In a corner near the independents, where Jonathan slept when he wasn't helping patients or coordinating activities, a woman braided her daughter’s hair, her fingers working while she whispered reassurances the girl didn’t seem to need. Across the aisle, an old man adjusted straps on a crude pack, his face lined with exhaustion. He exchanged quiet words with a neighbor who offered half a loaf of compressed grain—a gift accepted with a solemn nod. The refugees were primarily Symmetrist and Quantum Collective, but independents and other underground faction members were also present. More arrived every few hours, the lost joining the lost. Marked by uneasy coexistence, the occasional flash of a symbol on a jacket sleeve or a muttered argument over resources showed their upbringing clearly. However, Jonathan required work teams to be diverse, allowing them to draw on other social structures when needed. He called it advanced communication, but it was completely natural.
At the center of the hangar, Charlie and his team hunched over a long table covered in tangled wiring and flickering monitors. Their voices carried snippets of tense debate on modifications for the Leap Sensors. Charlie's idea was to use them to detect the slightest variations emanating from the Abacus. The most recent debate—whether a relay could be repurposed given the risks of the failing temperature coil—was around safety. Charlie continued to believe the device should not be investigated on the floor given the suspicion it was involved in the massive destruction within the Symmetrist district. Above Charlie, a battered Symmetrist banner hung beside the gleaming silver sigil of the Quantum Collective.
A broadcast played in the background over an old audio system, the voices noisy but intelligible and a welcome distraction for many. A commercial was just beginning, a palpable groan could be heard alongside excited children.
Upbeat music plays softly across the hangar.
Host Voice (excited): Hey there! Have you ever wished your furry friend could really understand you? I mean, like really get into your vibe on good days, those meh days, and even those “don’t talk to me until I’ve had my espresso days?” Well, companionship is now here… and it’s pawsitively mind-blowing!
Introducing Cognivo Pets?—the first AI companions that truly adapt to you.
The music swells slightly.
Announcer Celebrity (knowing): Hi I'm Pablo Senzo, lead searcher for Veridian's own Quanditch team. Look, these aren't just automadroids. Cognivo Pets? are intelligent, interactive buddies designed to sense your emotions and respond in ways that lift you up, calm you down, or just make you laugh when you need it most. Whether you’re looking for a playful distraction after a tough day or a gentle nudge to focus on that next big project, Cognivo Pets? evolve to understand you.
I got my daughter a pup that knows when to snuggle with her and when fetch her slippers when her feet get cold. My son wanted a cat, and let me tell you, that cat can purr soothingly while helping organize his thoughts with purrrfect suggestions. These companions aren’t just smart—they’re empathetic.
Host Voice (excited): And here’s the kicker: you can customize them! Want a quirky penguin sidekick or a calming koala companion? With Cognivo Pets?, the possibilities are as endless as your imagination.
Music fades slightly.
Host Voice (warm): Cognivo Pets?—the perfect blend of technology, companionship, and emotional intelligence. Ready to experience the future of connection? Visit CognivoPets.com today and meet your match.
Because life’s better when someone—or something—really gets you.
Professional Voice (rapid): Cognivo Pets? are AI companions for entertainment and emotional support, not substitutes for real pets, therapy, or human interaction. Use as directed. Keep updated and charged. Avoid exposure to extreme conditions or physical damage. Side effects may include frustration, emotional attachment, or over-dependence. Behavior may vary during the initial adaptation phase. Data is encrypted; review privacy policies for settings. Not for children under 12 without supervision. Contact support if unexpected behavior occurs. More terms and conditions required to enable.
The music swells again and softly fades out.
Moderator (Dr. Elena Revier): Good to be back. My son also has a Cognivo snake, take it everywhere. Let's get right to it, there has been a significant amount of troubling news today. Just this morning, as most of you have now heard, Selene Station fell to an insurrection led by underground factions. The moon colony’s council has been overthrown, and its leaders fled to Earth under Veridian Security’s protection. I think you’ll agree—few could have predicted that rebellion spark would escalate so quickly and so completely. Moon shuttles have been stopped as well as supply shuttles. For those with loved ones visiting, we will provide more transportation updates as soon as we have any.
Revier’s voice carried across the hangar, drawing scattered attention as refugees stopped to listen.
