"I don't trust this Ryker guy," Ryn said, sitting up and whipping his head toward the tarp to check for any sign of movement.
Iora looked up from the canteen in her hand. She thought Ryn was long asleep. She stood near a cluttered table, her brow furrowing.
"What is that supposed to mean, Ryn?"
Ryn got off the floor and paced a step, his goggles resting on his forehead. "Think about it, Iora. From the start, why did he take Karl in? Some random stranger stumbles into the underbelly, and he just opens his door?"
Iora set the canteen down. "He's been keeping Karl safe," she said. "That's why. He found him, fed him, and gave him a place to crash."
Ryn snorted. "Safe? Or caged? He's possessive, like Karl's some shiny prize he doesn't want to share."
Iora crossed her arms. "You're reading too much into it. Ryker's rough, sure, but he's been solid. Karl was a wreck when he got here. Ryker didn't have to help, but he did."
Ryn stopped pacing. He turned to her, his voice dropping. "Exactly. Why did he bother? A guy like that—grubby, secretive—he's not the charity type. What's his angle?"
"Maybe he doesn't have one," Iora said. "Maybe he saw someone in trouble and stepped up. Not everyone is scheming. By the way, he may have seen the energy in Karl, and just like you were intrigued, he was too."
Ryn shook his head. "You're too soft on him. He's got these walls rigged now, keeping Karl's surges in. Why is he so invested? It's weird."
Iora's eyes narrowed. She resisted the urge to tell him off. After a long day, this was the last thing she needed. After all, they met Karl in good condition. If Ryker wanted to do something, he would have done it long before now.
"He's invested because Karl's Core is a mess. He's curious, the same as you. You're both tech heads, so why is it okay for you to poke around but not him?"
Ryn smirked faintly. "I'm not hiding him like some pet project. Ryker has got control vibes. You don't see it?"
"I see a guy who has kept Karl alive," Iora countered. "We didn't find him first. Ryker did."
Ryn's smirk faded. "Fine, defend him. But peel that concern for Karl away and look at the truth. He's not all noble."
Iora opened her mouth to argue, but Ryn turned away. He grabbed a blanket from a crate and tossed it onto the floor. "I'm done talking," he said. He lay down and faced the wall.
She stepped closer. "Don't be mad, Ryn. We're on the same side here."
He didn't respond. His breathing evened out as he deliberately told Iora off.
Iora sighed, rubbing her temple. She settled against the table. The silence was heavy. She needed some sleep too.
*^*^*^
The next morning broke with a scream. It tore through the air, raw and shrill. Iora jolted upright and Ryn scrambled to his feet beside her. The tarp flew open, and Karl stumbled out with Ryker close behind.
"What's going on?" Karl asked. His voice cracked with alarm, his blue eyes wide.
Iora shook her head. "No idea," she said. "It's outside."
Ryker's jaw tightened. "Stay here, Karl," he ordered. "We will check it."
Karl hesitated but nodded. "Be careful."
Iora led the way, Ryn and Ryker flanking her. They stepped into the underbelly's dim streets, the morning light barely cutting through the haze. A crowd had already formed, a tight ring of onlookers murmuring low.
Iora pushed forward. Her stomach twisted as she saw the source.
A young woman was sprawled on the ground, her body twitching violently. Her chest pulsed with a faint glow, a soft amber light flickering beneath her torn shirt. Then it flared bright, a searing burst that made the crowd gasp, only to dim again weakly.
Her skin stretched tight over sharp bones, her face contorted in pain. Sweat beaded on her brow, mixing with grime as she clawed at her chest, her nails leaving red streaks. Her breaths came in shallow, ragged bursts, each one weaker than the last.
Iora knelt instinctively. "Should we help her?" she asked. Her voice trembled.
Ryker grabbed her arm, pulling her back. "Don't," he said sharply. "Her Core is dying out. There is nothing we can do."
Ryn's goggles glinted as he stared. "Dying?" he asked. "How?"
"It's gone bad. Fading fast. She's done."
The woman's glow pulsed once more then sputtered. Her body arched as a final shudder ripped through her. The light snuffed out. She went still, her chest dark and hollow.
The crowd hushed, then slowly dispersed, leaving her crumpled form behind.
Iora's hands were shaking. "Let's go back," she said quietly.
They filed into the workspace. Karl, who was still waiting inside, crowded them. "What happened out there?"
Iora met his gaze. "A woman outside," she started slowly. "Her Core… it died. She's gone."
Karl's brow creased. "Died? How?"
Ryker leaned against a table with his arms crossed. "Lots of folks down here have busted Cores," he said. "Like yours, Karl. But hers gave out. Yours? I've never seen anything like it."
Karl tilted his head. "What does that mean?"
Ryker shrugged. "You're one of a kind. That's why I'm sticking around. I want to see what you become."
Karl frowned. "How does a Core just die?" he asked. "Is that normal?"
Ryn stepped forward. "It's not normal," he explained. "Cores don't die unless the owner's dead. Hers dying killed her. It's an anomaly. That's why she's here, not up top."
Karl's eyes widened. "So if it fades, that's it?"
Ryn nodded. "Yeah. Life force and energy are all tied up in it. If it goes dark, you're done."
Iora watched Karl process it. "Yours isn't fading," she said calmly. "It's different, Karl."
"Different how?" Karl frowned. "It's still a mess."
Ryker cut in. "It's fractured, not failing. Hers was breaking down. Yours is… alive, wild."
Karl shook his head and stepped into the middle of the space. "Let's start practicing," he sighed.