Orion

Sofia realizes that the situation at hand can turn for worse at any any moment so she tells everyone to come with her to Orion's headquarters, "we move to Orion's headquarters in exactly thirty minutes. Everyone, make the necessary preparations."

Vesalius keeps a ready supply of medical equipment throughout the hospital for situations like these.

One such supply was also placed into the very room they were in, so Vesalius walks to the edge of the room and pulls out a bag.

The bag contained various medical instruments, a first aid kit, and a lot of medicine.

After getting it, Vesalius says to Sofia that he is ready.

Hiro performs some stretches to warm up.

Lucas and his group check up on the ammunition that all of them have remaining, after which they too are ready to go.

Before everyone can start to move, Vesalius asks Sofia about the state of Orion's medical equipment because Sofia would have to be taken care of for some time to heal from the bullet wounds.

Sofia replies in a proud tone, "although it can not be compared to the amount of stuff you and your hospital have, the medical equipment and room in Orion should be more than enough to handle my bullet wounds."

Vesalius sighs, thinking about just how risky their exit to Orion is going to be. Especially because of an injured Sofia.

Vesalius then informs them of the plan, "Listen, Sofia can't walk and needs to keep laying on this for as long as possible. In that case, I'll push this stretcher all the way to the car while you guys," as he points to Lucas's group and Hiro, "will provide support and protection by being in the front."

He then points at N and says, "You on the other hand, you need to stay in front of Sofia but behind Hiro so that he can protect you in worst case scenario."

Vesalius makes sure N realizes that he can be a target far more lucrative for Nexus than Sofia, "Listen, N. We need to make sure Nexus does not get their hands on you. As of right now, we can't be certain that they do not know of your uniqueness, and in the case that they do, they are going to try and get their hands on you. Don't stray too far from Hiro."

Vesalius then finishes telling them what formation they should take up.

Sofia on the stretcher was to be pushed by Vesalius. In front of Sofia would be N and Hiro, surrounded by Lucas and his group a little further up.

Vesalius knows every little detail of the hospitals layout, so he formulates the shortest and safest route that they were going to take to reach the back exit where Orion's car would be parked.

They then leave the room.

Lucas and his group checking each turn to make sure people were not ready to ambush them. Once clear, they give a signal, after which Vesalius, Sofia, N, and Hiro move.

This continues as they traverse each intricately designed hallway of the hospital, moving in complete silence away from the crowd.

After a while of moving tensely, they finally reach the final door.

That door was connected to a secret underground parking tunnel where Orion's cars would be stored, away from the general public.

The door required a key card of someone with high authority within the hospital.

Fortunately, Vesalius had the key card on hand, so he gives it to Lucas to open.

Lucas cautiously opens the door, with Lei, Emily and Orm armed and taking cover as well.

After the door opens, they realize that there are a few stairs down.

That was a problem for the group as that meant that Vesalius could not push Sofia with her stretcher down to the car.

They think for a second on what to do.

Vesalius tells Lucas to take a few people and go check if the car was fine and bring it as close to this door as possible.

Lucas takes Emily with him, leaving Lei and Orm to stay back with Sofia in case something came up and some firepower was needed.

While Emily and Lucas were brining the car to the door, Vesalius started to think of ways to bring Sofia on the stretcher closer to the car.

After a while, Lucas comes back through the door and tells everyone, "The car is here. But there could be a problem."

He looks towards Vesalius and asks him, "Vesalius, are there guards stationed on the parking lot? I saw one or two suspicious people hiding and observing us as we took the car out."

Vesalius thinks and then answers, "Yes. There are three people who go around the lot, performing a routine check. There should be two more up towards the exit. I know the faces and names of all of them, I'll tell you if they are suspicious or not, keep your weapon drawn."

He then turns to Sofia to tell her about what he has in mind to get her to the car.

"Listen, Lucas and the other guys are armed and need to be on the lookout. Hiro also has to be on the lookout in case someone runs up to us and N is injured. My only job was to push the stretcher to the car but I forgot about the steps. So since I can't take the stretcher there, I will need to pick you up. Is that fine?" asks Vesalius without any other thoughts.

Sofia, taken aback by Vesalius's directness, starts to blush, a rare sight for someone as composed as her. But there was no time to dwell on embarrassment; the situation demanded urgency.