Professor Marco Stellanova: Few could have predicted it, Dr. Revier, because few understand the fragility of systems designed to prioritize wealth over resilience. When the TruthGate collapsed, Veridian’s financial grid imploded, and that strain wasn’t contained to Earth. Selene’s economy was already overleveraged, reliant on Earth’s markets and supply chains to sustain its infrastructure. The moment those assets froze, I think rebellion was simply inevitable.”
Dr. Sanyu Ekoh (calm, measured): Isn't that just an oversimplification, Professor Stellanova. Rebellion wasn’t inevitable—Selene’s collapse is a result of very poor governance. The council failed to maintain public trust. They should have prioritized stability by securing essential resources instead of allowing panic to take root.
Professor Leila Grant (scoffing): You mean they should have tightened their grip, right? That’s the usual refrain from the Quantum Collective—‘more control will fix it.’ The truth is, Selene’s council was doomed the moment Veridian centralized the financial grid a decade ago. The underground didn’t start this rebellion; desperation did.
Dr. Sanyu Ekoh: That's dangerous incitement Leila. Concord and Unity are both up, and Veridian isn't completely shutdown afterall. It isn't wise to fuel desperation through misinformation.
Professor Grant attempted to interrupt.
Dr. Sanyu Ekoh (more forcefully): Let me finish, Leila. You got your chance to hurl these accusations. Dr. Revier, underground propaganda has glorified rebellion while obscuring the costs. Unity's martial law enactment was good governance and was needed to stop riots there or the situation would be far more dire. Selene station should've acted while it had the chance. How many lives have been lost because people chose weakness over order?
Professor Marco Stellanova (quietly): And how many lives have been lost because order demanded their silence? Selene’s uprising, like the protests in Unity and Concord and even here in Veridian, reflect a system that silences dissent until rebellion becomes the only voice left. If we refuse to listen to that voice, we doom ourselves to repeat this cycle.
Moderator (Dr. Elena Revier): Apologies to professor Grant, we'll give you more time in the next segment. I'm glad you brought up Veridian, professor. Underground activity within our city has surged significantly since the TruthGate collapse. You can't walk through the Center without coming across Graffiti calling for rebellion to restore the Collective. On top of that, the sabotage of ration transports and protests at the gates into the Center—how do we address this?
The panel fell briefly silent, and murmurs rose among the refugees in the hangar. Ava caught snippets of their conversations—some fearful, others angry. “It’s not just chaos,” one Symmetrist father muttered. “It’s a reckoning.”
Professor Marco Stellanova: The underground’s role can’t be simplified to heroes or villains. They are, in many ways, a reflection of the system they resist—fragmented, reactive, and, at times, dangerous. But their existence is a symptom of a larger failure. If the system doesn’t adapt, the underground will continue to grow, and resistance will become the dominant narrative.
Dr. Sanyu Ekoh (sharply): That narrative comes at a cost—one we’re already paying. The sabotage of ration transports this week left thousands without supplies. Those losses don’t just affect the Center; they harm the most vulnerable. The underground thrives on creating instability, but instability only breeds more suffering.
Professor Leila Grant (laughing bitterly): And what does the Center breed, Dr. Ekoh? Stability? The TruthGate wasn’t sabotaged—it has been overburdened since the day it was turned on. Centralization didn’t unify the system; it broke it. The underground isn’t creating instability; it’s reacting to it.
Moderator (Dr. Elena Revier): Professor Grant, are you suggesting the underground is justified in its actions?
Professor Leila Grant: Justified? That’s not the point. The question isn’t whether resistance is right or wrong—it’s whether it’s inevitable. You can’t push people into a corner and expect them to stay there while their families...
The broadcast cut out abruptly, replaced with a datastream of news and other events.
Ava exhaled sharply as Grant’s words resonated through the hangar. Families whispered furiously, their tones a mix of anger and fear. Supplies continued to be strained but they still had a week left carried from the depots. It wouldn't be long until hunger became a driving issue here. Viktor crossed his arms, his gaze flicking toward the loudspeakers. “Grant’s not wrong. But inevitability never made anyone ready.”
The screen on the central console shifted from footage of Selene’s riots to the sleek, confident image of Cassandra Draayer. Cassandra stood under Veridian’s skyline, arms crossed, surveying the city below. Her voice was measured, resolute.
