CHAPTER 86: CHAPTER 15.2: THE VALKYRIE (SCARLETT POV) PART 2

[FLASHBACK CONTINUES - May 2057 - Two Weeks Before the Sunflare Scorch]

6:00 AM - Yamashiro Institute Dormitory, Tokyo

The earthquake woke me, maybe 3.2 magnitude. Tokyo was used to them, but lately they’ve been increasing in frequency. The scientists on the news called it "normal tectonic activity." The encrypted messages on my father’s phone suggested otherwise.

Two weeks since Professor Chen had mentioned the committee. Two weeks of pretending everything was normal while watching my classmates plan futures that would never happen.

I rolled out of bed and into my morning routine. The Yamashiro Institute’s dorms were spartan but functional—everything a student needed, nothing more. I’d been here sixteen months, one of the few international students in the advanced combat program.

My phone buzzed. Father.

"It’s midnight in Copenhagen," I said by way of greeting.

"And noon tomorrow in Sydney, but time zones don’t matter anymore when you stop sleeping." His voice was rougher than usual. "How are you?"

"Fine. There was another quake this morning."

"I know. They’re happening globally. Yellowstone showed activity yesterday. The Pacific Ring of Fire is lighting up like a Christmas tree." He paused, and I could hear the unspoken fear in his silence. "The date has been moved up."

My hand tightened on the phone. "What happened?"

"Two weeks. Maybe less."

"You’re sure?"

"The solar monitoring stations are sure. The math doesn’t lie, even when we wish it would." Another pause. "I’m flying out tomorrow."

"Dad, you have the summit in Brussels—"

"There is no summit. Half the world leaders are already in their bunkers. The rest are maintaining the facade." His laugh was bitter. "We’re rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic."

"Does anyone else know?"

"The selection committee. Essential personnel. The 50,000 people were selected to maintain the vaults." He cleared his throat. "You’ll receive your assignment within days. Be ready."

---

10:30 AM - Advanced Weapons Design Class

Professor Kuroshio stood before a holographic display showing various weapon schematics. Most students were taking notes. I was designing modifications in my head, my mind already working on problems that wouldn’t exist for decades.

"Miss Kendrick," he called without looking up. "Your thoughts on the mono-molecular blade design?"

"It’s flawed," I said immediately, standing up. "The edge alignment degrades after seventeen strikes. You’d need to recalibrate mid-combat, which defeats the purpose."

"And your solution?"

I moved to the display, my fingers tracing the hologram. "Self-aligning carbon lattice structure here," I drew the modification, the hologram responding to my touch. "And a secondary edge that activates when the primary degrades. You lose 3% cutting efficiency but gain reliability."

"Interesting." He studied my design. "Submit the full specifications to my office. We might have used such innovations."

After class, he pulled me aside. "Your official selection came through this morning."

My heart stopped for a beat, then resumed double-time. "When?"

"You’ll be notified within 72 hours. Start making your preparations." He handed me a secure tablet. "You’re permitted to submit equipment requests. Whatever you think you’ll need when you wake up."

I took the tablet, already thinking. "Weapons?"

"Whatever you require, within reason. Though remember—you’ll be asleep for a century. Technology will advance. Your requests should be... timeless."

"A good blade never goes out of style," I said.

"Precisely."

---

7:00 PM - Campus Restaurant

Marcus was waiting again, same table, same concerned expression. We’ve had dinner three times now. Each time, I told myself it was the last.

"You look tired," he said.

"Thanks. Every girl loves hearing that."

He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "You look tired but beautiful?"

"Marginally." I sat down, noticed he’d ordered my usual again. "You need to stop memorizing my habits."

"Why?" he asked, his voice gentle.

"Because—" I stopped. Because in two weeks you’ll be dead and I’ll be frozen and this will all be meaningless. The thought hit me.

He leaned forward, his eyes searching for mine. "Scarlett, I know something’s wrong. The faculty, the emergency drills, the way you look at everyone like you’re memorizing their faces—"

"Marcus—"

"I’m just... I’m here. If you need someone."

The kindness in his voice nearly broke me. This boy who’d never hurt anyone, who wanted to heal rather than harm, who had no idea what was coming.

"Thank you," I managed, my voice thick with emotion I couldn’t show.

We ate in silence. When we parted, I hugged him—quick and fierce, our final hug.

"Take care of yourself," I said.

"You say that like goodbye."

"It’s just goodnight."

We both knew I was lying.

---

Day Before Departure - Father’s Visit

4:00 PM - Private Meeting Room, Yamashiro Institute

My father looked older. Two weeks had aged him two years. His suit was spotless but his eyes were haunted.

"The transport will arrive at 06:00 tomorrow," he said without even greeting me. "You’ll have one hour to reach the departure point."

"Where?"

"Vault Terminus. It’s been built beneath Mount Fuji. Deepest, most secure facility on Earth. You’ll be in the cryo-wing with fourteen other candidates."

"Why so few?"

"Because you’re not meant to maintain the vault. The 50,000 regular inhabitants will do that. You’re meant to sleep through the catastrophe and wake when the world needs rebuilding." He met my eyes. "You’re humanity’s genetic lottery tickets."

"That’s freaky."

He pulled out a small device. "Your equipment requests were approved. They’ll be waiting in your cryo-pod."

I’d asked for twin short swords, Norse-style but modernized. A mono-molecular blade with Tsurugi clan markings I’d found in the historical database. Various tactical equipment that wouldn’t degrade over time.

"Dad," I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. "What about you?"

"I have a bunker in Greenland. Parliamentary continuation of government protocols." His smile was sad. "We both know it’s not gonna work, but we have to try."

"Will I ever see you again?"

He pulled me into a hug—the first in years. "I don’t know. But if humanity survives, it will be because of people like you. Your mother would be so proud."

"Come with me. The vault—"

"Has no room for old politicians. Besides, someone needs to maintain the order that everything’s fine until the very end. Give people a few more days of hope."

He pulled back, composed himself. "There’s something else. The Sunflare event—it’s not just solar radiation. Our satellites detected something else. Biological markers in the corona discharge."

"What?"

"We don’t know. But some scientists think it’s not random. That something is coming with the flare.."