The Void Killer Saga

The combat training scoreboard flashed red: SIMULATION FAILED - TEAM COORDINATION ERROR.

"Again," Sean ordered, his new team leader insignia gleaming under harsh lights. Sweat dripped from his brow, but his voice carried authority. "Valerian, your left flank was exposed."

"Prioritizing tactical analysis," Valerian replied, cybernetic eye whirring through combat data. "Maria's healing range—"

"Is compromised when Lucas tries covering both of us," Maria cut in, hands still glowing faintly. Her medical interface showed dangerously low energy reserves.

Lucas squeezed her shoulder. "I can modify the shield harmonics to—"

"Later," Sean interrupted. "Right now, we run it again. Kasper, your nanobots recovered enough?"

STATUS: 62% OPERATIONAL

COMBAT SYSTEMS: LIMITED

REGENERATION: ACTIVE BUT IMPAIRED

"I'm fine," Kasper lied.

***

In the observation deck, Cross made notes while Sarah monitored medical readings.

"His recovery rate is slower than projected," Sarah reported, concern evident. "The maze incident—"

"Damaged more than just his tech," Cross finished. Her implants pulsed thoughtfully. "The question is why."

Below, the team reset their positions. The simulation countdown began.

***

The academy cafeteria buzzed with lunch rush energy. Mia dropped into the seat next to Sean, kissing his cheek.

"Heard you're running the team ragged," she teased. "Power corrupts, huh?"

"Speaking of corruption," Lucas called from his spot beside Maria, "check these baseline readings." He slid his pad across. "The maze's quantum structure wasn't standard issue."

"Neither was the response team," Valerian added quietly.

The temperature seemed to drop. Mia looked between them, confused. "What response team?"

Sean squeezed her hand. "Nothing. Just training stuff."

But his eyes met Kasper's across the table. They both remembered the security forces' irregular signatures.

***

The academy library's quantum archives required Level 3 clearance minimum. Nailah's backdoor access shouldn't have worked.

But as she dug deeper into the maze's specs, a pattern emerged. The same energy signature appeared in:

- Medical bay scanning protocols

- Advanced combat simulations

- Project Lazarus fragments

A hand touched her shoulder. She spun, combat-ready.

"Easy," Cleo said, Valerian's girlfriend raising her hands. "Just wondering why you're researching restricted medical tech."

Their eyes met. Something unspoken passed between them.

"Buy me coffee," Cleo said finally. "I might know something about those protocols."

***

Sarah found Kasper in the training room that night, pushing his damaged nanobots past safe limits.

WARNING: SYSTEM STRAIN CRITICAL

RECOMMEND IMMEDIATE SHUTDOWN

PERMANENT DAMAGE POSSIBLE

"Stop," she ordered, medical scanner humming. "You're making it worse."

"I need to be stronger," he gritted out. "Next time—"

"Next time what?" she demanded, forcing him to face her. "You'll get yourself killed trying to prove something?"

Their faces were inches apart. For a moment, the air crackled with unspoken things.

Then her scanner beeped, breaking the tension. The readings made her frown.

"This can't be right," she muttered. "The degradation pattern..."

***

In the engineering lab, Lucas stared at his screens while Maria dozed on his shoulder.

"Got it!" he exclaimed, jolting her awake. "The maze wasn't just reading our fears - it was scanning for specific genetic markers!"

"What markers?" Maria asked, fully alert now.

Before Lucas could answer, all screens went dark.

ACCESS DENIED - SECURITY PROTOCOL 7 ACTIVE

UNAUTHORIZED RESEARCH DETECTED

CONTAINMENT PROCEDURES INITIATED

"That's not possible," Lucas whispered. "Only Project Lazarus had that level of—"

The lab doors sealed with a pneumatic hiss.

***

Sean found Valerian in the tactical center, running combat scenarios.

"Can't sleep either?" he asked, dropping into the chair beside his friend.

"These patterns don't make sense," Valerian replied, eye scanning data streams. "Cross's training programs are deliberately limiting our capabilities."

"Maybe she has reasons?"

"Everyone has reasons," Valerian said darkly. "The question is: whose?"

***

Cleo met Nailah in a secluded corner of the academy grounds.

"My father worked on the original Project Lazarus," Cleo said without preamble. "Before the Valparaíso incident."

Nailah's pulse quickened. "What do you know about—"

Warning klaxons cut her off. Red emergency lights bathed the campus.

SECURITY BREACH DETECTED

UNKNOWN ENTITIES ON GROUNDS

ALL STUDENTS RETURN TO DORMITORIES

Through their tactical comm, Lucas's voice crackled with static: "Guys? The lab's locked down. Something in the system... it's like it's alive."

"Stay put," Sean ordered, leader mode engaged. "Team, converge on—"

The comm died.

In the sudden silence, Sarah's medical scanner emitted a single, impossible ping.

Her eyes met Kasper's across the courtyard, genuine fear visible for the first time.

"They're here," she whispered.