Shadows Heart

The helicopter's ascent offered a breathtaking view of the Amazon, but my mind was far from the scenery. The cooler resting securely on the seat beside me held more than just bat saliva—it carried the weight of everything I'd been fighting for. Every bump of the helicopter, every shift in the cooler, reminded me of the fragility of the samples inside—and the fragility of the hope I was clinging to.

As the jungle receded below, my thoughts returned to Sao. I could see her in my mind, sitting by the window, her sketchpad balanced on her knees, her eyes distant yet alive with quiet defiance. The way she could stare down an impossible situation and find beauty in it—that was Sao. And Lucien—or rather, Oriel—his desperation and fire, the way he always acted like he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, even when he didn't have to.

This was for them. For the people we used to be, and the people we might become if this worked.

The pilot's voice crackled over the headset. "We'll touch down in thirty minutes, Doctor. How's everything back there?"

"Stable," I replied, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. "Let's keep it that way."

The landing site was a small, nondescript airstrip nestled at the edge of a dense town. From here, the samples would be carefully transported to a secure lab where I could begin the next phase of research. My heart was pounding as I climbed out of the helicopter, the cooler clutched tightly in my hands.

A familiar face greeted me on the ground. Jamie, my colleague and the only person I trusted with the gravity of this mission, waved me over.

"Janus," he said, grinning as he jogged up to me. "Tell me you've got something good."

"I've got something," I said, handing him the cooler. "Let's get it to the lab before I start celebrating."

Jamie's expression shifted to something more serious as he took the cooler, cradling it like it was made of glass. "You're sure about this?"

"No," I admitted, meeting his gaze. "But it's the best shot we've got."

The drive to the lab was quiet, the tension between us palpable. Jamie didn't push for details, and I was grateful for it. Every second felt like an eternity, the weight of the future pressing down on me as I stared out at the passing scenery.

When we reached the lab, it was all business. The samples were carefully transferred to a refrigeration unit, the vials gleaming under the fluorescent lights. Jamie stood beside me, his arms crossed as he watched me work.

"What's next?" he asked finally.

"Analysis," I said, pulling on a pair of gloves. "We isolate the anticoagulant proteins, see how they interact with the markers we've already identified, and—"

"Janus," Jamie interrupted, his voice soft. "I mean for you. What's next for you?"

I froze, my hands hovering over the samples. "I go back."

"To them?" Jamie asked, his tone laced with curiosity. "To Sao and Lucien?"

"Yes," I said firmly. "If this works, they'll need me."

"And if it doesn't?" Jamie asked, his voice cautious.

I didn't answer. I couldn't. Failure wasn't an option. Not for Sao. Not for Oriel. Not for the promise I'd made.

Hours turned into days as I worked, the hum of the lab equipment blending with the rhythm of my thoughts. The samples were promising—more than promising. The anticoagulants were unlike anything I'd seen, their structure complex but precise, like they were designed for this.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the results came in. I stared at the data, my heart racing.

It wasn't a cure. Not yet. But it was a step forward—a step closer to the life we'd been chasing for so long.

Jamie clapped me on the back, his grin wide. "You did it, Janus."

"Not yet," I said, though a small smile tugged at my lips. "But we're closer."

The next morning, I boarded another flight, the vials carefully packed and secured. As the plane soared into the sky, I leaned back in my seat, the weight of hope and responsibility pressing down on me.

I was going home. To Sao. To Oriel. To a future I wasn't sure we deserved, but one I was determined to fight for.

This was just the beginning.