Round 250

Silra's teal eyes locked onto Halie's face, a flicker of something unreadable passing through them before she nodded sharply. "One minute. Then I'm taking over whether you like it or not." She moved to the wall opposite Halie, positioning herself to reinforce the barrier section with her own body while keeping Jeane in sight. The building's groans grew louder, more insistent—it was a living thing demanding satisfaction now, and they were running out of time to deliver.

Halie bit her lip hard, focusing every ounce of will into maintaining the barrier despite her exhaustion. "We can't just abandon her," she gasped between pulses. "Jeane is still in there somewhere—I know it." The barrier pulsed again, dark energy rippling across its surface like oil on water. She could feel the building's hunger through it now—raw, primal need that made her skin crawl and her stomach twist with unwanted arousal.

Silra slammed a reinforced plate into place with her welder, sparks flying. "You're not listening," she snarled over the noise. "This isn't Jeane anymore—it's a monster wearing her face. And monsters need to be put down before they hurt someone." She moved to the next section, working furiously as the building shrieked metal stress above them.

Halie pressed harder against the barrier, sweat beading on her forehead from the effort. "I am listening," she panted. "But murder isn't the answer here—she's our friend!" The barrier pulsed again, and this time Halie felt something else through it—a desperate cry for help? She closed her eyes, focusing inward despite the strain. "There's still a human consciousness in there—I can feel it!"

Silra finished welding another plate and turned to face Halie fully. Her expression was hard, but uncertainty flickered in her eyes. "You're sure about that?" she asked, voice softer than before.

Halie nodded desperately. "Yes—completely sure. Whatever this thing is, Jeane's still fighting inside it." The barrier pulsed once more, and this time Halie felt the full weight of what was happening—the building's hunger, Jeane's struggle, her own exhaustion and fear all mingling together in a nauseating cocktail.

Silra hesitated for just a moment before nodding sharply. "Fine—one more minute. But if you can't break through whatever this is, I'm taking over whether you like it or not." She moved back to the wall, resuming her work with renewed intensity as the building's groans reached a fever pitch.

Halie leaned against the barrier, drawing on every reserve of strength she had left. "I'll do it," she whispered, more to herself than to Silra. "Just... give me sixty seconds." The barrier pulsed again, and this time Halie felt something else—a tiny spark of hope? She gripped her cross necklace tightly and focused all her remaining energy into the barrier, willing it to hold just a little longer as she searched for any sign of the friend trapped inside the monster before them.