Chapter 8—Xavier

XAVIER STRODE THROUGH the sterile corridors of the medbay, his cybernetic eye scanning for potential threats. The soft hum of medical equipment filled the air as he approached Amaya's bed. She lay still, her face pale against the crisp white sheets.

"How are you feeling?" he asked with concern.

Her eyelids fluttered open. "Better, thanks to the nanites they injected. Still sore, but I'll live."

He nodded. "Good. We need you at full strength."

As a medical droid approached to discharge Amaya, he helped Amaya to her feet, supporting her weight as they exited the medbay a short time later. The corridors seemed eerily quiet as they made their way toward the residential sector.

"I can walk on my own now," she said, pulling away slightly.

He reluctantly released her but stayed close. As they rounded a corner, the lights flickered ominously.

"That's not good," whispered Amaya.

Xavier's cybernetic eye whirred as it adjusted to the dimmer light. "Stay behind me."

They continued down the hallway. As they neared Amaya's quarters, a distant explosion rocked the facility.

"Not again." Amaya groaned.

Alarms blared to life, bathing the corridor in pulsing red light. His combat systems fully engaged, flooding his body with adrenaline and activating hidden weapon systems.

"Get inside," he ordered, pushing Amaya toward her door.

"But I can help." she protested.

"You're still injured. I need you safe and resting so you can continue our work later."

She hesitated, then nodded reluctantly. "Fine but be careful out there."

As she input her access code, he detected movement behind them. He spun, raising his arm as it transformed into a plasma cannon. "Get down." he shouted.

Amaya ducked as he fired, the searing bolt of energy streaking past her head. It struck a shadowy figure that had been approaching silently, sending it crashing to the floor in a shower of sparks.

"What was that?" she asked, eyes wide.

He cautiously approached the smoking heap. "Some kind of stealth drone. Definitely not one of ours."

More explosions rocked the facility, closer this time. The lights flickered again, plunging them into darkness for a moment before emergency power kicked in.

"We're under attack," said Xavier grimly. "I need to join the defense. You stay here and lock the door."

She grabbed his arm. "What if they breach this section? I should come with you where it's safer."

He shook his head. "No. Your quarters have additional security measures. You'll be safer here than in the middle of a firefight."

He gently but firmly pushed her into the room. "Stay here. Rest. I'll come back for you when it's safe."

She opened her mouth to argue, but he had already turned away. As he strode down the corridor, weapons primed, he heard the satisfying click of Amaya's door locking behind him.

Xavier tapped his communications implant. "This is Xavier. What's our situation?"

Static crackled for a moment before a voice responded. "Multiple breaches in sectors seven and nine. Unknown hostiles, possibly linked to earlier sabotage attempts."

"Understood. I'm en route to sector seven now." He jogged toward the sounds of battle, mind spinning. Who were these attackers? How had they breached their defenses so easily? And most importantly, how were they linked to the saboteur they'd been tracking?

He pushed aside the questions, focusing on the immediate threat. Whatever was happening, he had a job to do. Protect the facility. Protect their work.

Protect Amaya.

With that thought driving him forward, he charged into the fray, compelled to end this attack swiftly and decisively. The mysteries could wait. For now, there was a battle to be won. The facility shook with another explosion, and he quickened his pace. As he rounded a corner, he encountered a group of hostiles.

"Halt." Xavier's voice boomed.

The intruders turned, their faces obscured by helmets. Without hesitation, they opened fire. Xavier's reflexes kicked in, his body moving faster than he thought possible. He dodged the incoming fire, rolling behind a nearby console for cover.

The air filled with the acrid odor of ozone as energy weapons discharged. He returned fire, his plasma bolts striking two of the attackers. They crumpled to the ground, armor smoking.

As he engaged the remaining hostiles, his combat subroutines processed information at lightning speed, but something was off. These weren't the mindless drones they'd encountered before. These attackers moved with purpose, adapting to his tactics.

A stray shot grazed his shoulder, leaving a scorched mark on his synthetic skin. He grunted, more from surprise than pain. His body was already repairing the damage, nanites swarming to close the wound. "Who sent you?" he demanded as he took down another attacker.

The last hostile standing paused but didn't reply. Before Xavier could reach him, the attacker activated some kind of device. A blinding flash filled the corridor, overloading Xavier's optical sensors. By the time his vision cleared, the intruder was gone.

He stood, his circuits buzzing with adrenaline and confusion. Who were they, and why had they attacked a cyber-conversion facility?

He tapped his comm link. "Security team to my location. We have hostiles down and one escaped. I need a full sweep of the facility."

As he waited for backup to arrive, his thoughts drifted to Amaya. Was she safe? The urge to check on her was strong, but he pushed it aside. He had a duty to protect the entire facility, not just one person.

Yet even as he tried to focus on the task at hand, images of Amaya's face kept intruding. When had she become so important to him?

He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He was a warrior, a protector. He couldn't afford distractions, especially not now.

The security team arrived, and Xavier briefed them on the situation. As they secured the area and began their investigation, he returned to the command center.

Inside, chaos reigned. Alarms blared as technicians scrambled to contain the damage from the attack. Dr. Vex stood at the main console, her usually calm demeanor replaced by tense concentration.

"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 dangerous levels 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.

The last thing Xavier heard before darkness claimed him was Amaya's voice, desperate and afraid, calling his name.