: Cassandra Draayer Our city is at a crossroads. The TruthGate collapse, underground factions, and mounting protests have left Veridian vulnerable. But we don’t have to stay divided. As a candidate for Veridian Council, I am committed to rebuilding this city—not just its infrastructure, but its trust. Together, we can push back against the forces of chaos and ensure a brighter future for everyone.
The ad lingered on her composed smile, the backdrop shifting to a mother and child walking through a pristine district, seemingly untouched by the turmoil gripping the rest of Veridian.
Voiceover: Cassandra Draayer for Council. Leadership. Stability. Progress.
Cassandra’s poised smile faded out, leaving the hangar in a moment of thoughtful silence. For most of the refugees, the campaign announcement was a rare glimmer of hope. A Quantum engineer near Charlie nodded approvingly. “At least she’s doing something real—her support in establishing Quantum hospitals and supplies saved lives.”
Viktor leaned against a support beam, watching the ad flicker off. “A Council seat, how's that?”
Ava crossed her arms, her gaze hardening. “This isn’t about fixing the city; it’s about tightening the leash.”
Nearby, a Symmetrist mother cradling her infant murmured, “A Council seat should give her the power to help us all.” Ava's brow furrowed hearing the words.
The approval wasn’t universal. A younger man, wearing the tattered insignia of a Symmetrist worker’s guild, scoffed as he walked by the center overhearing the mother. “Help? Cassandra’s a museum piece, not a leader. Do you think the Council ever cares about us second citizens? They’ll take her money, sure, and forget we exist.”
From a nearby console, Charlie glanced over his shoulder, his voice dry. “Philanthropist or not, she knows the game.”
Moderator (Dr. Elena Revier): We're sorry for the interruption. We have a special treat this morning, a one on one exclusive. Our other panelists will return next episode. Right now, we welcome a special guest, Cassandra Draayer. Thank you for joining us on such short notice Ms Draayer.
Cassandra (pleasant): Thank you for having me on such short notice. We have all been subjected to horrifying events in the past week and no less disturbing events from our moon colony today.
Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
She paused while Dr. Revier leaned in.
Yesterday, we lost a trusted Veridian leader at the hands of insurrectionists. Norman Reeves was more than a stable presence for the council, as director of Veridian Security forces he has been instrumental in maintaining stability with our city. Now he's dead, his life and light extinguished by the riots put down in Quantum Collective hospitals.
She paused again. Dr. Revier listened intently. Gasps went through the hangar, and refugees exchanged uneasy glances, there were no hospital riots.
If it wasn't for the quick actions of our dedicated Veridian Security forces, I too would have been a casualty. I was there. That is why I am demanding strong and immediate leadership to make our council whole again. I'm more than ready to serve to bring order and resolve these horrifying events.
Her words hung heavily in the broadcast room and the hangar.
Moderator Revier (tight-lipped): Horrifying seems to put it lightly. Reeves’ assassination was not only a tragedy but an indictment of the the underground insurrectionists. Those hospital riots were instigated by underground rhetoric, turning legitimate grievances into violence against healing institutions. It’s clear that stronger measures are needed to protect our city and its leaders.
Cassandra (measured): Stronger measures—yes. Let’s not forget why those riots started and the significant accomplishments we made today in quelling them. I was with Reeves, when...
Emotions appeared to overcome Cassandra.
Moderator Revier (supportive, helpful): When he died in the act of putting down an insurrection. Ms Draayer, if you want, I have a statement here and can read to give you a moment.
Cassandra nodded, turning away from the camera as her emotions continued to swell.
Yes of course. For our listeners, please bear with us. We all have seen the lives saved by Casandra's amazing work sponsoring the hospitals and the dutiful workers making a difference. To think the very people leading the hospital took your dear friend’s life today, is just unconscionable. That has got to be very difficult to process.
The camera lingered on Cassandra. Her composure wavered as she turned back to face the camera, just slightly. A single tear rolled down her cheek. She nodded again at Revier, her voice steady but soft.
Cassandra: Please, Dr. Revier. Go ahead.”
Moderator (Dr. Elena Revier): I quote a statement sent earlier today from Veridian Security: ‘This morning, Jo Sarano, Maya Linlee, and Marcus Webb were apprehended in a depot hospital within Quantum Collective for instigating riots, misappropriation of funds, resisting arrest, and the assassination of Norman Reeves, Security Director and Veridian council member. Evidence confirms their connection to underground factions and the notorious ringleader Kai Zhang, captured earlier in the week. Together, these four, are suspected of sabotaging both the TruthGate and instigating the TransitTrack collapse. These arrests mark a decisive step in restoring justice and balance to Veridian and the protection of its citizens.'
