Some time later, Jelo heard footsteps moving above the bunker. The sound sharpened his focus instantly, pulling him out of the dark spiral his thoughts had descended into. A moment later, the trapdoor slid open with a metallic groan, and the scientist climbed down, dragging someone behind him.

When they entered the room fully, Jelo's eyes widened as he locked eyes with Mira. Dirt smudged across her face, and her hair was disheveled, but she looked unharmed.

"Jelo!" she called out immediately, her voice tight with worry.

The scientist let out a manic chuckle, clearly pleased with himself. He swept his free arm wide in an exaggerated gesture, like a performer introducing the finale of a grand show. "Ah, what a beautiful moment! I'm so glad I could facilitate such a reunion. Two young souls, brought together by fate and my ingenious trap network. Truly, this is what makes my work worthwhile!"

"Shut up," Jelo snapped at the man before he could stop himself.

He didn't mean to speak. He wanted to stay silent, to keep his emotions locked down, but the scientist's constant chatter pushed him past restraint. The words came out sharp and bitter.

The scientist's theatrical smile faltered. His expression shifted, the manic glee draining away and replaced with something colder. He tilted his head, studying Jelo like a specimen that had just exhibited unexpected behavior.

"How disappointing," the scientist said quietly, though his voice still carried that unsettling edge. "I tried to be polite to my guests. Courtesy demands it, you see. Hospitality, even in these circumstances, is the mark of a civilized man." He paused, then his smile returned, sharper and more unhinged than before. "But if you reject my politeness, then I won't bother anymore."

He dragged Mira forward and dropped her beside Jelo without ceremony. She hit the ground hard, grunting as her shoulder struck the metal floor. The net wrapped around her crackled faintly with energy, and Jelo could see the faint shimmer of power running through its fibers.

"I only have one machine, unfortunately," the scientist explained, gesturing toward the device Jelo was strapped into. "Budget constraints, you understand. Limited resources. But the net restraining your friend here is enough to keep her from escaping." He tapped the side of his head dramatically. "Clever design, if I do say so myself. Quite effective."

Jelo felt panic rising as he struggled to think of a way out for both of them. His mind raced through possibilities, but every scenario ended the same way, with them trapped, helpless, at the mercy of a lunatic.

Then he noticed Mira's expression.

She looked calm. Almost unreadable. She was staring at the scientist without fear, her eyes steady and focused. There was no terror in her face, no desperation. Just quiet calculation.

Jelo wondered if she had a plan. He knew how resourceful she was. She'd proven it time and time again, finding solutions when he couldn't, pushing through obstacles that would have stopped him cold. But he forced the thought away almost as quickly as it formed.

To him, hope was dangerous. Right now, hope was something that killed.

The scientist clapped his hands together suddenly, the sharp sound echoing through the bunker. "Well! As delightful as this is, I have work to finish." He spun on his heel, arms spread wide like a conductor addressing an orchestra. "I have so much planned for you both. Experiments, data collection, evolutionary analysisc oh, the breakthroughs we'll achieve together!" He laughed again, the sound high-pitched and unhinged. "But for now, I need to finish preparing the next phase. You two can catch up if you want."

He wagged a finger at them playfully, his grin widening. "Just don't cause any trouble, hmm? I'd hate to have to sedate you. It ruins the data quality."

Then the scientist turned and walked toward a table at the far end of the bunker, where various tools, vials, and strange devices were scattered across the surface. He began tinkering with something immediately, humming to himself as he worked.

Jelo watched him move away and wondered if the scientist was being too cocky. Mira was restrained, but not completely immobilized, and the two of them were close enough to communicate. It almost felt like he was daring them to break free, as if the entire situation was some kind of twisted test.

Jelo considered whether the scientist truly believed his security was flawless. The thought felt wrong to him. No security was perfect. Every system had weaknesses, blind spots, failure points. And in Jelo's mind, the systems that believed they were unbeatable were the most likely to fail. Overconfidence created carelessness, and carelessness created opportunities.

He lowered his voice and whispered to Mira, leaning as close as the restraints would allow. "Do you have a plan? You seem way too calm for this."

Mira's eyes flicked toward him briefly before returning to the scientist's back. "I do," she whispered back. "Been working on it since he dropped me here."

Jelo felt a flicker of relief, but it was short-lived.

"But that's not why I'm calm," Mira added.

"Then what is?" Jelo asked, confusion creeping into his voice.

Mira's expression shifted suddenly, and she snapped loudly, "None of your business!"

The noise drew the scientist's attention immediately. He turned, one eyebrow raised in amusement. "Oh my! The reunion doesn't seem to be going smoothly, does it? Young love is so complicated." He chuckled to himself and turned back to his work, muttering something about emotional volatility and stress responses.

Mira's expression changed and she was suddenly calm again. "Sorry I snapped". She said glumly.

"It's fine". Jelo replied watching her carefully. "Now about the plan.."

"Oh right". Mira replied. She pointed toward the space between her net and the machine Jelo was strapped into, and then she made a firm pushing motion with her hand. Her fingers pressed down sharply, like she was indicating something specific.

Jelo struggled to understand. He stared at her hand, then at the space she was pointing to, but nothing made sense. What was she trying to tell him?

Mira sighed in frustration, her jaw tightening. She repeated the gesture more emphatically, pointing at he space between them, pointing at the base of the machine and then mimicking pressing a button with exaggerated movements.

Suddenly, Jelo's eyes widened as he finally understood what she was trying to tell him.

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