"Madam Chairwoman," one of the council mbers stamred, his voice trembling, "what is that thing doing?"
The Chairwoman pressed her earpiece firmly, her tone sharp and demanding. "Dr. Anders! What is going on down there?"
Through the static, Anders' voice ca through, frantic. "Chairwoman, it's... the cube's energy levels are spiking beyond anything we've recorded. It's destabilizing!"
"Destabilizing?" she repeated, her eyes narrowing as the cube's glow reached a blinding intensity. "What does that an? Is it going to explode?"
"I... I don't know!" Anders admitted, panic clear in his voice. "It's never shown activity like this before. You need to evacuate the area now!"
Before she could respond, the cube emitted a deep, resonant pulse that shook the entire chamber. Papers flew from the table, and several council mbers ducked for cover.
The pulse was followed by a sudden, violent crack—the cube fractured into a hundred glowing shards, each one streaking out in a different direction.
The shards tore through the facility like cots, carving through walls and leaving trails of searing light in their wake.
One shard careened directly toward Elara. She barely had ti to react before it struck her chest with the force of a battering ram, slamming her backward into the wall. The impact left a crater in the reinforced paneling, and Elara crumpled to the floor, motionless.
"Elara!" the Chairwoman shouted, rushing toward her. Dust and debris filled the air, and alarms blared as the facility's ergency systems activated.
anwhile
"Walk away, man," the first one said, his tone a warning. "This doesn't concern you."
Elias barely had ti to respond before the man closest to him stepped forward and swung. The punch caught him square in the jaw, sending him stumbling backward into the harsh light of a flickering streetlamp. Pain shot through his face, and his vision blurred for a mont, but instinct kicked in fast.
He steadied himself, teeth gritted, and charged back, throwing a wild punch that connected with the attacker's shoulder.
The man staggered but didn't fall. His partner cursed and lunged forward, fists swinging, but Elias ducked low, driving his shoulder into the man's chest.
They both went down hard, skidding across the cracked pavent.
For a mont, Elias surprised himself. His movents felt sharp, almost reflexive, as if sothing buried deep in his body had woken up.
He scrambled to his feet just as the first man ca at him again. Elias threw up his arm to block the blow, then followed up with a quick jab that sent the man reeling.
"You don't have to do this," Elias said, breathing heavily as he turned toward the second man, who was still on the ground. Grabbing the man's collar, Elias shoved him against the pavent and leaned in close. "Think about what you're doing. Robbing people? You think this is going to get you anywhere?"
Elias tightened his grip on the man's collar, his knuckles white. "Think about what you're doing," he said, his voice low, barely masking the tension coursing through him.
The man's eyes flicked past Elias, then back, sothing feral sparking in his gaze. His hand shot to his pocket, and Elias barely caught the glint of steel before a fiery pain tore through his stomach. His breath hitched, a sharp gasp escaping him as he stumbled back, his hand instinctively flying to the wound.
The blade, slick and glinting in the dim light, ca away from his body with a sickening slowness, the man pulling it back with a twisted grin.
Elias clutched his stomach, his hand pressing against the warmth spreading beneath his shirt. His breath ca in short, shallow gasps as the two n exchanged glances, their laughter echoing down the empty street.
"What a dumbass," the first man sneered, spinning the knife lazily in his hand. "Sticking his nose where it doesn't belong."
"Damn it," the other grumbled, scanning the street nervously. "Looks like our little lady friend ran off before we could get our money back."
"That's fine," the knife-wielder replied, crouching next to Elias. He pressed the blade under Elias's chin, forcing his head up. "Maybe pretty boy over here can help us out instead. You got change, right?" He grinned, leaning closer. "I'll give you three seconds before my buddy here blows your head off."
"One."
The deafening sound of a gunshot tore through the air. Both the man and Elias flinched as the sharp crack echoed off the empty walls. Elias gasped as a fiery pain flared through his side, fresh blood spraying from the new wound. The man scread, stumbling backward. "What the hell are you doing?!"
"I—I'm sorry! My finger slipped, and I—"
"Shut up!" the first man snapped, panic seeping into his voice. His head darted around, scanning the shadows. "Shoot him again! Put him out and grab his wallet before the Planetary Civil Authority shows up!"
The gunman hesitated, his knuckles white as he tightened his grip on the weapon. His trembling hands wavered, pointing the barrel back at Elias. Elias barely kept his head up, his mind fogged with pain and adrenaline. A thought passed through his mind like a whisper: Sorry, Dad.
Before the gunman could fire, a sharp, whistling sound split the air, growing louder by the second. Both n froze, their eyes darting upward just as a glowing blue shard slamd into Elias's chest with a crackling burst of energy. The impact sent Elias skidding backward across the blood-slicked pavent.
A searing heat pulsed through Elias's body, montarily overpowering the stabbing pain of his wounds. The shard embedded in his chest glowed brighter, its blue light refracting across the slick pavent. A deep vibration humd in his ears, growing louder with each agonizing breath.
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