The armored vehicle rumbled away from the decaying police station, putting distance between them and the unsettling memory of the intelligent monster. The mood inside was a mixture of exhaustion and contemplative silence, broken only by the hum of the engine.
Beatrix held the recovered core up to the light filtering through the reinforced window. It was larger than any they had seen before, pulsating with a deep, intricate crimson light, and within its depths, faint, shadowy patterns seemed to shift and writhe.
"This core is... special," Beatrix finally said, her voice low and analytical. "The energy signature is far more complex and stable. It's not just raw power, it's organized, almost like a... neurological imprint."
Emma, ever eager for new gear, leaned forward from the back seat, her eyes sparkling. "Ooh! Does that mean we can use it to make something awesome? I really need new handgloves that can actually handle my own flames without melting!"
