Jerrick's hand shot out.
He snatched the key effortlessly out of the air.
Serena arched an eyebrow, that same lazy, mocking smirk clinging to her crimson lips. "The rest is on you, Captain. That little box is holding $130 billion inside. I'd appreciate it if you kept your eyes glued to it and saved me any extra headaches."
The underlying message couldn't have been clearer.
The medical side of the job was done.
Now, it was up to him to guard the perimeter, keep the scavengers at bay, and absolutely not bother her unless the sky was falling.
Jerrick stared blankly at the key in his palm, his voice devoid of inflection. "Keep its vitals stable. I'll handle the rest."
The smirk deepened on Serena's face. "Perfect."
Pivoting on her heels, she gave a dismissive wave over her shoulder. "I have a very demanding Patron to go appease. I expect complete silence on your end, Captain."
She dragged out the word 'Patron' with agonizingly deliberate sensuality.
Jerrick stood dead still.
For a reason he couldn't entirely explain, hearing her talk about her 'Patron' rubbed him raw.
It felt like his own prized possession had been snatched by an unworthy thief.
He let out a freezing scoff but bit his tongue.
Standing between them, Director Kaelen felt like he was trapped in the eye of a lethal hurricane.
He had heard whispers from the head of The Med-Tech Quarantine that The Panacea and Fenris were constantly at each other's throats.
Seeing it firsthand... the rumors were clearly an understatement.
Even a basic handover of a digital key felt like a brutal knife fight.
Kaelen was genuinely terrified that if they exchanged three more words, a full-blown firefight would break out right over the pod.
No wonder the Commodore had paired them up.
One ran medical, one ran combat.
They covered opposite ends of the operation and clearly despised each other enough to keep a constant, paranoid watch on the other's moves.
It was infinitely safer than trusting a unified team with the survival of Specimen Fourteen.
Pushing those fears aside, Kaelen jumped in with a diplomatic smile. "With Ms. Panacea and Captain Fenris at the helm, ham entirely confident the upcoming transport will be flawless."
Serena offered another careless wave, striding away without a second glance.
The sharp, rhythmic clack of her heels echoed loudly down the corridor.
Her black gown flowed gracefully around her ankles with every confident stride.
Fenris remained rooted to the spot, watching the sleek, dark figure shrink into the distance.
Without warning, his mind flashed back to the way she had ruthlessly dismantled Obsidian Sun's operatives, followed by her sheer dominance at the auction tonight. That lazy, terrifyingly relaxed demeanor.
The careless smirk on her lips as she watched her prey walk willingly into a slaughterhouse.
He couldn't shake the feeling...
That he was missing a crucial piece of the puzzle.
The revelation was hovering right at the edge of his consciousness, hidden just behind a veil of fog.
Just as the pieces were about to click into place.
"Captain," one of his mercenaries abruptly spoke up.
Jerrick snapped out of his trance.
The mercenary followed his gaze down the empty hall, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "It's rare to see you stare at a woman like that. Is there... a problem with her?"
Jerrick's eyes shifted. The fleeting thought evaporated entirely, shattered by the interruption.
Averting his gaze, he gave a faint shake of his head. "It's nothing."
Slipping The Sanctum Terminal Key securely into his tactical vest, he shifted gears completely. "Prep transport. Double-check all perimeter routes and
get ready
escort Specimen Fourteen into The Quarantine Tier."
"Sir!" The mercenary instantly dropped the gossip and rallied the squad.
But just as they moved out, another of Jerrick's men rushed down the
corridor. "Captain, regarding The Cloaked Figure who tried to bail mid-auction we've it a major red flag."