Dr. Revier paused disbelievingly, glancing toward Cassandra, whose gaze remained fixed forward.
Cassandra: I was there, Dr. Revier. I had trusted those leaders when Jo and Maya came seeking assistance for critical hospital operations. I sponsored them to ensure our citizens were cared for during Veridian’s darkest hours. But their worst came out, and when confronted with starting the hospital riots, the resisted. They lured the Security Director Reeves through the assistance of Ava Patel, in order to assassinate him. Their betrayal runs so deep—and the pain is immeasurable.
Another collective gasp rang through the hangar. The news unfolded in shock. Cassandra's words were somber, but her voice didn’t falter. A sea of eyes converged on Ava Patel.
"Lies!" Ava shouted, "These are all lies! There were no riots and Jo would never do anything like that! You know it's lies."
Cassandra (continuing): This is why I’ve stepped forward to today to run for the Council seat left vacant by my dear friend Norman Reeves. We cannot afford leaders who waver in the face of danger. The council will run our hospitals efficiently instead of relying on loose collections of individuals with loose morals. If we had acted earlier, none of this would have happened. Today, we need strength. We need unity. And we need decisive action against those who threaten our city from within.”
Moderator (Dr. Elena Revier): It’s undeniable the arrests send a strong message. But I must ask—there are many voices calling for due process, since the announcement this morning, others are concerned we are just creating scapegoats.
Shouts across the hangar rang out, "Scapegoats!"
But you say you were there, do you believe Veridian Security’s actions are beyond question?”
Cassandra (sharpening): Scapegoats? Dr. Revier, I most certainly was there, and my eyes will never forget the riots jeopardizing the health of our citizens. The chaos unleashed by these irresponsible actions and the underground resistance are unforgivable.
Cassandra paused and then stood in a sign of disgust.
Cassandra (challenging): Reeves was more than a Councilmember—he was a friend. I absolutely trust Veridian Security’s actions, my own eyes, and I trust the prosecutor to hold these vagrants to what they deserve, the death penalty! This city has no more room for hesitation. Lives depend on it.”
And with that, Cassandra stormed off the set.
Moderator Dr. Elena Revier (diplomatic): Well, there you have it ladies and gentlemen: Ms Cassandra Draayer. One thing is for certain, the events of the past week will continue to be debated. Like Concord and Unity, protests have now erupted across Veridian’s districts. The ongoing reduction and elimination of city services from the Center and the ongoing supply chain crunch, continues to stretch our city into chaos.
Ava gripped the railing, the sharp chill of metal grounding her as her mind churned. Just yesterday, she’d stood across from Jo and Maya, their voices low but resolute as they laid out their plans to uncover the truth. Jo’s steady gaze, Maya’s cutting wit—they were so sure they could help, even as Jo's bosses at Veridian Security closed in. And now? Arrested. Named as terrorists. The Center wasted no time turning their defiance into a spectacle, she thought to herself. Ava could still hear Maya’s parting words echoing in her head: “We're with you Jo.”
Ava scanned the hangar, many eyes still falling on her, some Symmetrist, others Quantum Collective, all bound by the fragile threads of survival. A father quickly diverted his gaze and resumed tightening the straps on his daughter’s jacket. Nearby, an older woman looked back at her fraying blanket, her lips moving in a quiet prayer. These weren’t soldiers. These were the people Jo and Maya had fought for. Who will look after them now?
“They won't get a chance to defend themselves,” Ava said, her voice low.
Viktor’s voice broke her thoughts. “Nope, just a monkey trial, Ava. They need fear, and fear will keep the rest in line. We are just swallowed up in it.”
Ava turned to him, her jaw set. “We need to remind them what real fear feels like.”
The loudspeaker crackled, interrupting conversations that buzzed like static across the hangar.
"Someone needs to turn that crap off," Ava blurted.
Moderator (Dr. Elena Revier): As Veridian grapples with the aftermath of last week’s TruthGate collapse, its effects ripple far beyond our city. The disruption of key financial hubs has sent shockwaves through the global economy, destabilizing into mass riots in Unity, intensifying the growing crisis on Selene Station. Unity protests have turned violent as shortages worsen and martial law has been enacted. Meanwhile Concord mobilizes its citizen defense corps to preempt similar unrest.
