The desert Remained the same.
Same brutal heat. Same endless sand. Same two suns hanging in the sky like they were judging him.
Owen walked through Zone 12 alone. His body still ached from the hunt. His CE had recovered to 4,200 overnight—not great, but functional.
He'd been walking for six hours. No water. No food. Just sand and the steady drain of his energy reserves.
A drone floated nearby. Recording everything.
"Don't suppose you brought snacks?" Owen muttered.
The drone didn't respond.
"Yeah. Figured."
He kept walking.
---
By midday, Owen reached the oasis.
It looked different now. Two of the predators that used to drink here were gone—probably casualties from the hunt or other prisoners. The water level was lower. The vegetation around it sparser.
But it was still water.
Owen approached. Drank deeply. Filled his containers.
Then he sensed something.
A signature. Familiar. Approaching from the south.
He turned.
