Planning to make the Complex Safe

The dim glow of the emergency lights filtered through the curtains, casting faint streaks of orange across the room. Thomas Estaris stirred, blinking awake as he adjusted to the quiet hum of the complex outside. His muscles were sore, his mind still weighed down by the previous night's decisions.

A soft sigh beside him caught his attention.

Erica.

She lay next to him, still wrapped in the sheets, her bare shoulder peeking out. Her auburn hair was tousled from sleep, her breathing steady. For a brief moment, Thomas allowed himself to admire her—strong, capable, and independent. Unlike many others in the complex, she had never begged for a position, nor had she relied on anyone to survive.

His mind drifted back to how she had ended up here.