Dawn bled across the highway. Heat shimmered above the asphalt, distorting the gravesite of ash and twisted metal where γ-7 had made her stand.
Xiao Man knelt, carefully scooping blackened earth. In the crater's center, she buried the half-melted crayon drawing. The surviving corner showed two stick figures—one tall, one small—holding hands beneath a single stripe of defiant blue.
*"Teacher said... stars sing to us when we're scared,"* she whispered, patting the soil. *"Can Mommy hear me now?"*
Lupus-0 methodically licked acid burns along his forearms. His collar hung loose, sparking intermittently where neural ports had fused shut. Deep within exposed circuitry, a single glyph flickered: **Ψ** - the Greek symbol for psyche. Kaine's sick little joke.
*Beep... beep-beep...*
The sound emanated from γ-7's ashes. Not electronic—more organic. A *heartbeat*.
He dug. Beneath carbonized bone fragments, the Faiz Gear pulsed. Not red light, but actual liquid crimson *flowed* through its cracked phone screen like blood through veins.
*"Mommy's light..."* Xiao Man reached.
Contact.
γ-7's stolen memories detonated:
*Lab Vault 7. γ-7 dodging laser grids with preternatural grace—training from her past life? She grabbed the Faiz Gear. Alarms screamed:*
**[FINAL LOCK: DREAMSCAPE VERIFICATION]**
**[USER EMOTIONAL SIGNATURE: GRIEF/ANGER/RESIGNATION - PEAK INSUFFICIENT]**
*Kaine's face filled a security monitor. "Did you really think a broken thing like you could wield hope? This gear needs a dreamer's soul! It belonged to* ***