SEVER ZERO
Vance stood up, casually buttoning his tailored jacket.
"Aegis is unlocking a new, highly volatile sector tomorrow morning at 0600 hours," Vance announced, his tone entirely cheerful again, as if he hadn't just threatened their entire livelihood. "We anticipate heavy resistance from the Scourge AI. The payout is another five million credits. I expect Squad Zero to be logged in, fully synced, and ready to deploy."
Ren looked over at Maya. She was holding her stomach, a look of quiet, familiar terror returning to her eyes—the deep, ingrained fear of the slums. The fear of the cold, the hunger, and the dark.