Unity’s riots played on the central console: a crowd pushed against barricades, their shouts like a wave. A man hurled a burning piece of debris, and the sharp retort of an electric baton silenced his cries. The feed shifted to Concord, where a phalanx of armed civilians marched under banners demanding stability.
Ava walked quickly over to the audio console and pulled the speaker wires. The overhead speaker system crackled one last time as silence fell upon the hangar. She shook her head but didn’t speak. She stared at Unity's footage, where a toppled statue smoldered near shattered storefronts. The TruthGate promised unity and progress, but its collapse left Veridian and the world in ruins.
The broadcast shifted to a split screen: Unity’s riots on one side, Concord’s armed marches on the other. Between them, a ticker scrolled bleak updates: supply chain collapses, spiraling inflation, and financial gridlock in Veridian.
Frustrated, Ava marched to Charlie to demand the display be shut off too. The underground wasn’t just an abstract force—its leaders were people she knew, people who had been taken. She glanced at Viktor. His expression was unreadable, but his hand hovered near his sidearm as voices grew into shouts, a silent reminder that the hangar wasn’t untouchable.
The display shifted to grainy footage from Veridian’s outer districts. Underground symbols were scrawled across the walls of a shuttered ration depot, the stark red insignia of a defiant hand gripping a broken chain. Protesters crowded the streets, their chants inaudible.
Ava felt the news like a physical blow. Jo, Maya, and Marcus—underground operatives? Her mind reeled. She could still see Jo’s steady hands bandaging wounds in the hangar that morning, and hear Maya’s sharp tongue cutting through bureaucracy to secure much-needed supplies. And Marcus? He’d been fixing mesh servers for families who barely understood how to turn them on. None of them had anything to do with the underground.
Viktor put his hand on her shoulder and whispered, “We were there, Ava. With Kai. With the Abacus. None of these people were.”
Ava didn’t need Viktor to remind her. She could still feel the energy waves emanating from the Abacus that day, the eerie silence that followed as the TruthGate collapsed. She and Viktor didn't know what would happen, and they couldn't stop it either. The truth was a weight they’d carried—and now it was crushing everyone they knew.
“We gave them pretext,” Ava muttered, guilt flickering behind her eyes. “They took it. And now they’re using the TruthGate to sweep up anyone they don’t control.”
The hangar continued to erupt in concern as they shouted over one another, fear and anger rippling through the crowded space. “They’ll raid us next!” a Symmetrist man shouted. “We’ll all be labeled insurgents!”
“No one is raiding anyone,” Viktor snapped, his voice sharp. But Ava saw his hand remain on his sidearm as if the danger were already at their doorstep.
Ava leaned over Charlie’s shoulder, her pulse quickening as he traced the jagged energy spikes on the screen. "Shut off the display, Charlie, and find Jonathan."
The data on Charlie’s display were side-by-side with data from the TruthGate collapse. While at a different scale, almost perfectly—a fact she didn’t need Charlie to explain. The patterns were burned into her memory. "Okay," the overhead monitors of the broadcast darkened as the momentum in the hangar grew and calmed in waves. "That should do it, and Jonathan is on his way back from working with a team on the clogged sewer line. Crazy what these people will put down the toilets, but this time it was the sludge pump." Charlie paused, taking a long look at Ava. "I don't know where you got this Abacus thing, but there is no doubt in my mind it was under the TruthGate during the collapse." He paused waiting for her distracted mind to refocus on him, "Ava, this same signature was five meters from where we rescued you that day. What's your role in all of this?"
“What does that mean?” she asked, her voice tight.
Charlie rubbed the back of his neck, his gaze returning to the display. “The Abacus isn’t an energy weapon, it's a dark energy source. When activated it is capable of generating power like I have never seen. Right now, mostly deactivated, it leaks energy. A near-perfect complementary signature we recorded the day we rescued you. I think you used it and got trapped by it."
Ava knew the moment was coming when this contraption would get tied to her. The accusations and the entire city seemed to be after her. People all over the hangar would stare at her until she stared back when they would divert their eyes. She was losing everyone's support, piece by piece... Kai, Sarah, Jo, Maya. Now Charlie too. At least she had Viktor, and that was all.
