Zhon gently lowered Aria's motionless body to the floor, immediately pulling out his inventory to assess what tools he had available. Irene examined the damage—half of Aria's torso was missing, exposing tangled wires, red fluid leakage, and electrical sparks dancing across torn circuits.

  "How bad is it?" Irene asked in her characteristic stoic tone.

  Zhon ran his hands through his hair, his expression grim. "I'm not sure. Fortunately, the wolves didn't destroy any of her vital parts, but even so..." He paused, calculating. "It's going to take me at least two days to get her moving again, and another day to get her back to top condition."

  Irene turned to Ravine. "What happened out there for her to get hurt like this?"

  Ravine stared into the distance. "We were ambushed, that's all. I saw them from afar, but somehow they managed to take us by surprise and came out of a traffic light pole nearby us. They went for her as soon as they emerged. There was nothing we could have done."

  Irene flicked her hair back, looking down. "I see. Sorry you had to go through that. If we were there, we might have been able to do something." Her tone sharpened slightly. "But I have to ask—were you able to shake them off before coming here?"

  Ravine turned around, her voice rising slightly. "Of course. I wouldn't risk them finding us out here."

  A few moments passed where the only sound was the metallic clanking of Zhon's tools. Irene cleared her throat.

  "Sorry for making it seem like I doubted you, soldier."

  She turned to their fourth team member. Roan had curly black hair and yellow eyes, his armor covered by a black trench coat that reached his knees. An arsenal of guns rested on his back. When he spoke, his voice was deep and calm.

  "Sorry we couldn't meet under different circumstances," he said, looking at each of them. "Although I wish Aria to come back to us soon, we have a mission to complete. The loss of the Navigator severely impedes our operational logistics; a substitute for her cognitive map will be required.."

  Irene sighed and began pacing back and forth. "He's right." She gestured as she spoke. "If necessary, I can stay back with Zhon to oversee that everything goes right with Aria. But in exchange, I would need Roan and you, Ravine, to investigate what's happening at the Ostankino Assembly Works."

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Ravine's eyes narrowed. "You mean just me and him," she pointed at Roan, "will be enough to do the job? If that was the case, why didn't you do it yourself with him? You had plenty of time."

  Irene stepped back slightly. "I know this is less than ideal for both of you, but the more whatever's causing the radiation levels to rise expands, the larger the search area becomes. We'll have to spread out eventually."

  Ravine looked down at Aria's broken form. "Fine, we'll do it. But if things get rough, we'll scatter elsewhere until you're able to join us. I am not putting another soldier in the same state as her because of carelessness."

  Irene nodded. "Understood. That's fair."

  Zhon suddenly stood up. "If you two are counting on going alone, then I should give you my drone."

  "Why is that?" Ravine asked.

  "For one, you'll need all the support you can get. I can monitor organic activities around you in case you need it."

  Roan interjected, "We already have sensors for that. Wouldn't it be a waste to risk your drone just for that?"

  Zhon shook his head. "Your sensors are made to detect body heat, but not organic life itself. Isn't that right, Rav?"

  Ravine nodded slowly. "It's true that when I came across that plant creature, my sensors didn't detect it. But what are the odds we'll encounter plants in a factory?"

  Zhon continued, "Additionally, the drone can provide clear lighting as you traverse the factory. That way, if you're in danger, your whole focus can be on the enemy or finding an effective escape route. Plus, if you aren't convinced yet, it can also boost your physical abilities for a while—perfect if you want to gain an advantage over enemies."

  He paused, looking at both of them intently. "Look, this mess is as much my fault as anyone else's. I just want to do everything I can so you all come back in one piece. Please don't deny me this."

  Ravine sat down close to him. "Fine. In the meantime, focus on fixing her. This gloomy attitude doesn't suit you." She offered a faint smile.

  Zhon nodded gratefully.

  Irene clapped her hands together. "Then it's settled. I've already pinged the location to your trackers, so you should be able to find the building quickly. It's about ten kilometers away from here, to the south." She pointed in the direction.

  Ravine looked at Roan. "You ready?"

  He gave a slight smirk. "Anytime. I've got your back."

  "Good. Let's go then."

  They started walking toward the stairs. "We'll keep in touch as we go," Ravine called back.

  The drone booted up with a soft whir, rising to join them.

  Zhon suddenly stopped them. "Oh, and Rav, before you go—Mother Phoenix gave us all a set of skills that we develop as we discover things here to help our mission, so it becomes easier and easier as we progress. Would you like to go through them before heading out?"

  Ravine's eyes widened in surprise at his words. She muttered them back like an echo: "A set of skills?"