Chapter 17

Sera Westbrook's POV

Kyle and I were still in a cold war.

Today's breakfast was compressed biscuits and tomato soup. With the Titan's vegetables in decline, the quality of our meals had dropped along with it.

Jax picked up a compressed biscuit, turned it over and over, and sighed. "Compressed biscuits again."

Vera said, "It's fine. You'll get used to it. We can't have a feast every meal."

Kyle sat down beside me. "Today's mission is to enter the Sequencer outpost. There's very likely a high-grade Eroded inside. And watch out for the Sequencer remains—they may still have some awareness."

Dorian agreed. "That's right. Be very careful. The energy fluctuations there are abnormal."

Once everything was ready, we set off for the destination.

The outpost was a half-collapsed concrete building. All that was left of the perimeter defenses were a few broken stretches of wall, covered in bullet holes dense enough to be shocking. Sandbags were piled at the entrance, and beside them was the wreck of a rusted automatic turret, its barrel drooping to the ground like a bent bone.

Taylor's drone circled it once, and the screen showed a dozen or so Eroded moving around—mostly Grade C, with one heavier, darker one at the very back, moving slowly, clearly a higher threat level.

Kyle closed his eyes and used neural resonance to scan the whole building. When he opened them, he said, "Three remains, all in the back. They feed on corpses, so their level will be higher."

He assigned the tasks calmly. "Cole, seal the outer exits. Jax, clear the corridors. Vera, cover. Sera, come in with me to get the crystals."

I looked at him reluctantly.

Kyle noticed my gaze, turned to me, and said, "Come with me."

I had no choice but to go with him.

After all, I was worried about his safety.

If we really ran into a high-grade Eroded and something happened to Kyle, I would regret it.

Cole put his palm flat on the ground and pried open a gap under the sandbags. The rubble sank with it, leaving a passage just wide enough for two people side by side. The dust inside the passage was heavier than outside, and the smell of spores covered the rusty smell in the air.

I tugged at the edge of my mask and checked the reading on my wristband: GCI 95.3%, heart rate 41.

Jax used earth-devouring to strike the first Grade C enemy that charged at us. Vera circled to the flank. I stayed beside Kyle, dealing with the other Eroded and collecting crystal cores.

Inside the building was an open-plan office space, the partitions only half torn down, so sightlines came and went. Wind poured in through the broken roof and blew the papers on the floor into piles.

Grade C Eroded came out from behind the partitions one after another. Cole dealt with them calmly, and one of them circled to his flank and attacked him from behind.

Vera turned her head, saw the Eroded beside Cole, and shouted, "Cole, watch your left!"

Cole turned to meet it, and Jax came in from the perimeter to plug the gap.

We pushed all the way to the far end. The floor was covered in Eroded corpses and black, thick fluid seeping into the ground.

We went deeper and saw three remains sitting against the wall, their equipment basically intact, but their bodies were truly broken—their internal organs had been hollowed out.

The Sequencer badges on their helmets were covered in ash, only half of each still showing. They had no vital signs left. All dead.

We stepped forward to check their bodies, and Dorian reminded us in time, "Don't approach rashly. Their energy fluctuations are abnormal."

Kyle stopped us. "Let me do it."

With that, he stepped forward and used neural resonance to check their bodies.

Half a minute later, Kyle opened his eyes. "No problem. They're completely dead."

We relaxed, and Kyle and I got ready to collect the crystal cores while the others kept watch outside and monitored the environment.

I cut open the Eroded's chest cavity with my blade and took out a crystal core. "The quality really is better."

I went on looking for the second crystal core, and Kyle suddenly asked, "Are you still angry now?"

I asked, "What? Am I not allowed to be angry?"

"I know what you're angry about." Kyle said, "But I can't just give in. It's about your safety."

I looked up at him. "Have you ever thought that I don't want to become a princess you have to protect?"

Kyle looked up at me too. "Is being protected by me so bad? You lived alone in the apocalypse for so long. It hurts me to see it. I don't want you to keep living that life of constant fear. Am I wrong?"

I said, "Yes, you're wrong. I don't want to be protected by you. I can protect myself, and I can protect all of you too."

Kyle looked at me quietly, then asked, "Then tell me—why did your genes change? You say you can protect yourself, so why couldn't you stop your genes from being merged?"

I had nothing to say to that. "You know perfectly well I've lost my memories of that time."

"Sera." Kyle said my name. "I know you've lost your memory. You don't remember that time. But your personality changed because of it. Before, at least you would rely on me. But now—you don't even trust me anymore?"

I said, "Kyle, you say I've changed, but I want to say—you've changed too. I don't recognize you anymore."

With that, I stood up. "Thank you for your protection, but I don't need it."

I walked to the corner and went on collecting crystal cores.

Half an hour later, we had a full harvest—two bags stuffed with crystal cores.

Before we left, I turned back to look at the three Sequencer remains.

There was some inexplicable force about them, as if drawing me forward.

I walked up to them and studied their faces. There was an indescribable familiarity.

I crouched down and reached into one Sequencer's pocket. Then I pulled my hand out and saw a small badge—still the lion's head and goat's body. Very familiar.

I picked up his arm and found his wristband. It still worked. I stared at that wristband, took out my old wristband, and touched it to the Sequencer's.

Then a line of text appeared on the wristband's screen.

"K-7-03."

Beyond that, all the characters were blurred. Only one code remained.

K-7 again.

I took his wristband off, put it in my pocket, and stood up to leave with the squad.

We left the outpost. Cole sealed the entrance again, Jax took inventory of the supplies, Vera and I chatted aimlessly, and Kyle was talking with Dorian.

Before long, the Titan drove up, and we returned to it for full-body disinfection.

Dorian held the crystal cores, smiling happily. "Ah, wonderful, wonderful. This many crystal cores—enough to make the first and second batches."

He clapped Kyle on the shoulder. "With the inhibitor, Sera will be able to use her abilities normally. By then, you won't have to worry."

Kyle looked at me. I shrugged. "I hope that day comes soon."

Kyle shook his head and said nothing.

Dorian carried the crystal cores back to the medical bay, thoroughly satisfied.

Just then, Kyle walked up to me and was silent for a few seconds. "When we were leaving, you went back. What did you see?"