Central City pulsed with expectation.
Three months had passed since the announcement of the STAR Labs VIREL Conference, and though the public still had no idea what "VIREL" stood for, the buzz was palpable. The building that once lay dormant behind security gates and buried reputations was now a hive of activity. Trucks rolled in at all hours. Security swept every corner. Invitations had reached every corner of academia, technology, and industry. Everyone who mattered would be watching.
And within STAR Labs itself, everything was changing.
***
"JANUS, cross-check these interview lists with top-tier quantum engineers," August said, pacing the Cortex as a cascade of resumes hovered in midair. Holographic text shimmered in front of him—a feature of the Ghostlight Protocol, which had now reached its final phase of internal testing.
"Already filtered and categorized by relevance, Sir," JANUS replied. "Four candidates are flying in tomorrow. I've arranged transport and temporary housing."
August exhaled and looked over to Caitlin, who was leaning over her tablet.
"What about biochem?"
"I've got a shortlist," she said. "Two senior researchers from Ivy Town, one recent genius from Hudson University. We're focusing on green tech and medical applications."
"Good. On to the next matter."
***
The old accelerator chamber had become a nexus of technological ambition. The VIREL Core spun quietly at its heart, pulsing with restrained energy. Cooled by systems custom-built from recycled cryo-stabilizers, its prism-like core gave off a soft, ambient glow. It could power three Central Cities and still have energy to spare.
Every day it was monitored, adjusted, refined. Every day it proved its worth.
Its foundation was Heart's Blood, the prototype clean energy unit August had built years ago. But now, the VIREL Core had become more than a prototype. It was the spine of STAR Labs' future. With Cisco's help, they'd incorporated reactive modulation nodes, creating scalable energy flow adaptable to both private and industrial use. Caitlin called it the clean heart of a dirty world.
***
"Okay, tell me again," Cisco said, tapping through schematics. "We've got the VIREL Core. We've got the Power Dampening Cuffs with upgraded biometric locking. We've got my portable med-scanner. And Caitlin's ocean-cleaning bacteria. What else are we missing? Will it be enough?"
"We need to finalize the exhibit halls," August said. "Security details, crowd flow, Ghostlight overlays."
Caitlin nodded. "I finished testing the latest strain of the micro-organism. It dissolves plastic in salt water and excretes a compound that can be refined into bio-fuel. If this works, we could clean entire coastlines."
Cisco's scanner, meanwhile, could perform full-body diagnostics in under ten seconds. Using tech adapted from the Godspeed suit, it mapped biological systems with incredible precision.
Dr. Wells had remained mostly behind the scenes, working as an advisor as promised. He watched the team work, made quiet suggestions, and occasionally offered unspoken assurance that he still had a plan for everything. He seemed content to let August take the lead, and August—now fully embracing his role as STAR Labs' new CEO—was stepping into it with surprising ease.
Evenings were long, nights longer. But the halls of STAR Labs buzzed with energy, not exhaustion.
***
"Cisco, the conference hall?"
"Done. Repurposed warehouse, fully outfitted. Transparent roof. Projector grids for Ghostlight full immersion. When people walk in, they'll feel like they're inside the future."
"Caitlin, emergency protocols for the VIREL Core?"
"Implemented. Multiple failsafes, each with JANUS verification. No one touches it without us."
They were deep within Sublevel 7, behind sealed doors only accessible by the core team, the cortex could no longer serve as their base of operations with the recent events. And so August had had this room to serve as their hidden operations chamber. Independent of the main lab and guarded by physical, digital, and psychological locks.
A spotlight shone from the ceiling, and landed on the suit on the platform. The emblem on its chest seemed to glint with promises for the future.