Salvage Station 23

Chapter 2, Part 9

~~~

As the rest of the group dispersed to prepare for the upcoming mission, Olivia, Eli, and Zoe remained behind in the makeshift war room. The weight of the impending raid hung heavily in the air.

Olivia leaned against the table, her eyes still fixed on the map. "What do you two think? Are we crazy for even attempting this?"

Eli ran a hand through his messy hair, a nervous habit he'd never quite shaken. "Crazy? Maybe. But necessary? Definitely. We're running low on just about everything, Liv. This could be our best shot at restocking."

Zoe adjusted her glasses, her brow furrowed in concentration. "The potential payoff is huge, especially if we can find the medical equipment we need. But the risks..." She trailed off, her voice tinged with anxiety.

"The Jacks," Olivia finished for her, nodding grimly. "We've never attempted something like this in their territory before."

Eli's eyes lit up with a familiar spark of inspiration. "What if we could use their weakness against them? We know they can't stand light, right?"

Olivia raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well," Eli began, his words coming faster as his excitement grew, "remember those high-powered LEDs we've been saving? We could use them in two ways. First, as portable light sources for exploring the hospital safely. Second, we could set some up as barriers at key points to keep Jacks at bay."

Zoe nodded enthusiastically, building on the idea. "We could create LED 'flashlights' for each team member. They'd be bright enough to repel any Jacks we encounter while moving through the hospital. And for the barriers, we could rig up some with timers or remote triggers."

Olivia considered this for a moment, her tactical mind working through the possibilities. "It's a solid plan. The portable lights would give us a defense while moving, and the barriers could secure our exit routes or block off dangerous areas."

"I can start working on both setups right away," Eli offered, already mentally cataloging the components he'd need.

"And I'll help," Zoe added. "Between the two of us, we should be able to put together enough units for everyone, plus the barriers, before we leave."

Olivia nodded, feeling a surge of pride in her friends' ingenuity. "Alright, do it. This could be the edge we need to pull this off safely."

As Eli and Zoe turned to leave, buzzing with ideas, Olivia called out, "Hey." They paused, looking back at her. "Be careful, okay? This whole thing... I've got a feeling it's going to change everything."

Eli grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "Change is good, right? Keeps life interesting."

Zoe managed a small smile, though her eyes betrayed her nervousness. "We've got this, Liv. We've been through worse."

As they left, Olivia turned back to the map, tracing the route to St. Mercy Hospital with her finger. "I hope you're right," she murmured to herself. "I really hope you're right."

~~~