Rain lashed the windshield as Adrian gunned the car through the city, the hum pulsing in time with the wipers' frantic rhythm. Mei Lin gripped the door handle, her eyes scanning the blurred streets. The folder's theft felt like a personal betrayal, as if the Spark itself had turned against them.
"They knew we'd be out," she said, her voice sharp over the rain. "They waited."
Adrian's jaw was set, his knuckles white on the wheel. "They're always one step ahead. That's not a coincidence."
The hum flared, hot and insistent, and Mei Lin pressed a hand to her chest. "It's angry," she said, almost to herself. "Or… scared."
Adrian shot her a glance, his eyes narrowing. "You're feeling it now?"
"It's not just a hum anymore," she said, her voice trembling. "It's like… emotions. Not mine, but there."
He didn't respond, but his grip on the wheel tightened. The tower loomed ahead, its glass facade slick with rain, lights flickering like a heartbeat. Security drones buzzed above, their red beams cutting through the storm.
Inside, the main floor was chaos—staff scrambling, alarms blaring softly. Vivian, Adrian's second-in-command, met them at the elevator, her usual calm frayed. "They hit the vault ten minutes ago," she said, handing Adrian a tablet. "No forced entry. They had clearance."
Adrian's eyes darkened as he scanned the data. "Someone on the inside."
Mei Lin's stomach dropped. "You trust your people, don't you?"
"I did," he said, his voice cold. "Not anymore."
Vivian hesitated, glancing at Mei Lin. "There's something else. The breach triggered a signal—same frequency as the Spark. It's broadcasting."
"Broadcasting what?" Mei Lin asked, her voice sharp.
Vivian's expression was grim. "We don't know. It's encrypted, and it's not just here. It's hitting every old Lupus site in the city."
Adrian's head snapped up. "All of them?"
Vivian nodded. "They're waking up."
The hum surged, a wave of heat that made Mei Lin sway. Adrian grabbed her arm, steadying her, and the contact sent a jolt through them both. The hum steadied, but it left a lingering warmth, like a promise or a threat.
"We need to trace that signal," Adrian said, already moving toward his office. "If it's waking the sites, we need to know why."
Mei Lin followed, her boots squeaking on the polished floor. "And if it's waking us?"
He paused, turning to her. His eyes were intense, searching. "Then we stay in control. No matter what."
She nodded, but the hum's emotions—fear, anger, anticipation—swirled in her chest, making it hard to breathe. She forced a grin, needing to break the tension. "So, no pressure, right? Just save the city, stop a conspiracy, and don't let the ancient experiment eat our souls."
Adrian's lips twitched, a spark of humor breaking through. "You make it sound so easy."
"Oh, I'm a pro at impossible," she said, winking. "Stick with me, Li. I'll keep you alive."
He shook his head, but the ghost of a smile lingered. "You're going to be the death of me."
"Only if you keep hogging the dumplings next time," she shot back, nudging his arm.
Vivian cleared her throat, clearly unimpressed by their banter. "If you two are done flirting, we have a crisis."
Mei Lin's cheeks warmed, but she didn't miss a beat. "Flirting? Nah, I'm just teaching him how to live a little."
Adrian's eyebrow arched, but he didn't correct her. Instead, he turned to the tablet, pulling up a map of the city's Lupus sites. Red dots pulsed across the screen, each one a dormant lab now flickering to life.
"We start with the closest one," he said. "If the signal's active, we might catch them in the act."
Mei Lin nodded, her humor fading as the hum grew louder, tugging at her like a tide. "And if they're waiting for us?"
"Then we give them a fight," he said, his voice steel.
They geared up in silence, the hum a constant companion. Mei Lin strapped her knife to her thigh, while Adrian checked his gun and added a second clip. Vivian handed them comms, her expression unreadable. "Don't do anything stupid," she said, her eyes lingering on Mei Lin.
"No promises," Mei Lin replied, flashing a grin that didn't quite reach her eyes.
The rain was a full-blown storm now, thunder shaking the tower as they stepped into the elevator. The hum pulsed in time with the lightning, and Mei Lin felt it deep in her bones—a call to something ancient, something that wanted to be free.
Adrian's hand brushed hers, deliberate this time. "Whatever happens," he said, his voice low, "we face it together."
She met his gaze, the hum softening to a warm glow. "Deal. But if we survive this, you owe me more dumplings."
He laughed, a real laugh that made her heart skip. "You're relentless."
"Only when it's worth it," she said, her voice softer now, her eyes holding his.
The elevator doors opened, and the storm swallowed them whole. The hum roared, a song of fire and blood, and somewhere in the city, another Lupus site flared to life, waiting for its keys to arrive.