TIME : T-40:05 → T-38:50
The sphere thump… thump… like a dying heart.
Silas's pupils locked on me, voice soft: "…the Board… is disappointed…"
Fuck!
Rhea yanked me back: "Go! It's unstable!"
Reanimated flooded the core!
Cook, flashlight girl, chicken-kid—pupils flickering, gliding silent.
No way out.
Sphere thumped faster—
70°C…80°C…90°C!
Heat wave hit my face, eyelashes curling, sweat-soaked tac-suit hissing white smoke.
"Fuck…" I rasped, groping my waist—half a tactical knife left.
Fuck! Even the blade snapped.
Rhea pressed the hydraulic clamp: "Cover me."
She lunged for the sphere, jamming the Orchid into the crack—
ZZT-PAK!
Blue sparks erupted, sphere shuddering, Silas's mouth splitting ear to ear—mechanically reset grin.
Cook struck!
Bone blade slashing for my neck!
I dropped, rolling, swinging the clamp for his knee!
CRACK!
He staggered, blade deflecting, grazing my cheek—slitting a line, blood welling.
Girl dove from the side, nails lengthening.
I hurled the clamp at her hand!
CLANG!
Jaws bit her wrist, blue gel spurting.
"AAAAH—!" She screamed, hybrid blood arcing three meters.
Kid leapt onto the sphere, looming, throat clicking.
Fuck! Triple flanking!
Sphere thumped faster—
100°C!
Liquid copper blooped, jade patina peeling, revealing silver nano-skeletons beneath.
Rhea shouted: "Kai! B3 exit! I'll hold them!"
She slammed into the horde, Orchid sweeping the girl's face—all red.
"Hybrid!" She roared. "Blood clot: 50.2 seconds!"
Girl retreated, hand over her wrist—blood seeping between fingers—dark red threaded with blue.
Cook lunged for Rhea, blade driving for her heart!
Rhea didn't dodge.
Orchid smashed his eye!
CLANG!
He staggered, pupils flickering.
Now.
I exploded forward, swinging the clamp into the sphere's base!
CRASH—!!!
Sphere jolted, Silas's face cracking.
Blue arcs crackled, like synaptic fire.
Reanimated froze.
Pupils stuttering.
Rhea seized the chance, sprinting to the cryo-pods—
Three liquid nitrogen pods in the corner, fog swirling.
She slammed the lock!
Click!
Pod door sprang open—
White mist poured out.
A figure sat up—
Rhea Vance.
Black tac-suit pristine, short hair sweat-plastered, Orchid glowing green in her fist.
She scanned my face—beep.
Green.
Human.
"Kai!" She roared. "Move your fucking ass—before it bites!"
Fuck! Real Rhea!
Cryo-Rhea jumped down, boots clanging.
She hurled the Orchid—
"Scan me!" She yelled. "Now!"
I caught it, cold metal biting my palm.
Thumb pressed trigger—
Green light swept her face—
Beep.
Green.
Human.
But as she pivoted, kicking aside reanimated, her nape hairline split—
Copper light flashed underneath.
Fuck! Still a Hybrid?!
Cryo-Rhea shouted: "Don't trust the scan! AURA's bait!"
She lunged, jamming the Orchid into the force-field pillar—
ZZT-PAK!
Blue sparks erupted, field flickering dead 0.5 seconds!
"Kai! Go!" She roared. "B3 exit's at—"
Cut off—
Sphere BOOMED!
Not imploded. Exploded.
Liquid copper sprayed, 100°C heat wave hitting my face.
I tackled Cryo-Rhea, back shielding her.
HISS!
Tac-suit charred, skin hissing white smoke.
Sphere collapsed—
Coalescing into a beating heart shape, jade patina peeling, revealing silver nano-skeletons beneath.
Reanimated convulsed from the copper rain, pupils fizzing gray-white.
Cryo-Rhea pushed me up: "Go! While they're down!"
I wiped my face, blood and sweat gumming my eyes.
Looked down—boot half-gone, sock shredded, foot gashes stinging.
Core red lights flashed—
All died.
T-38:50.
Minute Eighteen: complete.
Heart still beating.
But in my palm—
Half a loosened copper ring.
Thanks for meeting Cryo-Rhea. When her elbow joint bulged under the skin—did you lean closer? 🧊
Drop a "🧊"—3 winners get Human vs Hybrid Physiological Comparison Chart!
Trust is a copper ring. Ours is loose—but still whole. #Chrono60
T-38:50. The copper heart beat. But the ring in my palm? Still loose.
Thank you for the minute. — K."