Veil of the forsaken.

"Project Halcyon."

Lady's voice hung softly in the air, brushing against the quiet rooftop. "Do you think Matthew is looking at the same sky right now?"

Arlos tilted his head, considering her words. "I don't know!" He quacked, "maybe. Or maybe he's somewhere the stars are hidden. But I bet, deep down, he's carrying a piece of this sky with him, just like you're carrying a piece of him."

Lady hugged her knees, gazing up at the vast expanse. "I hope he's safe. I hope... they're all safe."

Arlos shifted closer, resting his chin on his knees. "He's strong, Lady. Strong enough to come back to you. Just like the stars—no matter how many clouds cover them, they're still there, waiting for the chance to shine."

Lady sighed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I wish I believed that."

Far away, beneath a different stretch of sky, Matthew crouched low on the cracked floor of an abandoned high-rise in the ruins of New York. The air was thick with the stench of decay, mingling with the acrid bite of burnt metal. Outside the shattered windows, the city stretched like a ghost of its former self, its skeletons of steel and concrete jutting against the night.

He motioned silently to the group behind him—Mai-Lee, her face cold and sharp as a blade; Dorothea, her eyes scanning the shadows; Art, steady and grim; and Father Gonzales, whose warm presence felt out of place in the lifeless ruin. A small team of soldiers followed, their steps careful against the rubble-strewn floor.

Matthew's hand brushed against a piece of crumpled paper stuck beneath a fallen filing cabinet. The faded logo of an old lab caught his attention. V.L.T.R. He pressed his fingers against it, grimacing as he read the faint words: Project Halcyon.

Mai-Lee moved beside him, her voice a low murmur. "Is this the place?"

Matthew nodded, his rough fingers tracing the paper. "Yeah. This was one of their old labs. If the intel's right, we'll find answers here. Maybe even tech we can salvage."

Dorothea leaned against the wall, her weapon resting on her shoulder. "It's too quiet," she muttered, her sharp eyes flicking to the shadowed corners of the room. "V.L.T.R. doesn't leave their labs unguarded. If they're not here, they're close."

Father Gonzales stepped forward, his boots crunching softly against the debris. "We should proceed with caution," he said, his voice calm but firm. "There is always darkness where men have tampered with the natural order."

Art let out a quiet breath, his gaze lingering on the priest. "That darkness might already be watching us."

Before anyone could respond, a faint sound echoed from the lower levels—a rhythmic clatter of boots against metal.

Matthew froze, his hand gripping the rifle at his side. "They're here," he whispered.

Mai-Lee's eyes narrowed, and she pulled her knife from its sheath. "We're sitting ducks in here. What's the call?"

Matthew glanced around the group, his mind racing. The building was a maze, and if V.L.T.R. units were moving in, they'd be boxed in quickly. "We split into two teams. Mai-Lee, Art, and Gonzales, you head for the upper levels and look for a fallback point. Dorothea, you're with me. We'll hold the ground floor and buy you time."

Father Gonzales stepped forward, placing a hand on Matthew's shoulder. "Be careful, my son."

Matthew gave him a small nod, his jaw tightening. "You too."

The group moved swiftly, each step careful but urgent. Matthew and Dorothea reached the ground floor just as the faint clatter grew louder. The dim glow of flashlights swept across the broken walls, and Matthew's heart sank.

A voice echoed through the halls, cold and mechanical. "You are trespassing on V.L.T.R. property. Surrender immediately, or face termination."

Dorothea smirked, her grip tightening on her weapon. "Sounds like they're not here to negotiate."

Matthew glanced at her, his lips pulling into a grim line. "Good. I'm not either."

The first wave hit fast—masked soldiers in sleek, black combat suits, their weapons gleaming in the dim light. Matthew and Dorothea fired back, the sharp crack of gunfire ringing through the building. The air filled with smoke and sparks as the two sides clashed.

"Cover me!" Matthew shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.

Dorothea shifted, firing a burst of rounds to push the advancing soldiers back. Matthew darted behind a fallen column, his rifle steady as he picked off two of the V.L.T.R. units.

Upstairs, Mai-Lee led her team through the crumbling hallways, her knife slicing through the air as they encountered resistance. Art moved beside her, his movements deliberate and precise, while Father Gonzales stayed close, his presence an odd beacon of calm amidst the storm.

"They're trying to box us in!" Mai-Lee hissed, her blade slicing through the neck of an enemy.

Art nodded, his expression grim. "Then we push through. If we stay here, we're dead."

Father Gonzales paused, his eyes narrowing as he spotted a small, glowing console embedded in the wall. "Here," he said, motioning for Mai-Lee and Art to cover him. "This might hold the answers we came for."

Down below, Matthew and Dorothea were pinned behind a barricade, their ammo running low.

"Any bright ideas?" Dorothea called out, her tone biting but laced with urgency.

Matthew's gaze swept the room, landing on a crumbling support beam. "Yeah. Bring the ceiling down."

Dorothea grinned, the fire in her eyes matching the chaos around them. "Now you're talking."

As the two prepared to execute their plan, Matthew's thoughts flickered to Lady. To her steady hands in the medbay, her quiet strength, and the way she carried the weight of others' pain without complaint. He couldn't let her down— never.

"Hold on, Lady," he muttered under his breath as he set the charges. "We'll come back."

The explosion rocked the building, sending dust and debris raining down as the ceiling collapsed, cutting off the advancing V.L.T.R. units.

In the chaos, Matthew and Dorothea retreated, their breaths ragged but determined. Upstairs, Mai-Lee, Art, and Gonzales secured the console, their mission far from over but a small victory in their grasp.

As the group fought to escape the ruins, the stars outside remained obscured, their light hidden behind layers of smoke and shadow. But somewhere, miles away, Lady sat beneath that same sky, her heart heavy with hope.

End of part.