In response, Nathan stood and, not meeting her eyes, beckoned for her to follow. Frowning, Nori complied. They walked down a narrow corridor with doors on both sides. Reaching the last room, next to the stairs, Nathan opened the door, revealing a desk with a dozen black monitors hanging on the wall above it.

Nori frowned. “It’s the security room, so what? We can’t use it—electronics don’t work anymore, remember?”

Nathan nodded and placed his hand on a keyboard at the desk.

A single monitor flared to life.

Nori gaped at the blurry image, hardly believing her own eyes. “How … how did you do that?”

Nathan looked down and pointed at the corner of the active screen. It showed part of a corridor leading outside the building. Something stirred, revealing a four-legged Warped creature, sitting patiently, facing the exit.

Nori stared at the monitor, then back to the young man, and then back to the monitor. “Looks like I’m staying a little longer.”

***

They each took a corner of the room and got ready to sleep.

“So, I gave it a lot of thought,” Lana said, after covering herself with a tattered blanket. “It should have a purpose, right? I mean - everything that happened ... it can’t all be just a meaningless catastrophe. You don’t give people the ability to heal almost instantaneously and reduce their need to eat if you plan to kill them, right? Maybe this Tec thing was meant as a gift? Maybe some people were simply incompatible and became Warped instead?

“You’re an optimist.” Nori’s dreadlocks flailed as she shook her head. “Have you considered that it could be the other way around? Maybe they intended to turn all humanity into a monster slave-race, but only a small part of the population was affected as intended? That would explain the text interfaces we suddenly have, maybe it was meant as a control device.”

Lana shuddered. “I really don’t like that theory. Besides, if super-intelligent beings were responsible, then why was only ten percent of the population affected? Why keep the rest of us?”

Nori shrugged. “Everyone’s gotta eat.”

Lana threw a quick glance at Nathan, but the young man was already asleep. “That’s a pretty horrible idea.”

“Think about it. We barely need food, but those creatures eat everything they manage to get their claws on. And it makes them bigger. From where I’m standing, it looks like the Earth has turned into their feeding ground.”

“I think I like my theory better,” Lana said.

“I like your theory better too,” Nori said and drew in her blanket. “Good night.”

“Good night.”

***

A loud bang shook the walls, causing all three to jump to their feet.

“What was that?” Lana said, her face pale.