Children of the Virus

30: Decoys and Drones

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a deep crimson hue on the motel's cracked and faded facade. As the day transitioned into night, Baz clenched the far-field jamming token in his hand. "This little device is the only thing keeping us hidden from Zo's prying eyes," he said, his voice tense with the gravity of their situation.

"Let me double-check the one outside," Baz added, slipping through the door and into the dwindling light.

Toshiro paced the cramped room, his prosthetic arm whirring faintly as he wrung his hands together. He glanced over at Ren, her unconscious form sprawled out on the bed, her once vibrant features now pale and lifeless. Despite Zo's healing technology, they had been unable to rouse her from her deep sleep.

Baz returned, his face set in grim determination. "All jamming devices are still working," he confirmed, his gaze flicking to Ren for a moment before he forced his attention back to Toshiro. "We need to stay focused on saving Alex."

"How's Ren?" Toshiro asked, his voice thick with worry as he fixed his eyes on his friend.

"Despite her stable vital signs, I'm unable to find the root cause of her unconsciousness," Baz admitted, his brow furrowed in frustration.

"Try the body scan again," Toshiro implored, desperation lacing his words.

"Pointless," Baz snapped, shaking his head. "We've already tried that multiple times."

"Please, Baz," Toshiro pleaded, his chest tightening with anxiety. He couldn't just stand by and do nothing while Ren remained trapped in her silent slumber.

Baz sighed, his shoulders sagging. "Fine," he relented. "One more time. But then we focus on finding Alex."

"Thank you," Toshiro whispered, his heart aching with the weight of his worry for Ren's well-being.

Baz sat down and initiated the scan once more. His fingers flew across the holographic screen, his brow furrowed in concentration as he analyzed the new data streaming in from Ren's system. Toshiro watched with bated breath, a knot of apprehension tightening in his chest. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong—something they had missed.

"Got it," Baz muttered suddenly, his voice low and tense. "I'm detecting spyware implanted in her Digital Nervous System. Someone or something must have penetrated her DNS with no one noticing!"

"Spyware?" Toshiro repeated, shock coursing through him. "Not another virus! How dangerous is it?"

"Hard to say," Baz admitted, the lines of worry etching deeper into his face as the scan continued, "but if this thing's been hiding in her system, it's possible Ren has been unknowingly disclosing our whereabouts to Zo this whole time."

Toshiro's heart dropped like a stone at the thought. The irony stung: in their quest to save Alex, Ren had planted a software tracker on their target, yet she herself was now the victim of an insidious threat that could jeopardize them all.

"Can you remove it?" he asked, desperation edging his voice.

"I'll try," Baz answered grimly, his fingers moving faster now on the holographic interface.

As Baz worked, Toshiro turned back to Ren, her unconscious form so still and fragile against the stark white motel room sheets. "I'm sorry I let this happen to you, my dear drone teaser," he whispered into her ear. He could only hope that somehow, she could hear him and understand just how deeply he cared for her.

With every passing moment, Toshiro's resolve hardened. He would not let Ren's sacrifice be in vain. They would find a way to remove the spyware, save Alex, and bring an end to Zo's tyranny once and for all. For Ren, he would stop at nothing less than victory.