"So you see, the Sovereign Hand are powerful, and they have dangerous agendas. Now you know their true intentions," Eliya said, her eyes narrowing with intensity.
"Damn, I never for once saw Dr. Christainia Clay in a bad way... not even the Sovereign Hand," Kaden said, shaking his head in disbelief.
"It's fine. We're all gonna survive this, one way or the other," Eliya said with a sigh, folding her arms tightly across her chest.
"More things happened, even after Dr. Christainia Clay took credit for the cure."
"Tell me about it. I'm fully disposed to hear everything," Kaden said, leaning slightly forward.
"It's a story for another day," Eliya replied, her voice softer now, as she turned and took a slow step away from the corridor and then returned again
"For now, all I can say is that the Sovereign Hand want the Black Archive for themselves, for their selfish gain. They want to be more dominant." She paused, then continued in a whisper, glancing around nervously.
"If they get the Black Archive first, they'll continue to dominate and manipulate the people. The world will depend more solely on them. Besides, it costs so much money to have the cure," Eliya said, her voice tight with concern. "More money more power"
"Now I see... suddenly everyone's gone rogue looking for the Black Archive. If the people find it by themselves, they could take advantage of it too," Kaden chipped in, pacing slightly.
"But the Sovereign thought it was wise to get it first and have it for themselves fully before dispersing it... that is, if the Black Archive will be enough to reach the remaining population. So, in essence, they created a lie and let it spread. The hope of a cure became a myth," Eliya said, shaking her head bitterly.
"They even did things to scare survivors away from finding it."
"What did they do?" Kaden asked, his voice low.
Another silence grew between them.
"Kaden, I've said too much. Sometimes I'm scared someone is watching my moves... maybe listening to what I say," Eliya muttered. She turned and walked into her quarters, leaving the corridor momentarily.
When she returned, she carried her tablet and turned it on, bringing up a map.
"I cross-checked the coordinates using an old map of civilization. I realized the Archive, if it exists, it is somewhere in the Dead Expanse."
Kaden cursed under his breath, his jaw tightening.
She watched him carefully. "You've been there?"
"Once," he said. "Years ago. It's a graveyard a place where Shades scavenge. Terrible things happen there."
"Tell me everything," she said, stepping closer.
He stopped, looking out through the slit at the wasteland beyond. He heaved a deep sigh before he began.
"The Dead Expanse isn't like the rest of the Redwake," Kaden began. "It's not just ruins. It's... cursed. The Vesper fog there is thick and denser than it should be. Our suits failed within hours. You start hearing things. Seeing things. I lost three men before we even crossed the western perimeter. The ones who made it deeper… didn't come back."
Eliya frowned, her brow furrowed.
"A fog that dense would indicate that the virus is spreading through the air... or it could be seeping from the ground. Those monstrous Shades that reside there could also add to the source of the spreading virus, whether it's in the air or the ground."
Kaden nodded grimly.
"If one gets infected, you'll begin to hear things, see people you know. Hear their voices. Feel them beside you." He swallowed hard.
"One of my men saw his daughter. Swore he could touch her. Mind you, his daughter was dead long ago."
Eliya shivered, her voice dropping.
"So to him... he probably saw her ghost." She sighed, visibly shaken, but forced herself to continue.
"He had hallucinations. The virus was affecting his brain and nervous system," Eliya said, rubbing her arms.
"I guess so," Kaden said quietly.
"Well, from the rigorous and repeated reading of Dr. Lena and Dr. Ethan Thompson's research papers, I found out that they created a serum, a real serum even I never got to see it with my eyes because I didn't witness its production"
At first the serum was helpful but the resources used in making the serum were limited. Those resources could be a part of that Black Archive."
Reading Dr. Lena's journal, I realized she must have engaged in hiding the resources used in creating the serum when she realized that the Sovereign Hand was taking advantage of it with Dr Christainia Clay taking credit and hold of the serum.
The Black Archive could have more resources or rather, it could lead us t o finding the resources, if there are none. Although, the research noted that the serum wouldn't be a long-lasting cure. It needed enhancement."
Silence fell again. Then Eliya drew in a breath.
"This is a dangerous mission," Kaden said, his tone quiet but resolute.
"I'm still going," Eliya responded, lifting her chin with defiance.
Kaden raised an eyebrow.
She looked up, meeting his gaze.
"If what you said is true about that fog... that madness... the hallucinations... then it means the Archive is close. Nothing else would draw that much infected fog.
And if the Black Archive is buried under centuries of decay, someone or something wanted to keep it hidden. Maybe it's Dr. Lena, or the Coalition of scientists or maybe Dr. Ethan Thompson kept it hidden, They all had a plan."
Kaden gave a grim nod.
"That's the part I hate. The virus wants to survive just like we do. And it's guarding something that could likely destroy it. That's why so much infected fog is there. Plus, the amount of Shades residing there makes it a dead zone."
Eliya closed the map with a click.
"That's why you have to come."
Kaden looked at her again, eyes heavy with thought.
"Not just because of your immunity to the virus," she added. "But because… I'm not sure I'd make it alone. The remaining population needs this, to create a future civilization."
Eliya's words, soft and raw, struck deeper than he expected.
"Then we have to prepare. You need training so that you can fight off the Shades," he said, stepping forward with a commanding tone.
Eliya's shoulders relaxed slightly, but the weight in the atmosphere remained.
"I will do it. I'll train so hard, like my life depends on it."
"There's something else," she said, walking into her room. She moved toward a locked crate at the foot of her bunk. Entering a code, she pulled out a reinforced container the size of a suitcase. She opened it carefully, revealing a series of sealed chemical sterilization units.
Kaden tensed. "What's that?"
"It sterilizes surfaces for a long while," she said. "It's not the cure, it's just sterilization chemicals."
"I know it can't be the cure," Kaden replied with a nod.
"This sterilization chemical... it could help delay infection," Eliya said, watching his expression closely.
Kaden stepped closer. "You've had this the whole time?"
"It's not hard to manufacture it. I could source more from a fallen or dilapidated pharmacy, within Ashbourne," she said quickly.
Kaden nodded slowly. "Ok, then. we will source for more later"
He turned to leave but paused at the doorway.
"What you said earlier," he began. "About my brother… I didn't want to believe there was even a chance he might be alive"
Eliya stayed still, watching him from the shadows.
"Because if he is… and he's been out there all this time…" Kaden's voice dropped. "Then I failed him worse than I thought."
Eliya's voice was soft. "Maybe he's the reason you'll find the Black Archive. He searched for it but couldn't get it. Maybe you'll do it right this time, more than he did."
Kaden breathed heavily, offering no further words. He started walking off along the corridor.
"Goodnight," Eliya said softly.
Kaden didn't respond. He kept walking... until the fog closed off around him.