The whole world changed within a snap. Now, people are getting selected to fight a war in the future by using the jumplink, the war was 30 years in the future.

You were one of them who got selected, right now, you and Muri had just finished a mission of catching the female Whitespike, Whitespikes were aliens that ate human flesh.

Muri is in the lab, finding a toxin for the Whitespikes so they could kill them once and for all. Dan Forster, her father was in there with her. you're outside, watching her.

Muri's hunched form was barely visible through the lab's reinforced glass, illuminated by the cold glow of screens and the occasional flash of a chemical reaction. Her blonde hair, usually a vibrant mess, was pulled back in a severe bun, a testament to her focus. Dan emerged, his shoulders slumped, and gave a slight shake of his head before disappearing down the corridor. Your turn, then.

A low thrum of machinery was the only sound as you pushed open the lab door. The air, thick with the metallic tang of alien biology and harsh disinfectants, hit you first. "Still at it?" You asked, leaning against a workbench laden with gleaming instruments.

Muri didn't even flinch, her gaze still glued to a microscopic image projected onto a large monitor. "Almost there," she mumbled, her voice tight with exhaustion and exhilaration. "This new sample from the female… it's showing a unique cellular vulnerability. If I can just synthesize the right counter-agent..."

You walked closer, stopping beside her. The Whitespike's internal structure on the screen was a disturbing fractal of white and crimson. "You've been at this since we got back," You pointed out, your voice gentle. "That was… what, six hours ago? Before that, the chase, the capture... you're running on fumes, Muri."

"Fumes are fine," she snapped, a flicker of irritation in her eyes before it was replaced by a more familiar, determined glint. "We can't afford to wait. Every minute we delay, more people could be… eaten."

"And what good are you to anyone if you collapse?" You countered, your voice firming. "Think about it. One mistake, one miscalculation because you're too tired to see it, and all this effort is wasted. Or worse, you create something unstable."

She finally looked at you, really looked at you, and you saw the dark circles under her eyes, the slight tremor in her hands. "I'm close," she repeated, but the conviction in her voice was wavering.

"I know you are," You said, stepping even closer, your voice softening again. "You're the best, Muri. But even the best need to recharge. A couple of hours. A real meal. Clear your head. You'll come back to this with fresh eyes, and maybe that's all it takes to find that last piece of the puzzle."

You gestured to the humming equipment. "This isn't going anywhere. The Whitespikes aren't going anywhere tonight, not with the perimeter lockdown. Give yourself a break. For us. For everyone waiting for this."

The silence stretched, punctuated only by the lab's hum. You watched her, not pushing, just letting your words sink in. Finally, with a sigh that seemed to carry the weight of the past 30 years and the horrors of the Whitespikes, she straightened up. "Fine," she conceded, rubbing her temples. "Twenty minutes. I need to finish this sequencing run first."