When the sky cries of sorrow

Chapter 8

A week had passed since Clara and Teo's induction into the West Nexus Lab squad, yet the novelty of their presence lingered in the air like an unspoken question. As the days passed and the repercussions of Uriel's attack rippled through the West Nexus Lab, the tension within the organization reached a fever pitch. Dr. Momiya's grim briefing had laid bare the harsh reality of their situation: out of 290 children injected with the experimental virus, only five remained. It was a bitter pill to swallow, a stark reminder of the high cost of their ambitions.

The board, in their infinite wisdom, was quick to express their dissatisfaction with the outcome. Five successfully injected children out of hundreds was deemed insufficient to rebuild the shattered remains of the North and South Nexus Labs. Their plans for expansion and consolidation had been dealt a severe blow, and they were not pleased.

But perhaps the most chilling aspect of the board's response was their suggestion regarding Uriel. In their eyes, he had become a liability, a loose end that needed to be tied up. His knowledge of their operations and the events leading up to his betrayal posed a significant threat to their plans. And in their eyes, the only solution was to eliminate him.

The three overseers, Clay, Ju Ran, and Momiya, listened in stunned silence as the board discussed Uriel's fate. He had once been a trusted ally in their shared journey through the trials and tribulations of their youth. The thought of turning against him now, of erasing him from existence like a line of code in a malfunctioning program, filled Clay with a sense of profound unease.

Clay, ever the voice of reason, spoke up in Uriel's defense, his words carrying the weight of his own conflicted emotions. "Uriel may have strayed from the path, but he was once one of us," he argued, his voice tinged with regret. "We owe it to him to at least hear his side of the story before passing judgment."

But the board was unmoved by his pleas, their minds already made up. In their eyes, Uriel was a liability, a threat that needed to be neutralized before he could do any more damage. And as the overseers grappled with the weight of their decision, a sense of inevitability settled over them like a shroud.

In the end, it was a question of loyalty, of where their allegiances truly lay. For Clay, the choice was clear: he would stand by his friend and hear his side before making any decisions.

Meanwhile, in the middle of the night,  Akai found himself drawn to the dimly lit corridors of the Overseers' office, his footsteps echoing against the polished floors as he navigated the labyrinth of bureaucracy in search of answers. Files and documents littered the desks, each one a puzzle piece in the larger enigma surrounding Althea's mysterious abilities. Just as he reached for another file, the heavy oak door creaked open, and in stepped Clay and Ju Ran, their voices hushed as they entered the room. Akai's heart leaped into his throat as he scrambled to hide, darting under the nearest desk and holding his breath.

From his concealed vantage point, Akai strained to listen to their conversation, his pulse pounding in his ears.

"That's insane," Clay's voice was tense, his usually calm demeanor tinged with urgency.

Ju Ran nodded, her expression grave. "I know, Clay. The board's decision was... unexpected."

Akai's curiosity piqued. What decision had the board made, and why was it unexpected?

Clay sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "Unexpected? Since when do we go after our own?"

Ju Ran's brow furrowed in concern. "And Uriel's betrayal certainly didn't help matters. Why the hell did he join the rebels?"

Akai's breath caught in his throat. Uriel, a former ally, was now seen as a threat by the very organization he once served. The revelation sent a chill down his spine, the implications of Uriel's actions echoing through the dimly lit corridors of the Overseers' office.