The woman with the silver braids—Zeyna, they later learned—escorted them into the central hut of the camp. Inside, everything smelled like rust and secrecy. A holographic table flickered in the center, surrounded by crates of stolen tech and crates marked PROPERTY OF THE CONSORTIUM.
Aria placed the chip on the table. "It contains lab records. Human experiments. Subject logs. Proof that the CryoDivision went too far."
Zeyna didn't reach for it immediately. "And you expect what in return?"
"Food. Supplies. Safe passage through the borderlands."
Kael shifted beside her, subtly positioning himself between Aria and the guards at the door.
Rhea, sitting in the corner, touched a discarded gear with curiosity, her fingers lingering over it. "This place... it feels old, but alive."
Zeyna's eyes flicked to her. "And who's the quiet one?"
Aria didn't flinch. "She's with me."
"She one of them?"
"She's human. Or close enough," Kael cut in. "And she saved our lives."
That earned a dry chuckle. "Well, aren't you three a cozy little revolution."
Zeyna finally picked up the chip, slotting it into a terminal. Her brow furrowed as data scrolled across the screen. For a moment, all the swagger drained from her.
"This is real," she whispered. "They were harvesting people. Breeding mutations. Replacing organs like spare parts..."
The air grew heavier.
Zeyna looked up. "You didn't just bring information—you brought war. If this leaks, the upper sectors will burn."
Aria nodded. "Then let it burn."