Chapter 5

A security raid forces SecUnit to flee the safe house with Mensah's family. Leonide reveals a hidden passage and negotiates SecUnit into agreeing to evacuate five additional people off the torus in exchange. During their escape through the hatch, explosions from the attacking security forces critically wound Leonide, and the group must proceed into underground tunnels with her dying.

SecUnit confronts Leonide in the kitchen, suspicious of her intentions. Leonide reveals she has five people she needs evacuated off the torus and offers to help SecUnit in exchange. She implies Mensah's family is in danger from people seeking them as leverage. SecUnit initially refuses, but discovers Leonide orchestrated the family's detention in the labor camp. A security raid alert suddenly blares across the habitation area—armed hostiles are approaching the house. Leonide offers a hidden emergency passage as an alternative to the exposed lift tubes. SecUnit agrees to take Leonide's five people out. As Farai, Sofi, and Naja descend into the concealed shaft, SecUnit shields Leonide from explosions that blast through both house entrances, sustaining embedded needle-shrapnel wounds. Leonide falls through the hatch severely wounded. Despite Farai's emergency medical intervention, the medkit assessment is grim: catastrophic damage beyond reach of any accessible medcenter. The group seals themselves underground as Leonide's vital signs deteriorate. A feed packet from Leonide remains unread in SecUnit's inbox.