The Order of the Spiral's trail led to a hidden bunker beneath the city, accessible only through a maze of tunnels. The hum was a relentless pulse now, guiding Adrian and Mei Lin through the dark. Their flashlights cut through the gloom, revealing graffiti of the wolf's eye sigil on the walls.
"This place gives me the creeps," Mei Lin muttered, her knife ready.
Adrian's hand brushed her back, a subtle reassurance. "Stay close."
She grinned, nudging him. "Aw, you worried about me don't worry I can protect my self?"
"Always," he said, his voice low, and her heart skipped.
They reached a steel door, the hum roaring as it opened to reveal a chamber lined with monitors. At the center, a woman stood—tall, with silver-streaked hair and eyes that mirrored Elena Grey's photo.
"You're her," Mei Lin said, her voice steady despite the hum's intensity.
The woman smiled, cold and knowing. "I'm her legacy. And you're mine."
Adrian stepped forward, his gun raised. "What do you want with the Spark?"
"It's not about want," the woman said. "It's about destiny. You and she are the final pieces."
Mei Lin's knife glinted. "We're not your pawns."
The woman laughed, and the monitors flared, showing images of Lupus labs, all pulsing with the Spark's energy. "You're already part of it. The Spark binds you, but it will burn you unless you surrender."
Adrian's hand found Mei Lin's, their connection grounding them against the hum's pull. "We'll burn it first," he said.
The woman's smile faded. "Then you'll die trying."
She vanished into the shadows, and the monitors exploded in sparks, the hum screaming as the chamber shook.