INT. THE CUBE – MIDNIGHT
86Please respect copyright.PENANAxdUeC9fZMb
The Cube is wrapped in silence, lit only by the pale blue of the ambient wall lights and the occasional flicker from the holo-clock. It’s well past midnight.
86Please respect copyright.PENANAEKoXeYQnzO
Jason lies on the bed, eyes open. His face is blank, but it’s the kind of blank that hides too many tabs running at once. A lays peacefully beside him, curled up with his wings gently twitching in dream-state. K hangs upside down from the ceiling beam, one eye dimmed, the other flickering faintly—he might be dreaming too, or just pretending to sleep.
86Please respect copyright.PENANASQCqciSp3S
Jason shifts, sits up slowly, rubbing his eyes with a hand. He doesn’t feel tired, just heavier. Like sleep couldn’t hold onto him tonight.
86Please respect copyright.PENANAoU6q9Pv1xA
He quietly reaches to his nightstand and picks up his Texter. The screen glows in the dark, illuminating the side of his tired face. He hasn’t checked it in three days.
86Please respect copyright.PENANApN3teMytxK
New Messages.
[System Broadcast] – 6:24 PM
86Please respect copyright.PENANAwW2Q3DPbaD
> CORE successfully extracted and neutralized. Currently stored in Bio-Containment Tank 03, Temp HQ. All Security personnel: access restricted, contact Vult for further details.
86Please respect copyright.PENANAnyE26IaU9C
86Please respect copyright.PENANAJTKhRUpTza
86Please respect copyright.PENANAnsr2h70lFT
Jason stares at it. His eyes narrow just a little, like his brain is squinting inside his head.
86Please respect copyright.PENANAgiV1ycC8xx
He scrolls.
86Please respect copyright.PENANAH3rlReE5dV
[Message from Vult] – Yesterday
86Please respect copyright.PENANAGYLAilRMLs
> Report when you’re back. Bring no one else. Top clearance only.
86Please respect copyright.PENANAW95rkspLQj
86Please respect copyright.PENANAOI6v6OYs2U
86Please respect copyright.PENANAMWhVxBkUqH
He taps the message, marks it as read, then lets the Texter drop onto the bed with a soft thud.
86Please respect copyright.PENANAEuVi1Fupla
Jason gets up and walks to the kitchen, steps quiet. The light from the fridge blinds him slightly as he opens it—not because it’s bright, but because everything else is too dark. He pulls out a bottle of maintenance fluid, twists the cap, and leans against the counter as he drinks.
86Please respect copyright.PENANAPbeJEZNXED
His gaze drifts toward the main window. Outside, the city is quiet. The artificial clouds glow faint orange from the late-hour lamp grids, and the shape of the HQ tower looms in the distance like a ghostly monument.
86Please respect copyright.PENANAuaqcxKlhbd
Jason sighs. The air hisses softly through his nose vents.
86Please respect copyright.PENANA8TNYMKVUxC
JASON (soft, to himself)
“Bio-liquid tank, huh? That’s how we deal with it? Just… jar it up like some floating brain? Great plan. What could possibly go wrong…”
86Please respect copyright.PENANA8RfKn06TEg
He taps his fingers on the counter. In this still hour, his sarcasm doesn’t even feel satisfying—it just echoes back, empty.
86Please respect copyright.PENANAHBp24HKnuA
He turns his head slightly. A is still sleeping, tail loosely curled around a pillow. K hasn’t moved at all.
86Please respect copyright.PENANAzEhO1hNXd8
Jason leans his head back against the cabinet behind him. His optics dim as he closes his eyes.
86Please respect copyright.PENANASTVHU3UJgN
His voice is a whisper now—half-sincere, half-tired.
86Please respect copyright.PENANAyIK8i9PXHR
JASON
“Why does it never end…?”
86Please respect copyright.PENANAG2VYyVQVjW
The cube hums softly, alive with silence. The clock ticks on.
ns216.73.216.210da2