Arthur Cousland stood before the assembled Monarks in the Outpost's primary briefing room, the translucent bullet resting on the table between them like an accusation. The crimson substance inside swirled slowly, catching the overhead lights with an almost hypnotic rhythm.
"One month," Arthur said, his prosthetic fingers drumming against the table. "One month since Snow White gave me this, and we're no closer to understanding what the hell it is."
Scarlet leaned forward, her red hair falling across her shoulders as she studied the bullet. The Elysion Nikke's SMG rested against her thigh, a habitual comfort even in secured spaces. "V, you checked the Central Government database?"
"Twice," V confirmed, her dark eyes narrowed. The brown haired woman crossed her arms, her expression grim. "I used every access code I could requisition without raising flags. Whatever this substance is, it's not in any official registry. Not medical, not military, not even classified experimental."
"It gets better," Miranda interjected, her Cerberus training evident in the clinical precision of her report. The dark-haired woman activated her Omni-Tool, projecting data streams into the air. "I asked Protocol's resident hacker, Exia, to dig deeper. She found something interesting—or rather, she found where something used to be."
Rapi's red eyes sharpened. "Explain."
"The substance database has been completely erased," Miranda continued. "Not locked, not restricted. Erased. Someone with serious access went through the Central Government's archives and systematically removed every reference to whatever compound is inside that bullet."
The room fell silent. Ocean shifted uncomfortably, her silver hair bright against the tactical uniform she'd never quite grown comfortable wearing. Flower placed a reassuring hand on her teammate's shoulder, the gesture automatic after months of partnership.
Nyx broke the silence with her characteristic bluntness. "So the government's hiding something. Big surprise. What about the Heretics? Any progress there?"
Arthur shook his head. "Anis spent two weeks digging through every database we have access to. Most of what she found was speculation and rumors."
"Useless speculation," Anis clarified, frustration evident in her voice. The blonde Nikke gestured sharply. "Nobody knows how a Nikke becomes a Heretic. Nobody knows why some corrupted Nikkes turn into those things instead of just... dying. And nobody can explain how Marian—" She paused, catching herself. "How Modernia could exist when her brain was literally blown apart."
Lyra spoke quietly from her position near the wall. "Perhaps the Central Government archives would have answers."
"Can't get in," V said flatly. "They have that place locked like a vault. No amount of clearance will grant access. I tried every angle."
Rapi straightened, her combat instincts clearly weighing options. "We should ask Deputy Chief Andersen for help."
The suggestion landed like a grenade. Nyx's orange skin seemed to darken as she scowled, her impressive frame tensing. "Andersen? You want to trust Central Command with this?"
"I don't trust him," Rapi said carefully, "but he has access we don't."
"He's also the same bastard who rotates Nikkes like equipment," Scarlet added, though her tone was thoughtful rather than dismissive. "Why would he help us?"
Arthur met Scarlet's gaze. "Because he's helped before. Remember when how he provided leverage on those corrupted politicians to help the Outpost? Andersen provided the files. He has his own agenda, but it's not always aligned with the Central Government's official position."
"That doesn't mean we can trust him with this," Alisa said, her pink hair framing a face marked by concern. The newest member of Monark Alpha gestured to the bullet. "If this is as dangerous as Snow White implied—if it's connected to the Heretics—we could be handing the government a weapon."
Miranda's expression hardened. "Which is exactly why we need to understand it first. What Snow White gave Arthur is unique. I've analyzed every comparable compound in the Cerberus database. Nothing matches. Whatever this is, it's either pre-war technology or something developed completely outside official channels."
"So we keep government personnel out of this," Arthur said, making it a statement rather than a question. "Agreed?"
The unanimous nods confirmed what he'd already known. The Monarks had learned hard lessons about institutional loyalty. Their allegiance was to each other first.
"Then we need another option," Rapi said. "If we can't access the Central Government's resources, where do we look?"
Miranda's smile was sharp. "Exia found something. A facility on the surface that supposedly has information comparable to the Central Government's library. More importantly, it has equipment that can properly scan the bullet."
Arthur felt his pulse quicken. "Where?"
"That's a conversation for Exia," Miranda replied. "She's... particular about who she shares operational details with."
Twenty minutes later, Arthur found himself descending into Protocol's technical sublevel, accompanied by Scarlet and Rapi. The team leaders moved with the easy synchronization of combat veterans, their different styles complementing rather than conflicting.
