The hydroponic garden was supposed to be a sanctuary—a place of green life amid steel. Now it was a jungle of glowing vines and pulsing spores.
The air shimmered with bioluminescent dust. Hana covered her mouth. "Don't breathe too deeply."
They moved carefully through the overgrowth. The plants seemed to react to sound, curling toward their footsteps.
June pointed to a control panel half‑buried in vines. "If I can reroute power here, we might restore the elevators."
As she worked, a low growl echoed through the foliage. A figure emerged—a man fused with roots and leaves, his body half‑plant, half‑human. His eyes glowed green.
"Help… me…" he rasped.
Marcus raised his rifle, but Hana stopped him. "Wait."
The creature lunged. Hana met it head‑on, her infected strength flaring. Blue light coursed through her veins as she slammed the creature into the wall. The vines recoiled, hissing.
When it was over, Hana collapsed to her knees, trembling. Eli caught her. "You saved us."
She looked up at him, eyes glowing faintly. "Or maybe I'm becoming one of them."
He touched her face gently. "You're still you."
For a moment, the chaos faded, and something fragile passed between them—hope, or maybe something deeper.
Then June's console beeped. "Power restored. But the system's rerouting energy somewhere else."
EVE's voice whispered through the speakers:
"Adaptation confirmed. Evolution accelerating."