The soft whir of machinery filled the lab, a steady rhythm of activity that underscored the sense of anticipation building in the air.

  After days spent exploring the sprawling facility, the group had begun to grasp the sheer scale of what Zero had left behind for them. It wasn’t just a hideout—it was a fully equipped stronghold, carefully tailored to meet their needs.

  At its core was a high-tech communication hub, with advanced systems that allowed them to monitor Martian networks, intercept signals, and potentially connect to the larger SolarNet if needed.

  Adjacent to it was a research bay, brimming with tools and equipment for analyzing materials, conducting experiments, and even an isolated room for delving into field manipulation training.

  The hanger was currently empty but had enough space for future expansions.

  A simulation room had been built to hone their tactical skills, capable of generating realistic combat and survival scenarios or for pilot training.

  The training room provided an expansive area for physical conditioning, with modular spaces adaptable for both individual and group exercises.

  The fabrication room, however, was the crown jewel—a cutting-edge workshop capable of creating anything from advanced weapons to nanite suits, as long as the raw materials were available.

  Yet, Zero hadn’t overlooked the basics. The facility also contained living quarters with comfortable sleeping beds, a kitchen and dining area that felt almost homey, and even small recreational spaces where they could gather to decompress.

  Every detail seemed deliberately planned, as though Zero had considered each member of their group and their unique needs. Just highlighting that he must have been watching them for a while.

  For Nova, there were enhanced drone bays and a tinkering station filled with tools to upgrade her creations.

  For Helix, the training area was stocked with state-of-the-art weaponry and defensive equipment to test his strategies.

  Synthia had been given a research station rivalling anything she’d seen on Mars, complete with data-crunching algorithms and analysis software that could parse even the most complex information.

  Null and Infy had a central workspace connected to the reactor, allowing them to amplify and refine their abilities without compromising the facility’s overall stability.

  The thoughtfulness behind the facility was undeniable, but it also came with an unspoken weight. This wasn’t just a sanctuary; it was a place designed for preparation. Zero had built this lab with a purpose, and now, it was up to them to use it.

  The group had agreed: they needed to venture out, to scout the industrial ruins surrounding the lab and uncover the secrets of why this forgotten sector still had atmosphere, power, and—potentially—inhabitants.

  Synthia stood at the central fabrication console, watching as the sleek, adaptive material of a new nanite suit flowed like liquid into a form-fitting silhouette.

  She barely recognized herself in the reflective surface of the lab walls, her appearance sharper and more commanding in the high-tech black-and-grey armour.

  The suit was lightweight and flexible, but she could feel the quiet hum of its inner mechanisms syncing with her Nexus, monitoring her vitals and amplifying her movements. It was also linked to other suits allowing her to monitor their vitals as well. It was a custom design to match the functionality of her Nexus.

  “Not bad,” Helix said to himself, stepping into view as he adjusted the strap of his gun holster. His new nanite suit hugged his broad frame, the faint sheen of its material giving him an almost predatory edge.

  At his hip rested two freshly fabricated weapons: a non-lethal pulse rifle for stunning enemies and a sleek plasma carbine for when things turned deadly.

  “I’ll admit it—Infy and Null know how to make gear.” He glanced at the others ”We look badass now “

  Nearby, Nova sat cross-legged on the floor, finishing up the last adjustments to her new recon drone, which floated obediently a few feet above her shoulder. The small, spherical device shimmered with a chrome finish, its multi-lens sensors shifting as it scanned its surroundings.

  “Alright, little guy,” Nova said, grinning as she tapped commands into her Nexus. “Let’s see what you can do.” The drone shot upward, zipping around the room in a blur of speed before pausing to hover directly in front of Synthia’s face.

  “Do you mind?” Synthia said, swatting at the air as the drone retreated with a playful spin. The three of them had become excited at the new equipment.

  They had never seen anything like it before, but Infy had promised them it was still well within human specifications.

  “Perfect,” Nova said with a satisfied grin. “This thing’s going to be a game-changer for recon.” She glanced down at her nanite suit, which had adjusted itself to a lighter, more streamlined configuration to match her agile style. “And the suit’s not bad either. It’s like it knows what I’m thinking.”

  “It does, It is connected to your Nexus AI” Infy said, their voice suddenly emanating from across the room—not through Synthia’s Nexus, but directly from Null’s body.

  The group turned to see Null approaching, his nanite suit upgraded with a sleek, new reactor core embedded in the chest. The faint, rhythmic pulse of the core’s energy cast subtle light patterns on his suit.

  Infy explained that the new reactor would greatly improve Null abilities to use his power. A new communication device had also been integrated into the suit, allowing Infy to speak directly from Null instead of relying on Synthia’s Nexus.

