Path to the Surgeon’s Table

**Shaira’s POV**

Angro and Zania were hidden in my room, just a few thin walls separating us from the soldiers and officers patrolling the fortress. The plan had unfolded so quickly that I could barely process it. I knew that by the next day, everything would change. Everything depended on this surgery.

At dawn, they woke me early. My mind was still clouded with uncertainty. They led me through the cold hallways of the fortress toward the place where the surgeon would remove the device. The sound of boots echoed on the metallic floor, making me feel as though I was marching toward my final destiny.

As I walked, Xandria appeared beside me. Her face was more serious than usual, and she avoided my gaze. I knew what she was going to say before she even opened her mouth, but that didn’t make it any easier.

“Shaira,” she began, her voice heavy with a sadness she tried to hide. “This is your last chance. Roger is willing to listen if you decide to speak. You can still convince him that you were a prisoner. It’s now or never.”

I clenched my teeth, trying to maintain my composure. “Xandria, I’ve already told you... I’ve been telling the truth from the start. The device is damaged. They’ll see that when they remove it.”

But even as I said those words, I could see in her eyes that she didn’t believe me. I knew I was risking everything, but I couldn’t back down now. The plan had to stay in motion.

Xandria didn’t respond right away. She just looked at me, her lips trembling slightly. I could see tears beginning to form in her eyes, though she was trying to keep them at bay. Finally, she nodded and stepped aside in silence, leaving me with a hollow feeling in my chest.

I knew I was letting her down. I knew she thought I was walking toward my own destruction, but there was no turning back. I couldn’t tell the truth, not without condemning everyone who had saved me. Angro, Zania, Assu—my silence wasn’t just for me.

When I reached the operating room, fear hit me with new force. The place was cold, sterile, and the air smelled of disinfectant. The lights were so bright that I had to squint. They led me to a table in the center of the room, and only then did I realize something I hadn’t considered before.

“Will I be fully anesthetized?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

The surgeon, a man with an expressionless face, looked at me over his glasses. “Of course. The surgery requires you to be unconscious. It’s the safest way.”

A shiver ran through me. Completely unconscious… with no awareness. I wouldn’t know what was happening around me. What if something went wrong? What if Angro couldn’t find me? How would he get me out of the fortress if I was unconscious?

I tried to calm myself, but the doubts and fears crowded my mind. There was no escape now. I lay down on the table, staring up at the ceiling as the medical robot activated around me. I could hear its hums as it scanned my body, preparing the exact dose of anesthesia.

“Breathe deeply,” a mechanical voice said, but I couldn’t fully obey. My chest felt too tight, as if I couldn’t breathe properly.

The robot injected something into my arm, and I felt a warm sensation spreading through my veins. My vision started to blur, the world around me becoming fuzzy, the lights dimming. I tried to stay awake just a little longer, tried to hold onto reality, but the sleep was too strong.

Silence claimed me, and the world disappeared.


**Angro’s POV**

The night in the ventilation system was long and stifling. The stale air surrounded Zania and me as we waited for the moment to act. Everything was silent, except for the faint sound of our breathing and the relentless pounding of my heart. I knew every passing minute brought us closer to the inevitable: rescuing Shaira or dying trying.

Zania broke the silence, her voice low but filled with emotion. “Angro… you know that what we’re doing, these risks… I wouldn’t do this for just anyone.”

I tensed, knowing where the conversation was headed. I didn’t want to face it, but Zania had always been direct. “I know,” I responded, trying to keep my voice steady. “But you’re here because you’re my friend, and because… well, you wouldn’t let Shaira die, right?”

She sighed. “It’s not just for Shaira,” she said, her voice softer than usual. “It’s for you, Angro. All these years… you know I’ve always been by your side, always willing to take risks for you.”

I felt a knot forming in my throat. Of course, I knew. I had felt it in every gesture from Zania, in every mission we shared, in every look she gave me when she thought I wasn’t watching. But acknowledging it was something else entirely, and doing so now, in the middle of this situation, made me feel even more guilty.

“Zania, we don’t have to talk about this now,” I tried to deflect, though I knew it was pointless. “We’re in the middle of something big. We need to stay focused.”

She shook her head, her voice trembling slightly. “No, Angro. If we don’t talk now, we might not get another chance.” She moved a little closer, though the space was tight. “Tell me, Angro. Tell me anything. I’d rather hear rejection than your silence.”

The discomfort washed over me. I didn’t know what to say to her, I didn’t want to hurt her. Zania had been my most loyal friend, my partner in every battle, and knowing that she felt something much deeper for me made me feel miserable for not being able to return it.

Finally, I took a deep breath, trying to summon the courage to speak. “Zania… I don’t want to hurt you. You’re… one of the best things that’s happened to me in many ways. But you know how I feel about Shaira.” The words spilled out faster than I expected. “She’s something more, something I can’t explain, something deeper than just love or attraction. It’s more than that.”

Zania was silent for a few seconds, processing what I had said. I could see the pain in her eyes, though she tried to maintain her composure. Finally, she nodded, as if she had expected that answer all along.

“I can’t say I’m happy to hear that,” she said with a sad smile, “but I accept it. At least now I know where we stand.”

It hurt to see her like that, but I had spoken the truth. My relationship with Amali was falling apart, and Shaira… she had changed everything. Something stronger than love tied me to her, something I couldn’t fully comprehend.

The silence fell between us again, but this time it wasn’t uncomfortable. Somehow, it felt like we had resolved something that needed to be addressed. Zania was strong. I knew she would understand, even though it pained me to see her like this.

Finally, the dawn began to creep through the cracks of the ventilation system. We both heard the movement outside, the footsteps of the soldiers, and soon after, the sound of Shaira’s door opening.

“It’s time,” Zania whispered, regaining her calm and usual focus.

I nodded, mentally preparing for what was coming. We knew the moment for the rescue was near. We’d have to move quickly. If everything went according to plan, we’d get Shaira out of here before anyone noticed.

The risk was immense, but there was no other option.