The cavern Lyra led them to was exactly as she'd described—defensible with a narrow entrance, decent visibility, and a small freshwater pool bubbling from a crack in the stone wall. Alexander did a quick perimeter check while Valeria set up basic proximity alerts near the entrance.

  "Clear," Alexander announced, returning to the main chamber. "Good call on this location."

  Lyra nodded but remained standing while the others began setting up camp. Her eyes tracked every movement, every piece of equipment they unpacked. Alexander noted her tension—the subtle way she positioned herself to keep all team members in view, how she maintained clear access to the exit. All the instincts of someone used to betrayal.

  "You can rex," Alexander said, dropping his pack. "If we wanted your quota credits, we wouldn't have saved you from those hunters."

  "Yeah, because Architects are always so trustworthy," Lyra replied, though she finally sat down on a rock near the wall. Her fingers kept tapping a rhythm on her knee—nervous energy or perhaps some kind of code to her interface. "So let's talk terms. What exactly does this 'temporary alliance' involve?"

  Alexander appreciated her directness. "Integration into our team structure with specific role assignment based on your skills. Share of resources, information exchange, mutual protection." He gestured toward her modified tech. "Your technical expertise in exchange for our supplies and combat support."

  "And I'm just supposed to trust that you won't decide I'm more valuable as quota credits the minute I let my guard down?" Lyra asked.

  Valeria snorted from where she was calibrating a proximity sensor. "Funny, I was about to ask Alexander why we should trust that you won't steal our gear while we sleep."

  "Enough, Valeria," Alexander said, tone firm but not harsh. "We've made a tactical decision."

  "No, she's right to ask," Lyra said, gaze shifting between them. "Why should either of us trust the other? I don't know you, you don't know me. All we have is what we've seen in the st twenty minutes."

  Elijah, who had been quietly organizing his healing supplies, looked up. "Sometimes twenty minutes tells you more than twenty days."

  Something in his tone made Lyra look at him more carefully. Alexander had noticed his brother behaving strangely since they'd encountered Lyra—more talkative in some ways, more distracted in others.

  "Let's be practical about this," Alexander suggested, pulling out a water purifier from his inventory and setting it near the pool. "We all have the same immediate goal—survival and advancement. Working together improves those odds for everyone involved."

  "For now," Valeria muttered, just loud enough to be heard.

  Alexander ignored her. "Lyra, based on what I've seen, you're a technical specialist. Interface modifications, equipment adaptation, field repairs. Correct?"

  Lyra seemed to debate how much to reveal before answering. "I know my way around tech, yeah."

  "That's a skill set we could use," Alexander continued. "Elijah handles healing and support, Riva's our scout and trap specialist, Valeria manages security and combat support, and I coordinate strategy and lead combat operations."

  "So I'd be your tech person," Lyra summarized, seeming to rex slightly as the conversation moved to practical matters. "What about resource division? Quota credits?"

  "Even split on resources we gather together. Individual credits remain with the pyer who earns them unless voluntarily shared," Alexander answered. "Standard alliance protocols."

  Riva returned from setting up perimeter checks. "Food's ready in five. Hope everyone likes premium rations, because that's all we pulled from our inventory tonight."

  Lyra's eyes widened slightly at the mention of premium rations—a luxury item rarely seen outside Architect and Privileged inventories. Alexander noticed her reaction but didn't comment.

  "I'll eat anything that's not cave mushrooms at this point," Lyra said, attempting to sound casual.

  "Been living off local resources?" Riva asked, kneeling to activate the compact food synthesizer.

  "When necessary," Lyra replied vaguely. Another careful non-answer.

  Alexander decided to shift the conversation. "We should review our inventory and share essential gear. Lyra, what do you need most after losing your tools?"

  "Interface calibration kit, if you have one to spare," she answered without hesitation. "And maybe some basic crafting materials—wire, connectors, power cells."

  Alexander nodded to Elijah, who opened his inventory and pulled out a small metal case with a Helix Pharmaceuticals logo stamped on the side.

  "Will this work?" Elijah asked, holding out the interface kit. "It's Servicer-css, not Architect, but it should have the basics."

  Lyra's eyes widened slightly as she examined it. "This is... way more than basic. You just carry this as a spare?"

  "We came prepared," Alexander said simply.

  Valeria had finished setting the st proximity sensor and rejoined the group, her expression still skeptical. "Alexander, a word?"

  He followed her to the far side of the cavern, though in the echoing space, privacy was rgely illusory.