"Alright, V," Sofia murmurs, a faint blush still coloring her face, "let's get this over with."

Vesalius nods, his focus entirely on the task at hand, not even noticing Sofia's reaction.

He positions himself beside the stretcher, carefully sliding one arm under her legs and the other around her back. Sofia, despite her usual self-assured demeanor, instinctively wraps her arms around his neck, holding on tightly.

Hiro catches the sight and has to bite the inside of his cheek to suppress a laugh. The situation had a peculiar mix of tension and levity, an odd contrast given the circumstances.

Vesalius, seemingly oblivious to the momentary awkwardness, lifts Sofia with a surprising ease. "Let's move," he commands, nodding to the others as he begins to carry her towards the car.

The small group files out of the stairwell into the underground parking lot, their eyes scanning the area with sharp precision.

Lucas, Lei, and Orm move with their weapons at the ready, constantly on the lookout for any threats. Hiro remains close, with a serious attitude, keeping his eyes on the surroundings as well.

Vesalius carries Sofia with a steady stride, keeping her close as they navigate the remaining distance to the car.

The cool underground air contrasts sharply with the warmth of the hospital, and the dim lighting creates long shadows that stretch across the concrete floor. The tension in the air is palpable, each step filled with the possibility of danger.

As they approach the car, Vesalius notices a slight shift in Sofia's breathing—she's in pain, though trying her best to mask it.

He adjusts his grip slightly to make her more comfortable. "Almost there," he whispers, more to himself than to Sofia.

When they reach the vehicle, Emily is already behind the wheel, engine idling, ready for a quick getaway.

Lucas quickly opens the rear door, allowing Vesalius to gently place Sofia inside. He moves with the care of someone who has done this countless times before, making sure she's settled and secure.

Once everyone is inside the car, they pull away from the underground lot, moving swiftly and silently through the labyrinth of city streets.

Surprisingly, none of the suspicious individuals were seen anywhere near them when they took their exit.

The night outside is dark, the city's usual bustle reduced to a quiet hum as they navigate through the shadows. The car's interior is filled with a tense silence, each person lost in their thoughts, yet acutely aware of the danger that might still be lurking around the corner.

Sofia sits quietly, her gaze fixed out the window, but her mind is racing. The events of the night have left her unsettled—not just the encounter with Nexus, but the implications it held for Orion and for herself. She was not one to be caught off guard, and the fact that they were now heading back to Orion's headquarters with potential threats still looming was something she couldn't ignore.

Beside her, Vesalius is equally deep in thought. His usual cheerfulness is replaced by a grim determination.

He had patched N up for now, but Nexus was a problem that he truly could not ignore. The fact that they had got so close to N without anyone noticing was extremely alarming.

He glances N, who is sitting silently beside Hiro, his expression unreadable.

The car continues its journey through the city, the headlights cutting through the darkness as they approach Orion's headquarters.

The streets begin to narrow, the buildings around them growing taller, until finally, the imposing structure of Orion's tower comes into view.

It looms in the night, a beacon of power and authority, but also of the many dangers that accompany such influence.

As they pull up to the entrance, the tension inside the car begins to ease, replaced by a sense of anticipation. The doors open, and one by one, they step out, their breaths visible in the cold night air.

The entrance to Orion's tower is flanked by guards, who bring out a stretcher to take Sofia inside.

Vesalius follows the stretcher, while the rest take their time and follow Lucas.

The interior of the tower is sleek and modern, with sharp lines and cold, gleaming surfaces that reflect the organization's efficiency and control.

As they move deeper into the building, they pass through a series of security checks and locked doors, each one reinforcing the sense of safety within the fortress-like structure.

Finally, they reach the central elevator that will take them up to the heart of Orion's headquarters.

The elevator ride is silent, the soft hum of machinery the only sound as they ascend.

When the doors open, they are greeted by a spacious, well-lit hallway that leads to the main operations room, which was acting as a makeshift hospital room. This is where the most crucial decisions are made, where the future of Orion is shaped.

Sofia sits in the middle, sourrounded by Orion's generals and Vesalius as they open the door to let N, Hiro, Lucas, Orm, Lei, and Emily inside.

Sofia turns to face Hiro and N, her expression a mix of relief and determination. "Hiro, N," she says, her voice carrying the weight of her authority and the gratitude she feels, "welcome to Orion."