“Complementary?” Viktor’s tone was sharp. “You mean similar? Why aren't we getting shredded now then?”
Charlie nodded slowly. “Exactly. It's the same signal—but magnitudes smaller. And yet, growing slightly."
"Spit it out, how long before it takes this place down," Viktor was growing impatient. Ava seemed to have fallen into darkness, her eyes dark, focusing on nothing and everything around her at the same time. Viktor had never seen her look like that before.
Jonathan walked up, filthy, and smelling raw. Two others were following him. "Why don't you give the report," Jonathan said to one of the men.
"It should hold for a day or two, but we need a new sewage pump or find another location. We could repair this one but not without pulling it out," he said.
"Well, that's no good," Charlie's ability to prioritize the needs of the burgeoning community was long overwhelmed. "Put it in the top 5 somehow," he said. That list was the only way they were coordinating the work teams. As soon as one was knocked out, it felt like 10 more were added. "Third, behind food and defense. I don't know."
Jonathan agreed, "Makes sense. Do what you can to help the other teams and get back to us with ideas for securing another pump as soon as possible." He thanked and nodded at the men. "I'm going to get cleaned up."
"Ava wanted you," Charlie said, looking over at Ava who was still lost in a trance.
Ava turned to face Jonathan, and then back over the hangar. Since terminating the broadcast, the people had slowly begun to settle. "It can wait, but this group needs to be grounded. I think you should speak to them as soon as you can."
"Me?" said Jonathan. He had come to rely on others to steer the group and didn't understand why Ava would ask this of him.
"Jonathan, I'm sorry they took Jo. I know you were close. If anyone can keep this place tied together, it's you and your story. We all miss Jo and you are the closest thing to her that we have left." Ava wasn't debating the point, she turned back to her inner thoughts as she struggled to listen. Listen to her core. The silence within continued to grow, but all she could do was listen as carefully as she could.
Jonathan shook his head and then nodded and headed off to clean off the sewage and think of what he could say to the hundreds of people in the hangar. He agreed someone had to say something after the news. He stayed busy to avoid thinking about Jo. He didn't have an opportunity to say goodbye and all the misinformation going around made him fearful for her life, or whether he would ever see her again.
Eventually, Charlie spoke up. "Look here," he pointed back at the field signatures of the data from the Abacus overlays during the past 24 hours. "The energy grows and gives in what appears to be random periods. But Mitchell noticed an anomaly. Once we recalibrated the Leap Sensors to tune into it, it certainly isn't random."
That got Ava's attention. Both she and Viktor leaned forward to see a much smaller signature overlayed on a map. As the signal came closer in proximity, the Abacus power increased and when it moved away it decreased.
"Look, I don't mean to alarm you. But you see what this means, right?" Charlie asked. Viktor shrugged. "It means, they have been triangulating on our position for more than we have been able to detect it. This is a quantum trial between the Abacus and whatever is out there tracking it. Based on the data they could be here in a day or hours." Charlie paused, "But that is the least of our worries. Look at this signature, as that thing approaches the power spikes asymptotically. If they get close enough, it could do worse damage than the TruthGate. These two devices are trying to connect. The Abacus is sending out its own energy, and something out there is answering.”
Ava’s mouth went dry. “How close?”
Charlie hesitated, then keyed in a command. The screen shifted, showing a map of the area surrounding the hangar. A pulsing red dot blinked steadily, unnervingly close. “Several kilometers still but closing. We are still trying to figure out direction.”
He zoomed in on the graph, where sharp spikes punctuated the signal’s approach. “As it gets closer, the dark energy levels spike exponentially and that helps but we need to rotate the Abacus and measure these micro levels. Look!" He said as he turned it 90 degrees. That small growth. To me, and I'm not a guessing man... but if I had to, I think it is coming from the Center, inbound. Whatever this thing is, it’s pulling in dark matter from our surroundings—and it’s been getting stronger consistently over the past hour. I think they have a line on us.”
Viktor stepped back, his jaw tightening. “If it’s anything like the TruthGate collapse…” He didn’t finish the thought, but the weight of his words hung heavily in the air.
Ava spoke at last, "Viktor, we gotta get this thing out of here and fast before we risk all of these leaves."
"Way ahead of you," he said as he began gathering his gear.