That night, Kael stood watch as Aria poured over the decrypted files. More horrors surfaced—mutations, unauthorized augmentations, psychological manipulation of cryo-subjects.
ICEGARDEN had been a proving ground. For soldiers. For survivors. For monsters.
"Look at this." Aria pointed to a sequence labeled Nightshade Protocol—a plan to awaken altered humans and scatter them across the world in a controlled release. "They weren't just storing people. They were planting weapons."
Kael leaned over her. "And we're walking on one of their testing sites."
Footsteps echoed outside. A flicker of movement by the ruins.
Kael spun, weapon ready.
But it wasn't hostile. It was a girl—no older than fifteen, eyes glowing faint blue. She raised her hands. "I'm one of them," she said calmly. "And I didn't come to hurt you. I came to warn you."
Aria stepped forward, breath caught in her throat. "Warn us about what?"
"The ones they released," the girl said. "They're waking up. And not all of them want peace."