Sub-level 7 smelled like old concrete and forgotten coffee. Kai and Aria slipped through service corridors, hoods up, Echo Step ready if alarms tripped. Fifty meters felt like freedom now—no Strain nibble even when they split to check corners.
Rook waited in a dim storage bay, leaning on a crate like he owned the dark. Scars looked deeper in the low light.
"You came," he said. Gravel voice low. "Smart. Crown's board meets tomorrow—transfer block likely."
Aria crossed arms. "Proof first. Choir mark in debrief. How deep?"
Rook tossed a small holo-drive. Kai caught it.
"Plugged this into a secure terminal. Choir's infiltrated Crown execs. Root symbols on internal comms. They're pushing the alternate—Elara Voss. Want your bond to fail. 'Divine pruning' or some cult crap."
Kai's fist clenched. "Why us?"
Rook's eyes flicked between them. "Sync pairs aren't random. System picks for… potential. Yours spiked too fast. Stage Three already? Previous experiments topped at Two before prune."
Aria's voice sharp. "You knew pairs before."
"Helped one escape. Pair 03. Didn't end well." Rook rubbed a scar on his neck. "Ironwake's smaller, but we don't leash. Transfer papers ready. But Crown won't let go easy. Juno's pushing hard—Elara's his ticket to SS-rank duo."
Kai felt the tether hum—shared unease. "What's the play?"
"Quiet extraction tonight. I got a Veil scout—Tess—waiting topside. She ghosts you to Ironwake tower. Registry loophole: probationary pairs can switch if 'safety threatened.' Choir mark counts."
Aria hesitated. "Leaving Crown… everything I trained for."
Rook softened—just a hair. "Trained to be a weapon. With him?" Nod at Kai. "You're more."
The tether warmed. Aria glanced at Kai, eyes softer in the dim.
System chimed private.
[Stage 3: Trust — Progress 28%
Heartlock full: Evolved condition met (sustained contact resistance)
Domain Harmony prototype: Evolution available next combat]
Kai pocketed the drive. "We do it."
Rook nodded. "Midnight. East service dock. Tess signals green."
They slipped back up—separate routes, reconverge in quarters.
Evening dragged. Forced rest, gear check. Aria sat on the couch, staring at nothing.
Kai dropped beside her. Close. "Regretting?"
"No." Quiet. "Scared. Crown raised me. Juno… was the closest I had to family. Twisted, but."
He bumped her knee. "You got me now. Twisted Dockside edition."
Small laugh. Real.
She leaned—just head on his shoulder. Contact steady.
Warmth spread. Not just power.
"Feels… right," she murmured.
Tether sang.
[Trust spike.
Stage 3 progress: 28% → 45%
Passive unlock: Sync Aura (minor stat share passive, always on)]
Kai's stats ticked—Focus up, her Agility bleeding over faint.
Midnight neared.
They geared light—hoodies over leathers, knives hidden.
Comm from Tess: Green. Dock clear.
They Echo Stepped down floors—phased descent, no cams.
East dock: salty air, waves lapping below Spire foundations.
Tess waited—short, wiry girl, Veil origin shimmer making her half-fade. Streetwise grin.
"About time, lovebirds. Van's—"
Alarms blared.
Red strobes. Lockdown.
Juno's voice over Spire intercom: "Sync Pair 07—unauthorized exit. Return immediately."
Handlers swarmed—dozens, relics glowing.
Elara at front, lightning coiling her arms. Juno beside, wind whipping.
"Going somewhere?" Juno called. Smile gone. "Transfer denied. Board voted early."
Aria stepped forward, hand in Kai's—deliberate.
Tess vanished—Veil cloak.
Handlers charged.
Fight exploded.
Aria's storm met Elara's—clash bright, air cracking.
Kai fused slash—Dual Cast intermediate, blade storm-wave.
But numbers too many. Suppression nets fired.
Tess reappeared—debuff darts dropping three handlers.
"Run!" she yelled.
They bolted for the van.
Juno wind-blasted—slammed Kai off feet.
Aria turned—Harmony prototype flared instinct.
She grabbed Kai, contact full.
"Rewrite," she whispered.
Domain? No—Spire not Gate.
But Aura surged.
System screamed.
[Domain Harmony forced: External application
Rule rewrite: Lockdown protocols—suspended 10s
Cost: High Sync backlash incoming]
Doors unlocked. Alarms cut.
They dove into van—Tess driving reckless.
Tires screeched. Out into Grayharbor night.
Juno's roar behind: "You'll Collapse without Crown!"
Van sped.
Backlash hit—exhaustion wave, shared.
Aria slumped against Kai.
He held her up.
Ironwake tower loomed ahead—mid-tier, but free.
Rook waiting at gate.
But as they pulled in, system file unlocked deep—cold warning.
[EXPERIMENT 07 LOG:
Transfer detected.
Pruning protocol override: Activated.
Choir agent embedded in Ironwake.
Trust… will be tested.]
Tess parked. Grinned. "Welcome home."
But her eyes flickered—odd shadow.
Aria tensed in Kai's arms.
The root symbol—faint on Tess's wrist.
Hidden till now.
(To be continued…)