#36: Intertwined Paths

Shira entered the hideout with Caio after the risky mission in the Industrial Zone. He was pale, with superficial cuts and a torn shirt, but alive. Shira, despite her fatigue, wore an expression of triumph.

“We got the data,” she announced, throwing the small storage device on the table.

Alma, who was already back after a tense infiltration in the port, looked at the device skeptically.

“Is this really worth the effort?”

“It better be,” Caio replied, sitting heavily in a chair. “My sister can’t be another pawn in their game.”

“And neither can anyone else.” Shira replied, staring at Alma. “These files have the names of all the people who are being monitored or… selected by Project Aurora.”

Alma didn’t answer, but her expression softened for a moment before hardening again.

“And Lara?” — Caio asked, his concern evident.

— Still no news. — Shira replied, pulling up a chair and sitting down with a sigh.

On the Other Side of the City

Lara helped Dante walk, supporting him as they made their way through dark, empty streets. The silence between them was broken only by Dante's occasional groans of pain.

— You're more stubborn than I remember. — she murmured, trying to lighten the mood.

— And you're still… — Dante paused to take a breath. — You're still the person who doesn't know when to give up.

— And that saved you. So, no complaints.

They found temporary shelter in an abandoned building. Lara improvised a bandage with clean pieces of cloth and water from a bottle she carried.

— Who did this to you? — she asked, as she tied the cloth around his shoulder.

— The Executioner. — Dante replied, his voice grave. — He knew I was getting too close.

Lara frowned.

— He's after all of us. But that just proves we're on the right path.

Dante smirked, even though his face was contorted in pain.

— You never give up, do you?

— Not while you're here.

The Revelation in the Data

In the hideout, Shira was connecting the device to a larger terminal. The screens began to display endless files of names, locations, and clinical observations.

— My God… — Caio murmured, reading the reports. — This is much bigger than we imagined.

— It's not just about immortality. — Shira completed, her eyes running over the screen. — They're using people as a basis for experiments. Manipulating bodies, minds… and erasing those who don't serve their purposes.

Alma narrowed her eyes.

— And those who do?

Shira took a deep breath before answering.

“They are ‘repurposed’. They lose any sense of identity or free will. They become soldiers, spies, living tools.”

Caio stood up abruptly, his face red with anger.

“That won’t happen to anyone I know.”

“And it won’t,” Alma said with determination. “Now that we have this information, we can expose it to the world.”

“And you think the world will care?” Shira replied bitterly. “They’ll hunt us down before we can spread anything.”

Lost and Found Connections

Meanwhile, Lara and Dante finally arrived at the hideout, greeted by expressions of relief and surprise.

“He’s alive!” Caio exclaimed, going to help Dante support himself.

“For now.” Dante joked, but his expression soon became serious. “We have work to do.” Lara gave a tired but satisfied smile.

“Before that, Shira has something to show you.”

They gathered around the terminal, while Shira showed the most critical files. When she clicked on a video, the air in the room grew heavy.

It was a recording of a laboratory, showing a young woman being connected to huge machines, with cables that seemed to penetrate her very skin. Her expression was pained, but there was something else: she seemed to fight against herself, as if something was invading her mind.

“That was yesterday,” Shira explained. “They’re using these people as prototypes to… to transfer consciousness.”

“Consciousness?” Lara asked, shocked.

“Yes. The rich… the powerful. They don’t just want to live forever. They want to live without limitations.”

Silence fell over the group as they absorbed what they had just seen.

A New Plan

“So, what do we do now?” Caio asked, his voice heavy.

“Let’s destroy the laboratories.” — Lara stated categorically. — One by one, until they can no longer continue.

Alma crossed her arms.

— And how do you intend to do that? With a homemade bomb?

— If that's what we have, yes. — Lara replied, looking directly at her.

Dante, despite the pain, supported Lara.

— I agree. If we just keep trying to expose this, they'll catch us first. We have to take matters into our own hands.

Shira hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded.

— I can find the weak points in each lab. But we'll need more people.

— And I know where to find them. — Alma said, with a slight smile.

Tensions were higher than ever, but the group knew there was no turning back. The fight was not just for their lives, but for the essence of humanity. And they were ready to put it all on the line.