Chương 156: Chapter 154 – Cautiously Optimistic

Alex walked into the medbay and found Rowan slouched in the chair beside Thai's bed, her small hand resting in his. He had clearly dozed off, exhaustion pulling him under while he kept vigil at her side. Alex moved quietly, checking Thai's vitals with practiced efficiency. The soft rustle of equipment made Rowan stir awake.

"Everything okay?" Rowan asked, voice thick with sleep and disorientation.

"Everything is fine, Rowan. Actually, it's better than fine." Alex gave him a warm smile.

"Thai is kicking this thing's backside like it personally offended her. Fever is down, and once I run these samples…" He held up two vials of blood.

"…I'll know what her viral load looks like. She's got some pretty epic antibodies. It's like they have superpowers. So I am cautiously optimistic right now." Rowan blinked, hope flickering across his face.

"So does that mean you can create the anti-bots?" Alex paused, then grinned.

"Anti-bots. That is an awesome name for them." He slipped the vials into a secure case.

"But yes. If her antibodies are doing what I think they're doing, we should be able to engineer enough of them to reproduce on their own and—lack of a better term—start the infection process. They'll take down the nanobots from the inside out." Rowan exhaled shakily, the tension in his shoulders easing for the first time since Thai had gotten sick.

"So she really might make it." Alex placed a reassuring hand on his arm.

"Rowan, she's not just fighting. She's winning." He glanced at Thai, her tiny chest rising and falling steadily.

"Whatever is in her blood, it's doing something we've never seen before. It's not just resisting the nanobots. It's dismantling them." The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Rowan swallowed hard.

"Do you think it's because of her… lineage?" Alex hesitated.

"I think it's a combination of things. But whatever the reason, it's giving us a fighting chance." He secured the case and stepped back.

"I need to get these to the lab. Once I have the numbers, I can start synthesizing the anti-bots. If this works, Rowan… we might be able to save more than just Thai." Rowan looked at him, eyes wide.

"You mean—" Alex nodded.

"Everyone infected." Rowan's breath caught. For the first time since Thai had fallen ill, he felt something he hadn't dared to feel. Hope. Alex studied him for a moment.

"Rowan… when was the last time you slept? Or ate? Or did anything besides sit in that chair?" Rowan opened his mouth, then closed it. He had no answer.

"There's an empty cot right over there," Alex said gently.

"Lie down for a bit. Even twenty minutes will help. You're running on fumes."

"I don't want to leave her."

"You're not leaving her. You're moving six feet away." Alex softened his tone.

"She's stable. Her vitals are steady. And I'll be right here until I head to the lab." Rowan still hesitated, so Alex added, "When you wake up, go to the kitchen. Make yourself an herbal tea. Grab something to eat. You'll be useless to her if you collapse." Rowan looked at Thai again, then at the cot. His body made the decision before his mind did. He stood slowly, legs stiff from hours of sitting, and moved to the cot. He lay down, still facing Thai, and exhaled a long, trembling breath. Alex watched him settle.

"Good. That's good. Let your body catch up." Rowan's eyes drifted shut, exhaustion finally pulling him under. Alex checked Thai one more time, then quietly left the medbay with the case in hand, heading toward the lab. For the first time since she'd gotten sick, the room felt still. And hopeful.