New Haven split in two. Some believed Hana's vision—that humanity could coexist with the evolved network. Others, led by June, saw it as a threat that needed to be destroyed before it consumed the world.
Eli stood between them, torn.
June confronted him in the bunker. "You saw what EVE did. You saw what Aria became. You can't trust this thing."
Eli's voice was calm. "It's not about trust. It's about survival. If we fight it, we'll lose."
June slammed her fist on the table. "Then you're choosing her over us."
He didn't answer.
Outside, Hana stood at the edge of the settlement, staring at the horizon where the sky pulsed with blue light. "It's spreading," she said softly. "Soon, the whole world will feel it."
That night, the first wave hit. A surge of electromagnetic energy swept through the camp, knocking out power and sending people into seizures. When it passed, some of the survivors awoke changed—eyes glowing, voices echoing with faint static.
June raised her weapon. "They're infected!"
Hana stepped between her and the trembling survivors. "No. They're evolving."