  "This is a mistake," Valeria stated bluntly, keeping her voice low. "She's Unaligned. Probably running from something worse than those hunters. We know nothing about her."

  "We know she has skills we can use," Alexander countered calmly. "Did you see her interface modifications? Self-designed and implemented without proper equipment. That's rare talent."

  "Talent that could be dangerous if turned against us," Valeria insisted. "And she's hiding something. All these vague answers, always watching us."

  "Of course she's hiding things. So are we," Alexander replied. "Trust has to be earned, and right now, all we have is mutual advantage. That's enough to start with."

  Valeria clearly wanted to argue further but recognized the futility. "Fine. But I'm taking first watch, and I'm adding her biometrics to the alert system."

  "Fair enough," Alexander agreed, returning to the main group where Riva was distributing bowls of synthesized stew.

  Lyra accepted her portion with visible restraint, though Alexander caught the slight widening of her eyes at the first taste. Quality synthesized food was another luxury rarely experienced outside the upper csses.

  "So," Alexander said as they ate, "you cleared Floors 1 through 3 without a consistent team?"

  "Pretty much," Lyra answered after swallowing. "Had a couple temporary groups, but nothing that stuck. People have a way of deciding I'm more valuable as quota credits than a teammate."

  "When did you enter the Game?" Alexander asked casually.

  Lyra hesitated briefly before answering. "September 12th Activation."

  Alexander gnced at Elijah, who nodded slightly in confirmation. "That's the same day as us."

  "Huh," Lyra's expression showed mild surprise. "Same Activation Day. Though I guess we both reached Floor 4 pretty quickly."

  "True," Alexander nodded. "But you did it with inconsistent teams and solo stretches. That's impressive in its own way. Did you beat the byrinth of this floor?"

  She nods.

  An awkward silence fell over the group. Elijah kept stealing gnces at Lyra when he thought no one was looking, while Valeria made no effort to hide her suspicious observation. Only Riva maintained a neutral demeanor, focused on her meal.

  "We should establish watch rotations," Alexander said, breaking the silence. "I suggest Valeria first, then me, Elijah, Riva, and Lyra."

  Valeria frowned. "You're putting her on watch? With full access to our gear and a clear exit path?"

  "Yes," Alexander stated firmly. "If this alliance is going to work, it requires baseline trust. Lyra takes a watch like everyone else."

  The implication was clear—if Lyra intended to betray them, putting her on st watch would make it easiest. It was both a show of trust and a test.

  Lyra seemed to understand the significance. "I'll take the watch. And I won't run off with your fancy synthesizer, tempting as it might be."

  The slight joke, unexpected from her serious demeanor, actually earned a small smile from Riva. Valeria remained stony-faced.

  As they finished eating, Elijah approached Lyra with a small container from his inventory. "Healing salve for your wrists. The interface connection points look strained."

  Lyra hesitated before accepting it. "Thanks. I've been pushing the connection capacity a bit too far tely."

  "I noticed," Elijah said quietly. "Your custom pathways are... unusual. Effective, but unusual."

  "Necessity and scavenged parts make for creative solutions," Lyra replied carefully.

  Alexander observed the interaction with interest. Elijah seemed drawn to Lyra in a way that went beyond simple curiosity. Whatever he was sensing through the whispers clearly centered on her, though he'd been careful not to mention them openly since their initial observation.

  As night cycle approached, the team prepared their sleeping areas. Alexander noted how Lyra positioned herself—back to the wall, clear sightlines to all team members, easy access to both exit and water source. Every decision calcuted for survival.

  "Get some rest," Alexander told everyone as Valeria took up her position near the entrance for first watch. "We'll stay here tomorrow to recover and integrate our new team member. I want to see what Lyra can do with those technical skills before we tackle the Floor 4 Guardian."

  Lyra settled onto her borrowed sleeping mat, still fully dressed with her few remaining devices within arm's reach. Despite her apparent rexation, Alexander could tell she remained alert, unlikely to fall into deep sleep in unfamiliar company.

  As Alexander prepared for his own rest period, he caught Elijah's eye. His brother gave him a subtle nod—acknowledgment that something significant had happened today, though neither could yet say exactly what.

  This unlikely alliance might be temporary, built on mutual advantage rather than trust. But Alexander's instincts told him they'd made the right call. Whatever skills, secrets, or potential Lyra brought with her, bringing her into their team had irreversibly changed their Game trajectory.

  Whether that change would prove beneficial remained to be seen.