Protocol's workspace was exactly what Arthur had expected from a hacker collective: cramped, poorly lit, and filled with enough electronic equipment to power a small city. Holographic displays flickered across multiple surfaces, code streaming in languages Arthur couldn't identify.
Exia sat at the center of the chaos, her petite frame hunched over a terminal. The hacker's appearance was deceptively innocent—pale skin, delicate features, oversized headphones—but Arthur had learned not to underestimate Nikkes based on aesthetics.
"Commander Cousland," Exia said without looking up. Her voice was soft, almost hesitant. Then she paused, fingers flying across her keyboard. A text message appeared on the nearest display: *EASIER TO TYPE. HOPE YOU DON'T MIND.*
"Whatever's most comfortable," Arthur assured her.
Exia nodded, then continued speaking aloud. "The facility... it's on the surface. Beyond the ruins." She stopped, switching to text again. *OLD MUNITIONS FACILITY. MILITARY GRADE SCANNING EQUIPMENT. SHOULD STILL BE FUNCTIONAL.*
"You've been there?" Scarlet asked.
Exia's fingers hesitated. "Once. Long time ago." Text appeared: *BEFORE I JOINED PROTOCOL. PART OF A SALVAGE OPERATION.*
"Can you confirm it's still standing?" Rapi's tactical mind was already calculating logistics.
"Not directly," Exia admitted aloud. Then typing: *BUT SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS STRUCTURE INTACT. NO RAPTURE NESTS IN IMMEDIATE VICINITY.*
Arthur leaned closer to the display showing the facility's location. It was deep in previously contested territory, beyond three separate Rapture-controlled zones. "Why would a munitions facility have equipment capable of analyzing something this old?"
Exia's smile was barely visible. Text streamed across the screen: *BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST A MUNITIONS FACILITY. IT'S A PRE-WAR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COMPLEX. THEY MANUFACTURED EXPERIMENTAL ORDINANCE THERE. CUTTING-EDGE MATERIALS ANALYSIS.*
"And you think they'll have something that can identify the compound in this bullet?" Scarlet held up the translucent round, the crimson liquid inside catching the light from dozens of monitors.
"Yes," Exia said aloud, then typed rapidly: *THE BULLET IS OLDER THAN THE FACILITY ITSELF. IF THE R&D LAB'S HISTORICAL ARCHIVES SURVIVED, THEY MIGHT HAVE DOCUMENTATION FROM WHEN THIS SUBSTANCE WAS ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED.*
Rapi exchanged glances with Scarlet, then Arthur. "It's a long shot."
"It's the only shot we have," Arthur countered. He studied the map, calculating distances and threat assessments. "How long to reach the facility?"
Exia switched back to speaking. "Two days. Maybe three if Rapture activity is high." Her fingers flew: *RECOMMEND FULL SQUAD DEPLOYMENT. THE FACILITY IS LARGE. YOU'LL NEED MULTIPLE TEAMS FOR SECURITY AND SEARCH OPERATIONS.*
"Alpha and Bravo both," Scarlet agreed. "We go in strength or not at all."
Arthur nodded slowly, his mind already shifting to mission planning. "Exia, can you provide detailed layouts?"
The hacker's expression brightened slightly. "I'll compile everything I have." Text appeared: *GIVE ME 24 HOURS. I'LL HAVE FULL BRIEFING PACKETS READY.*
"Do it," Arthur confirmed. He turned to Scarlet and Rapi. "Alert your teams. We brief tomorrow at 0800, deploy the day after. This stays internal—no Central Command notification until we're already in the field."
"Andersen will have questions," Rapi warned.
"Let him," Arthur said. "He was the one who provided us with operational independence after promoting us to Special Commando. If he pushes, I'll remind him about the Tyrant-class kills."
Scarlet's grin was fierce. "I like it when you get political."
As they left Protocol's sublevel, Arthur's fingers found the bullet in his pocket. Snow White had called it insurance against Modernia—against Marian. The woman who'd chosen death over corruption, now walking as a Heretic.
If there was even a chance this substance could bring her back, could reverse whatever transformation had claimed her, Arthur would risk everything to find out.
Behind them, Exia's monitors flickered with satellite imagery of the target facility, and deep in the Central Government's archives, the hollow spaces where information used to exist waited like open wounds.