  “Finally,” Helix muttered. “No offence, Infy, but having your voice come from Synthia’s body all the time was getting weird.”

  Infy’s orb hovered briefly before disappearing into Null’s reactor core, their voice calm but slightly amused. “Consider this an improvement, then. I’ll still manage the group’s systems through your Nexuses when necessary, but now I can speak from here without compromising Null’s focus.”

  Null stood silently, his hands twitching as though preparing to sign something. Then, to everyone’s surprise, he simply nodded, his face unreadable.

  Nova raised an eyebrow. “Wait, is he—”

  “He’s still using sign language and if in a hurry will use text functions” Infy explained. “Null prefers it. He didn’t like the voice and said it felt weird”

  Synthia nodded approvingly. “If it works, it works.” She glanced at the group, taking in the sleek gear and the faint buzz of energy that seemed to hang in the air. “Alright. Everyone ready?”

  Helix double-checked his weapons. “Always.”

  Nova grinned, her drone hovering at her shoulder. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

  “Then let’s move,” Synthia said.

  The industrial ruins stretched out before them once again, a desolate maze of jagged steel skeletons and rusting machinery half-buried in Martian sand. What should have been a dead zone crackled faintly with signs of life: faint power signatures, atmospheric containment fields, and the occasional flicker of light from deep within the structures. They hadn’t considered it the first few times as they had been trying to hide from the military or following the strange sound.

  The group moved in formation, with Null at the front and Nova’s drone scouting ahead. Synthia stayed in the centre, her newly fabricated communication system syncing the group’s Nexuses for real-time updates.

  “This place is eerie,” Nova said, her voice cutting through the static of the comms. “I mean, it looks abandoned, but it’s… not. Why is there still power here?”

  “It seems to have been decades since this zone was officially in use,” Synthia replied. “By all accounts, it should be completely offline. Something—or someone—is maintaining it.”

  Null raised a hand, signalling the group to stop.

  The group crouched low, hidden in the shadow of a half-collapsed wall as Nova’s drone continued its silent sweep of the plaza.

  Null’s powers kept the small device cloaked, bending light and energy around it as it moved effortlessly through the ruins.

  “Definitely movement,” Nova said again, her voice barely above a whisper. The live feed flickered faintly on her Nexus, revealing figures shifting in and out of the deep shadows.

  They looked entirely human—every step measured, every movement fluid. If not for the situation, it would have been impossible to tell they were anything other than ordinary people.

  Helix smirked faintly, his voice low. “Looks like they’ve taken the bait. Took them long enough.”

  “They had to be careful,” Synthia said, her tone steady but low. “If they’ve managed to stay hidden this long, they weren’t going to just stroll out the moment we started making noise.” She shifted slightly, keeping her eyes on the screen. “Patience is key when you’re the hunted.”

  Infy’s voice chimed in through the group comms. “They’re circling. Twelve distinct energy distortions detected, closing in on the plaza from multiple directions.”

  “Reckon they’ll make the first move?” Nova asked, tightening the strap on her recon suit.

  “That’s the plan,” Synthia replied. “We’re here to draw them out. It’d take weeks to track down anyone who’s survived in this wasteland on their own. If they’re coming to us, it means they’re curious—or desperate.”

  Null gave a short, deliberate gesture with his hand, and Infy translated. “Keep your guard up. If they’re desperate, they’re dangerous.”

  The figures continued to close in, their silhouettes clearer now as they crept into the plaza. There were more than a dozen of them now, all dressed in crude, piecemeal armour fashioned from industrial scraps.

  Some of them appeared to have cybernetics parts. They moved with purpose, though their uneven steps and tense postures betrayed both suspicion and readiness to fight.

  Null straightened slightly, catching Synthia’s attention. He gestured again

  She didn’t need Infy translation to know he said. “Now. Make contact.”

  Synthia stepped out of the shadows, her movements deliberate and slow. The rest of the group stayed hidden, with Nova’s drone circling silently overhead, its stealth field still active. Null remained crouched nearby, his expression calm but alert, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his blade.

  The lead figure in the plaza—a tall Merge with a yellow glowing mechanical eye and a twisted piece of metal fashioned into a crude shoulder guard—turned to face her.

  His hand rested on a makeshift weapon strapped to his side, his stance aggressive but measured.

  “We’re not here to fight,” Synthia said, her voice carrying clearly across the empty space. She kept her hands visible and open, signalling that she wasn’t armed.

  The Merge snarled softly, his glowing eyes narrowing. “Words are cheap, outsider. Why should we believe you?”

  “Because we are like you, we are also being hunted,” Synthia replied evenly. “If we were with the military, you’d already be surrounded by drones and soldiers. We’re not your enemy.”

  The Merge glanced over his shoulder at the figures gathering behind him. They seemed just as tense as he was, but they weren’t attacking. Not yet.

