Across the city, in a dimly lit office filled with surgical schematics and data monitors, Cassius leaned over a terminal. On the screen: a familiar set of bloodwork results, now overlaid with new comparisons.
"Sophia," he said without turning.
She stepped forward, arms folded. "Kendrick's healing rate increased again. Same with muscle density."
"And still no sign of cellular decay. That's not Helix as we knew it."
"Could be Brent's variation. A new serum base. Something stable."
Cassius stared at the charts. "Or someone else's work. Someone who perfected what we abandoned."
Sophia hesitated. "Elias?"
Cassius exhaled slowly. "If he's alive... he's not hiding anymore. He's drawing us in. And Kendrick's the bait."
Sophia crossed her arms. "So what now? Do we tell Kendrick?"
Cassius leaned back, eyes dark. "No. We watch. And we wait. If Elias wants us to come to him... we'll let him think it's working."
---
