He stood like a shadow behind Lia, a marble statue under the scorching copper sunlight. Tears streamed down his cheeks like an unstoppable torrent, his eyes widening as they reflected the horrifying scene—a vision stabbing at his heart like the cruelest nightmare. A deep confusion paralyzed him, while guilt gnawed at him like a hungry beast, slowly devouring the last remnants of his peace.
Before him, Lia trembled like a leaf caught in a whirlwind. Her shaking hands barely held the vaporizer pistol, and her eyes were fixed on Cloe's shredded body. She bit her lip until blood ran, then her voice erupted, loaded with unbearable inner conflict:
"Damn it! What am I doing? What's the difference between me and trash if I let her die? Would Kyle be proud if he knew I abandoned her?"
A storm of emotions swept over her before she made her decision. With trembling yet determined fingers, she pulled an emergency syringe from her advanced medical bag, filled with glowing blue fluid—the Bio-Plasma. She plunged it into Cloe's main neck vein, then fitted an advanced oxygen mask over her mouth and nose, followed by a portable respirator that immediately began pumping air enriched with ether particles.
Not stopping there, she quickly sprayed a smart hemostatic foam over the gruesome abdominal wound. The living foam expanded instantly, filling the gaping wound, forming a protective barrier that stopped the bleeding and activated natural clotting factors. Then, Lia attempted to lift Cloe's frail body toward the motorcycle.
Suddenly, a hoarse voice pierced the silence, as if from a lurking ghost behind her:
"Is… is she still alive? Can you really save her?"
Lia spun in fright, her face tense with terror and shock, to find 09 standing there. His expression mirrored sheer disbelief, his eyes fixed on the wound, barely able to process what he saw.
Lia shouted, startled:
"Where did you come from? Have you been here all along?"
He answered quickly, his voice tinged with pleading:
"Can I help? I'm here now."
Lia muttered, her voice choked between shock and duty:
"We need to get her to the advanced surgical unit at the camp immediately. If a powerful energy healer is available, she might survive… otherwise, I'll have to operate here, under the open sky, while she's on the brink of death."
Before either could act further, a dense cold mist enveloped them, and ice began forming around them like a protective barrier. In an instant, Lia and Chloe vanished into a swirl of glowing ice crystals.
She suddenly found herself inside the advanced surgical unit at the camp. The room was bathed in holographic lights displaying complex vital data, robotic surgical machines lined up ready for orders. 09 carried Cloe carefully in his strong arms, his voice trembling with urgency:
"Where should I put her? Which department?"
Lia led him quickly to the main operating theater. Blue and green lights reflected on the white walls, creating a suffocating atmosphere of urgent danger. Medical robots moved automatically, surrounding the surgical table in preparation.
Pale-faced, Lia said:
"Her chance of survival is no more than five percent… Bring a healer immediately before her heart stops."
09 raised his eyebrows, forcing a weak smile to mask his despair:
"Don't worry… I'll bring him in a flash."
Lia had donned her smart surgical gloves and commanded the robotic team:
"Prepare the advanced CPR unit!"
09 dashed from the unit like the wind, ice forming beneath his feet and leaving a frosty trail. He contacted Brian, his voice hoarse and urgent like never before:
"Cloe is dying! Where is the healer? Now!"
Brian replied, confused: "What happened? I thought the battle ended well! How—"
09 cut him off harshly: "There's no time to explain. Where's the healer? Answer me!"
Brian responded quickly: "The available healer is exhausted, impossible to help now. But… we sent Healer Ron to Larimera a few hours ago. He's a super healer. I'll contact command to authorize you to take him."
09 said with cold confidence: "I'm heading there immediately. Activate the teleport gate at once."
Brian warned him: "If anything happens to him, you're fully responsible. Ron is very valuable."
09 tightened his jaw: "Nothing will happen to him. I'll speak with Moathan personally to confirm approval. Her life is more important than anything."
09 closed his eyes for a moment, letting his icy energy wrap around him like armor. The ground beneath him shimmered as he moved through the city near the teleport gate at the speed of light.
"Have you not activated the gate yet?" he asked the guards sharply.
One answered: "We have no instructions for that, sir."
The guard's phone rang immediately. After a brief, tense conversation, he apologized and triggered the gate at full speed, arcs of electricity surging around it.
09 rushed through the gate and appeared in Larimera. He sprinted toward the military center like lightning, leaving a trail of frost behind, ignoring astonished onlookers and shouting voices in the corridors.
