Chapter 157:Transit research.
Silver stirred awake a few minutes before sunrise, as he had almost every day. His promotion to Rank Two had left him feeling noticeably refreshed, and even after yesterday’s long training session, his body felt remarkably light.
He lay still for a moment, listening to the quiet rhythm of Ravenna’s breathing from the neighboring bed. The events of the previous day replayed themselves in his mind.
A small smile spread across his face.
"...Yesterday was a good day."
As he sat up, another thought suddenly occurred to him.
"...Wait." His expression froze. "I forgot."
He scratched the back of his head. Yesterday had been so full of excitement that he’d completely forgotten one small routine that had quietly become part of their travels.
Giving Ravenna a flower.
Silver let out an amused sigh.
"I really did skip a day."
Careful not to wake her immediately, he slipped out of bed and quietly walked toward the window. The morning sunlight had only just begun to illuminate the city.
Closing his eyes, he activated Poller Trick. A gentle current of energy flowed through his fingertips. Tiny particles of light gathered together, slowly taking shape.
Moments later, a delicate white rose rested in his hand. Its petals were perfectly formed, each one seeming almost untouched by the outside world.
Silver examined it with satisfaction before turning back toward Ravenna.
She was beginning to stir. Her hair had become slightly messy during the night, and she rubbed one eye sleepily as she noticed him standing beside the window.
"...Morning."
"Morning."
She yawned softly before noticing the flower in his hand. A knowing smile immediately appeared on her face.
"You remembered."
Silver laughed awkwardly.
"...A day late."
He walked over and held the rose out toward her.
"I got distracted yesterday."
"You ranked up. I don’t think anyone would’ve blamed you."
"Still."
He smiled sheepishly.
"I said I’d give you one every day. I missed one. So..."
He gently placed the flower into her hands.
"This one’s yesterday’s."
Ravenna accepted it carefully, looking down at the white petals.
"You really hold scores, do you?"
Silver nodded.
"Keeps me organised."
She smiled warmly.
"That’s a good trait to have."
For a few quiet moments, she simply admired the flower before looking back up at him.
"You always hand me a flower before we leave, and when you didn’t... I wondered if you’d forgotten or you were mad at me or something."
He looked even more embarrassed.
"...I did, and no, I wasn’t angry in the slightest; everything was perfect."
She laughed softly.
"I know. But seeing how excited you were yesterday... I decided I’d forgive you."
Silver let out an exaggerated sigh of relief.
"That’s good. I was worried."
"I’ll let you off this time."
He couldn’t help laughing.
"I think I’ve heard that somewhere before."
"You have."
She carefully stood before walking over to the small glass vase near the window. The blue flower from the boutique had begun opening more fully over the past two days.
Its vibrant petals stood beside the white rose she’d received after their previous mission. Ravenna gently added the new flower beside them. The simple arrangement somehow made the room feel even more like home.
She stepped back to admire it.
"They look nice together."
Silver nodded in agreement.
"They do."
After getting ready for the day, the two of them headed downstairs for breakfast. The dining hall was already beginning to fill with contractors preparing for another day beyond the Sanctuary walls.
Silver’s appetite remained just as impressive as ever. By the time he finished his second helping, Ravenna couldn’t help smiling.
"You’ve started eating even more."
"I ranked up, so I feel hungrier. I’m not sure that’s how it works, but it sounds reasonable... wait, it feels like I’ve been using my ranking up as an excuse for everything."
She laughed quietly.
"I’ll accept that explanation."
After breakfast, they left the hotel and made their way deeper into Delta Four. Unlike the commercial district they had visited several times before, today’s destination lay within one of the older sections of the Sanctuary.
Stone buildings gradually replaced modern storefronts. The streets became quieter, and more administrative offices became visible.
Eventually, a broad three-story building came into view. Across its entrance, elegant bronze letters read:
Delta Four City Library and Historical Archives
Silver looked up at the building with interest.
"It’s bigger than I expected."
Ravenna nodded.
"Sanctuaries preserve almost everything. Knowledge is difficult to replace."
They stepped inside. The atmosphere immediately changed. The sounds of the city disappeared behind thick stone walls.
Rows upon rows of bookshelves stretched across the enormous interior. Librarians quietly moved between the aisles. Several researchers sat reading old documents beneath softly glowing lamps despite the daylight outside.
Even the air smelled different, like old paper, leather bindings, and ink. Silver found it strangely calming.
They approached the information desk. An elderly librarian adjusted his glasses as they arrived.
"Good morning."
"Good morning," Silver replied. "We’re looking for historical records."
"What kind?"
"A transit research station."
Silver handed over the location designation he’d copied onto a small notepad. The librarian read it carefully before nodding.
"Research Station Seventeen. I believe we have public records regarding its construction."
He paused.
"The incident files, however... may be limited."
"We understand."
The librarian disappeared among the shelves before returning several minutes later carrying three thick folders and two aging books. He carefully placed them on the table.
"These are everything available for public viewing. If you require anything else... I’m afraid the remaining documents are classified."
Silver thanked him before he and Ravenna sat beside one another. For the next two hours, the only sounds around them were quietly turning pages.
Most of the early records were ordinary: construction permits, engineering diagrams, maintenance schedules, transit expansion proposals and photographs of smiling researchers standing proudly beside newly completed facilities.
"It really was just a transportation laboratory," Ravenna observed quietly.
Silver nodded.
"They were researching high-speed transit systems between Sanctuaries."
He continued reading. Most of the documents discussed improving logistics, reducing travel times, and developing more efficient transport routes. Nothing appeared unusual.
Then... Silver turned another page. His expression slowly became serious.
"Ravenna."
She looked over.
"I think I found it."
She moved closer. The document had been printed years after the station’s construction. Across the top, bold black letters read:
*Emergency Closure Notice*
Silver silently read aloud.
"’Research Station Seventeen-sector seven has ceased all operations following an internal biological emergency.’"
Ravenna’s eyes narrowed.
"Biological emergency..."
He continued.
"’The surrounding area has been placed under temporary quarantine while evacuation procedures are conducted.’"
Several pages later, another report contained even less information.
"’Civilian casualties confirmed.’"
"’Multiple research personnel deceased.’"
"’Remaining survivors transferred to secure medical facilities.’"
The report ended abruptly without a single explanation or description. Only a single final sentence.
*Further details remain classified under Sanctuary Security Act Article Twelve.*
Silver slowly lowered the page.
"...That’s all?"
Ravenna searched through the remaining folders. Every report after that mentioned only the station’s permanent closure.
There was no cause, investigation, or official conclusion. Almost as though someone had deliberately removed every important detail.
"The outbreak killed a lot of people," Ravenna said quietly. "But nobody outside the investigation was ever told what actually happened."
Silver nodded.
"The entire incident was buried."
He leaned back in his chair.
"Which makes me even more curious."
"And more cautious," Ravenna added.
He smiled faintly.
"That too."
She closed the final folder.
"We should assume the worst."
Silver agreed immediately.
"If they classified everything... Then whatever happened there wasn’t ordinary."
The two of them sat quietly for several moments, looking at the stack of documents spread across the table. They hadn’t learned what caused the outbreak, but they had confirmed one important fact.
The abandoned transit research station wasn’t simply an old building. It was the site of a disaster significant enough that, even after all these years, the truth remained hidden behind classified records.
Whatever awaited them there... It was worth treating with the utmost caution.