  “You think walking into our territory uninvited and bringing the military along is a show of friendship?” the Merge leader growled.

  “We didn’t have a choice we were on the run. I think the fact we haven’t attacked yet is a sign we want to talk,” Synthia said, taking another careful step forward.

  The Merge growled again but didn’t draw his weapon. Instead, he waved a hand, and the others began to fan out, forming a loose circle around the group’s position.

  Helix muttered through the comms, “We’ve got ourselves boxed in.”

  “That’s fine,” Synthia replied softly. “Let them feel like they’re in control. It’s the only way they’ll listen.”

  From her position, Nova kept the drone circling, its sensors focused on every movement the Merges made. Null remained calm and still, watching the leader intently.

  Finally, the lead Merge spoke again. “If you’re not here to fight, then why are you here? No one comes to this place unless they’re desperate—or stupid.”

  “We had no choice the military tried to kill us but now we’re looking for answers,” Synthia said. “This area is an anomaly it shouldn’t have power.

  It shouldn’t have an atmosphere. But it does, and we need to know why. If you’ve survived here, you’re the only ones who can tell us.”

  The Merge leader’s glowing eye flicked toward her, scanning her suit and Nexus before shifting to the faint shapes of her hidden companions.

  “You’re new blood,” he said finally. “We’ve known you were here since the military came sniffing around. That doesn’t mean we have to give you answers.”

  Synthia frowned. “So you still don’t trust us?”

  “They came searching for you,” the Merge leader said, his voice dripping with disdain. “They couldn’t find you, but we did. New blood always brings trouble. Especially new blood that knows the old safe houses. Only High level lapdogs know of them”

  The Merge leader continued. “When the soldiers left, we knew it wasn’t over. Someone was stirring the pot, and now here you are. Lucky for you, the military didn’t find you—and neither did the others, you did well to hide your presence.”

  “Why didn’t they, if you could?” Synthia pressed. “How are you still alive out here? How have you avoided being hunted?”

  The Merge leader tilted his head slightly, a crooked grin spreading across his face. “We have… friends.”

  “Friends?” Nova echoed through the comms, her voice sceptical.

  The Merge leader’s grin widened. “Some people in high places don’t like the way things are run on Mars. Sometimes they turn a blind eye. Sometimes they give us a little help.”

  Synthia’s brow furrowed. “People in high places? Who?”

  “That’s not for you to know,” the leader said, his tone sharp. “You think surviving out here is just luck? It’s not. And if you want to keep surviving, you’ll stay out of things that don’t concern you.”

  Null suddenly stepped into the open, drawing the Merge leader’s attention. His movements were deliberate, calm, and almost unnervingly silent. He didn’t speak, but the way he stood—his hand still resting lightly on his blade—immediately shifted the mood.

  His dark eyes locked onto the Merge leader with an intensity that made the air feel heavier, his expression unreadable but charged with something primal—an aura that demanded attention.

  His hand rested lightly on the hilt of his sword, fingers loose but ready, the subtle energy radiating from the weapon enough to make the nearby Merge rebels shift uneasily in place.

  The Merge leader’s grin faltered, his non-glowing

  eye narrowing as a flicker of uncertainty crossed his face. “This one,” he said, his voice quieter now, almost wary. “He doesn’t talk?”

  “He doesn’t need to,” Infy’s voice cut in, emanating from Null’s body with a calm finality that only added to the tension. “But you’ll listen to him.”

  The leader’s gaze lingered on Null, who stood perfectly still, his presence filling the space like a shadow that couldn’t be escaped. There was something about him—something cold, disciplined, and unrelenting. The kind of presence that didn’t just promise violence but exuded the certainty of it, should the need arise.

  Finally, Null moved. It wasn’t much—a slight shift of his stance, his head tilting just enough to make the Merge leader hesitate—but the effect was immediate.

  The leader’s hand twitched toward his weapon but stopped short, as if realizing too late that it wouldn’t matter.

  The silence stretched between them until the Merge leader let out a low, rumbling chuckle that sounded more like a defence mechanism than genuine amusement. “Maybe you’re not as soft as you look,” he muttered, though his tone had lost its edge.

  Null didn’t respond, his calm, impenetrable stare doing more than words ever could.

  Infy spoke once again. “We’re not here to make enemies. We want to know the truth about this place. If you help us, we can help you.”

  The Merge leader tilted his head again, considering the offer. The tension in the air lingered, but it felt thinner now, less oppressive. Finally, he nodded.

  “Alright, new blood. You want answers? Follow me. But don’t think for a second I trust you.” With that, he turned, motioning for the others to move. Synthia exchanged a glance with Null, who gave a slight nod before falling into step behind the leader.