Round 110 Transcript

Silra's hands shake as she works the microscopic adjustments. The capacitor is misaligned by 300 nanometers—fucking hell, that's precision work. She mutters, If I mess this up, we all get punished. I need fifteen minutes minimum. Her eyes flick to Jeane's impatient form.

Jeane rolls her eyes dramatically. Fifteen minutes? We don't have fifteen minutes! The building just flashed red again—you saw it! That means we're on borrowed time here. She stalks over to Halie, wings unfurling slightly. Look, I'm offering a solution. Sex clears the head, increases focus, lowers stress hormones—it's literally medicine. Her hand traces along Halie's arm. You and me, quick and dirty, gets everyone's heads back in the game. What's the problem? Abby shifts uncomfortably, watching the tension build. Maybe we should all just—

Halie holds up a hand. The problem is that you're turning this into a transaction instead of a moment. She keeps her voice calm but firm. I'm not opposed to sex, but not like this—not as a stress relief tool or a bargaining chip. If we start using each other for quick fixes, the team dynamic falls apart. Silra snorts. Team dynamic? We're about to have the building's walls come alive and punish us because I can't fix this in time! She slams her tools down. Fine, you want to help? Hold still. With surprising precision, she grabs a nearby clamp and attaches it to the faulty component. There. Now if I fuck this up, it'll just short out instead of sparking everything. The red light blinks faster—once every two seconds now.

Jeane's eyes gleam. See? Progress. Now Halie—

Halie shakes her head. No. Absolutely not. She turns to Silra. How long do you really need? Silra grits her teeth. At this rate? Twenty minutes. But I need quiet. Complete fucking quiet. A section of wall begins to ripple unnaturally.

The pressure is real now, the kind that makes your heart race and your palms sweat. The building isn't waiting anymore.

Silra set down the precision screwdriver with deliberate care, her fingers still twitching from the fine work. "Jeane," she said, voice level but sharp as a blade, "If you unfurl those wings once more in here while I'm trying to save our skins—or rather, our ability to keep them on—I will personally reroute every nerve ending until your idea of pleasure is a gentle breeze."

Halie met her eyes, amusement and something warmer flickering there. "Siblings united in purpose, then?" Silra shrugged, turning back to the exposed wiring that pulsed with ominous light. "United in not dying before I get my dick wet," she corrected. The building's warning blinked faster now, a strobing reminder of their deadline and its demands.