Page 22 of Cyborg's Tether

“Report,” said Xavier as he approached.

Dr. Vex turned, relief evident on her face. “Xavier, thank goodness. We’ve managed to repel most of the attackers, but they’ve done significant damage to our systems, and...”

She hesitated, and he had a strange sensation. Almost like a chill ran through his circuits. “And what?”

“They’ve breached the quantum core. If we don’t stabilize it soon, the entire facility could be at risk.”

He cursed softly. The quantum core was the heart of their research, and the key to unlocking the full potential of cyborg enhancement. If it was compromised...

“I’ll handle it,” he said, already moving toward the exit.

Dr. Vex grabbed his arm. “Xavier, wait. The radiation levels in there are off the charts. Even with your enhancements, prolonged exposure could be fatal.”

He paused, considering her words. The logical part of his brain agreed with her assessment, but something else, something more...human, urged him forward. “We have no choice. I’m the only one who stands a chance.”

As he turned to leave, she called out. “Xavier, Amaya’s been asking about you. She’s worried.”

He froze, hand on the door. Amaya. He wanted nothing more than to go to her, to make sure she was safe, but duty called.

“Tell her...” he started, then stopped. What could he say? That he cared for her? In the end, he simply nodded. “Tell her I’ll be back.”

With that, he strode out of the command center. As he made his way to the quantum core, the conflict within him intensified. His instincts urged him to focus solely on the mission, to shut out all distractions, but his humanity and growing emotions kept him moving.

The corridors leading to the core were eerily quiet, the usual hum of machinery replaced by an ominous silence. As he approached the sealed doors, his sensors detected the dangerouslevels of radiation beyond. He input his override code, and the doors slid open with a hiss. Immediately, warnings flashed across his vision, his cybernetic systems alerting him to the danger. Ignoring them, he stepped inside.

The quantum core pulsed with unstable energy, its usual green glow now a sickly yellow. Sparks flew from damaged consoles, and the air crackled with uncontrolled power. He moved quickly to the main control panel to initiate emergency protocols, but something was wrong. The core wasn’t responding as it should.

“Come on,” he muttered, trying another sequence.

As he worked, he was aware the radiation began to affect him. His synthetic skin tingled unpleasantly, and error messages flashed across his vision. He pushed them aside, focusing on the task at hand.

Minutes ticked by, each one bringing him closer to potential system failure. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he fought against the core’s unstable energy.

Just when he thought all was lost, a familiar voice crackled over his comm link. “Xavier. It’s Amaya. I’ve bypassed the security protocols. I can see what you’re doing.”

Despite the danger, he had a surge of relief at hearing her voice. “Amaya, you should be evacuating, not talking to me. It’s not safe.”

“You shouldn’t be there either.” Her voice broke, but she sounded calmer when she said, “I’m not near the radiation like you are, and I can help. The core’s quantum matrix is out of alignment. You need to recalibrate the harmonic resonance.”

Xavier’s fingers paused over the controls. “That isn’t in any of the emergency protocols.”

“Trust me,” said Amaya with determination. “I’ve been studying the core’s design. This will work.”

For a moment, he hesitated. His training told him to stick to established procedures, but something more instinctive urged him to trust Amaya. “All right,” he said. “Guide me through it.”

Together, they worked to stabilize the core. Her voice in his ear was a lifeline, keeping him focused as the radiation continued to wear down his systems. With each passing second, his strength was ebbing, but he refused to give up.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, the core’s pulsing slowed. The sickly yellow glow faded, replaced by its usual calming green.

“You did it.” She sounded relieved.

He allowed himself a small smile. “We did it,” he corrected. As the immediate danger passed, he was acutely aware of his condition. Warning signals flashed urgently across his vision, indicating severe system strain.

“Xavier?” Her voice was laced with concern. “Your vitals are dropping. You need to get out of there now.”

He tried to move toward the exit, but his legs wouldn’t cooperate. The room spun around him as his systems began to shut down.

“I... I can’t...” he managed to say before collapsing to the floor.