a projection screen. Evelyn Draith, dressed in a tight black suit, watched the footage of the metro base ambush on loop.
"Subject: Xin Stonen," she said. "Untrained. Reactive. Yet survived."
Cassius replied in his emotionless tone. "The probability model underestimated his combat adaptation. Recalculating."
Another figure stepped into the room—the Masked Overseer himself. His face hidden behind a dark, mirrored mask.
"Mark them for elimination," he said. "The boy and his sister. Both."
Evelyn smiled thinly. "Separate them. Kill them. Break the bond."
Cassius gave a slow nod.
"Orders confirmed."
Scene: The Beginning of a Hard Decision
Back in the metro base, Tara stood alone with Dr. Alaric in the comms room.
"They've moved faster than expected," Alaric said, showing her intercepted Dive chatter.
Tara scanned the screen, her jaw tightening. "They're coming again. Not a sweep. A hit."
"They want Xin and Kaila specifically. And they're sending multiple units. Probably Cassius again."
She stared at the screen.
"They're not going to survive together," she said, almost to herself.
Alaric didn't respond.
Tara clenched her fists. "I'm splitting them."
"You'll never convince them to agree."
"I won't ask."
Alaric looked at her carefully. "You sure this is the right move?"
"No," she said. "But it's the only one that keeps them breathing."
Scene: End of the Day
Xin stumbled into the dorm sector, covered in sweat, legs shaking.
Kaila was there, waiting.
He collapsed onto the bed beside her.
She gave him water. "You look like shit."
"Thanks. I'm getting stronger."
She looked down at him. "You don't have to prove anything to me."
"I know," he said softly. "I'm not doing it for you."
Silence.
Kaila leaned her head on his shoulder. They didn't speak.
Outside the dorms, Tara stood in the shadows, watching them.
She didn't like what she had to do.
But it was already decided.