Inside the operating room, Lia worked as if she could hold time in her hands. She connected the artificial veins with extreme precision, while surrounding monitors displayed weak but steady vital signs. Beads of sweat fell on her forehead as she whispered without looking away from the screens:
"Hurry, 09… Time is running out. Her pulse is dropping."
The robotic team helped attach life-support devices: micro plasma pumps, defibrillator ready, and instantaneous blood gas analyzers. Each passing minute felt like an hour, each intermittent beep a stabbing pain.
…
09 arrived at Larimera's command center like a wild snowstorm. He barreled through guards, knocking them aside unintentionally, and astonishment erupted on their faces. He stormed into the task distribution office; staff behind advanced computers and holographic screens showing live city-wide data froze, their breaths caught in shock.
"What's going on, 09? Why are you here?" asked one employee, voice trembling.
09 growled: "Where's Ron? Where is he now?"
"Who do you mean? Why are you looking for him?" another asked, trying to understand the chaos.
"The healer who arrived here hours ago from Zernoth!" 09 replied, eyes full of desperation.
The employee hesitated:
"I don't know… He hasn't started work yet. He requested a day off to settle his residence and explore the city."
09's eyes flared with anger: "Cloe is dying! Call him immediately!"
A disciplined employee intervened: "Do you have official authorization? This is unusual—"
Another cut in: "A request from Brian arrived moments ago. We'll proceed, responsibility shared."
They began communications. Ron was not at home. Attempts to contact him failed repeatedly. 09 slammed the desk:
"Where is this bastard? How dare he ignore his phone? Give me his photo… I'll scour the whole city if I have to!"
Ron's picture appeared on the main screen. 09 bent down and touched the floor with his hands, gathering his ice power to extend a search network, but two strong hands grabbed his shoulders. It was Vasco—Deputy Commander Dani, only nineteen, with a massive build, tattoos covering his face, and a bald head radiating intimidation.
Vasco said sternly: "What are you trying to do, 09? Freeze the entire city to find him? Have you lost your mind?"
09 growled, wrenching his shoulders free: "Step aside… or do you want to see my other side?"
Vasco tightened his grip. 09 twisted and pulled, readying a strike. At the last moment, Moathan appeared like lightning, grabbing 09's hand before it reached Vasco's face.
"What are you doing here? What's happening?" Moathan asked calmly but firmly, surprise and shock on his face.
09 suddenly burst into tears, clinging to Moathan like a drowning man:
"She… is dying…"
Moathan pushed him slightly away, staring into his eyes: "Who?"
"Cloe… she's barely alive… we need a healer now."
Moathan exhaled: "I reviewed the reports—it was all fine. How did she get hurt?… Never mind—what are you waiting for? Take the healer and go! No time to waste."
09 responded bitterly: "No one knows where he is! I want to extend my ice network to find him."
Moathan shook his head: "You know that's unreasonable. Send all recruits to search. Activate surveillance cameras. Call those with tracking abilities. I want him found within minutes!"
The place shivered under his orders. Teams launched into action. Moathan himself patrolled the streets, contacting Dani simultaneously.
– Dani: "What's happening, Commander?"
– Moathan, running: "Stop the plan. Conditions are unfavorable now."
– Dani, amused: "Why? I'm enjoying watching the soldiers' performance—they're fiercer than I expected."
– Moathan: "Chloe is on the brink of death."
– Dani, shocked: "How? I'm sure she wasn't injured during the crowd attack!"
Moathan's bracelet beeped urgently: Ron was three kilometers away. He cut the call and dashed like a spark, appearing in front of Ron, grabbing him by the collar.
"Where's your watch, you bastard? Why aren't you answering your phone?" Moathan yelled.
Ron panicked: "What's happening? Who are you?"
Moathan threw him to the ground, introducing himself coldly: "I'm the Commander-in-Chief. You have an urgent mission to return to Zernoth immediately." Then he opened a comm link:
"09… he's here. Hurry!"
09 appeared within seconds, carrying Ron as if he were a light bag.
He waved at Moathan:"Goodbye, Commander! You'll receive good news soon!"
Moathan's face remained serious:"You know what will happen if this brat gets even a scratch!"
09 gave a quick salute as he moved away:
"Nothing will happen to him."
He shot toward the gate. Space shimmered like molten glass as he passed through, arriving back in Zernoth in an instant. The two stood before the operating room doors; 09's heart pounded like a war drum, questions stabbing him like icy needles: Is she still alive? Did I arrive too late? What happened there?