Lauriver Chronicles

Chapter 125

"Okay Curtis this next stop is for you." Oliver said as he led them to a glass-paneled door framed with reinforced steel.

"For me?" Curtis asked as Oliver gestured for him to place his hand on the pad next to the door, which he did, causing it to turn green and the door slid open to reveal the most amazing workshop any of them had ever seen.

"Talk about an upgrade." Curtis said as his eyes practically bugged out at the sight of his new lab.

The workshop was compact but brilliantly organized. Workbenches lined the walls, each covered with neatly arranged tools: soldering irons, circuit testers, micro‑welders, bins of components, and half‑assembled gadgets. A small 3D printer hummed quietly in standby, and a fabrication bench held reinforced casings and gear parts waiting to be finished.

Rene stepped inside and let out a low whistle. "Way nicer than the Barracks lab."

Curtis nodded vigorously. "The Barracks lab was fine, but it was basically a converted storage room with a power strip and a dream."

Roy smirked. "And a fire hazard."

Curtis pointed at him. "Exactly. Thank you."

Oliver shrugged. "You kept our gear running in that space. You deserve something better."

Laurel smiled. "This feels like a real workshop."

Curtis spun slowly, taking it all in. "This is organized. Efficient. And—oh my gosh, is that a dedicated diagnostics station?"

Oliver nodded. "You're not cleared for the field yet, but you're still part of the team. This room makes sure you can do what you do best."

John gave an approving nod. "This is going to help all of us."

Oliver gestured toward the next hallway.

"Come on. There's more to see. You can come back and play with your new toys later. But this place and the mission control hub are your domains." Oliver said and Curtis nodded, thinking of ways he could use this lab to repay Oliver for what had to be the best Christmas present ever.

"This must be our new med bay." Laurel said when the next room Oliver led them to.

"Yeah, though I still need to find a doctor to operate it with Abby gone." Oliver said as they all took a quick look around.

"Looks like the same layout as the Barracks med bay, just upgraded." John said.

"That's because that's exactly what this is." Oliver said.

And that was exactly it. The Barracks med bay had been well‑designed, fully stocked, and built with care. This one simply had more room to breathe — and better tech to work with.

Two reinforced medical beds sat beneath overhead exam lights. A diagnostics station hummed quietly in the corner. Cabinets were neatly labeled and fully stocked. A sterilization chamber gleamed against the far wall, and a compact refrigeration unit held emergency supplies.

Rene let out a low whistle. "Feels like the Barracks med bay got a promotion."

Curtis nodded. "Same structure, better equipment. This is what happens when you're not working out of a repurposed military bunker."

Roy smirked. "And when Cisco and Luke get to go wild with a budget."

Laurel brushed her fingers along a tray of instruments. "It feels... steadier. Like we're not improvising anymore."

Oliver nodded. "The Barracks worked because we planned it well. This works because we had the chance to improve on it."

Emiko tested one of the exam lights. "Feels like a real clinic."