Chapter 4: Building the Army

Arjun and his group had the ideal cover: the subterranean facility was tucked away behind an abandoned industrial complex outside of the city. It wasn't spectacular, moist, or chilly, but it was safe. Their hidden headquarters was a large network of tunnels that snaked deep underground, accessible through an entrance that was posed as a dilapidated storage facility. The base was bare, with prototype components, half-built machinery, and stitched drawings posted to the walls. In spite of the depressing circumstances, the squad exuded a strong sense of purpose.

Zara was near a workstation, meticulously adjusting a machine suit component. As she changed the suit's brain interface's sensitivity, her brow wrinkled in concentration. Every tweak counted; one error, and the entire system might not work properly. Arjun, meanwhile, was sitting close by, studying his father's old notes intently and comparing them to his own revisions.

Gazing up at Arjun, Zara mocked, "You're overthinking it." "It's not a nuclear reactor; it's just a neural node."

Arjun grinned. "Given the capabilities of this suit, it might as well be."

After working side by side through long, restless hours, the two had fallen into a groove. Every accomplishment was greeted with a gentle smile, and every setback was greeted with a resolve to make things right. Their relationship had been cultivated over many hours together, and it extended beyond their professional cooperation. In the midst of this dangerous assignment, they had grown close and candid with one another, exchanging ideas and having private discussions about their goals, worries, and dreams.

As the days meanwhile, the group encountered several technological setbacks. During a test run, one of the robots' core processors failed, causing it to go into a violent frenzy that destroyed half the facility. As Kiran leaped in to physically hold the robot, Mira's fingers sped over her laptop, trying to bypass its broken systems. Only until Arjun personally turned off the power supply did the tumultuous drama come to an end.

Kiran, panting, wiped the perspiration from his brow and cocked an eyebrow at Arjun. "I thought this was meant to protect us from the government? Since it appears that it will kill us first right now.

Arjun suppressed a giggle. "We'll arrive. Only a few more adjustments.

But their problems went beyond technological ones. Materials were in short supply. They had to riskily scavenge or steal every new item they required from government installations, endangering their whole objective in the process. The team's combat expert Kiran was frequently in charge of these raids, with Mira helping to deactivate security systems through hacking. There was always a chance that they might be found out, and each time they returned with supplies, there was an unsaid pleasure that they had avoided arrest yet again.

Despite these difficulties, Zara and Arjun's bond grew. They became closer while working side by side for days on end. Despite the immense weight on their shoulders, they started eating together in the poorly lit mess room and cracking jokes. One evening, as they were sitting and going over plans together, Zara disturbed the quiet with a soft question.

"Have you ever considered how life might be different if anything had not happened?" She questioned, a hint of sadness in her voice.

Arjun turned to face her, taken aback by the abrupt sensitivity in her voice. "Every time," he conceded. But given what they did to my father, I doubt I could ever lead a regular life. All I can think of right now is this and everything we're doing.

Zara nodded, realizing the significance of what he had said. But even so, I can't help but wonder... Where would we be if things were different? Perhaps in a distant place, creating amusing devices rather than raising an army to topple a regime.

Though Arjun laughed, a melancholy look was in his eyes. "Yes, perhaps."

Their moments together evolved into a peaceful haven from the stress that surrounded them. They came to rely on one another for emotional support as much as for the objective. Zara's intelligence, determination to see their project through to the end, and calm strength in the face of stress impressed Arjun. In return, Zara was drawn to Arjun because of his intelligence, his steady drive, and the weakness he attempted to conceal under his need for vengeance.

After spending hours debugging a particularly difficult issue with the suit's interface late one evening, Zara turned to see Arjun hunched over in his chair, his head cocked in irritation as he stared at the ceiling. She moved over and sat down next to him after setting down her tools.

She gently nudged his shoulder and murmured, "Hey." "Grab a pause. If you keep continuing in this manner, you will burn out.

With a groan, Arjun massaged his temples. "I am aware. I simply... I cannot afford to give up. They grow more powerful every minute we squander.

Zara put a delicate yet reassuring hand on his arm. "Arjun, we're all in this together. You don't have to bear the whole burden by yourself.

Arjun looked at her for a minute, and his countenance softened in intensity. The barriers he had erected around himself appeared to erode slightly during that silent conversation. Although Zara had always been on par with him in this battle, she suddenly turned into a person he could put his emotions, dreams, and worries in.

"Gratitude," he said, extending a little, appreciative grin at her.

With a smile of her own, she briefly rested her hand on his arm before removing it. "Come on now. Together, let's solve this problem.

With unsaid but evident tension between them, they went back to their work together. Their relationship got closer as they worked to assemble the army, building by brick and wire by wire. Every setback served to strengthen their bond, and each victory demonstrated their undying resolve.

And all the while, the persistent threat of discovery hovered over their work. Instead, the group's commitment grew more resolve. Knowing the risks, they were prepared to lose everything in order to obtain the justice they desired.

With the skeletons all about them in the dim light of their underground laboratory, with their emotions entwined with the purpose that united them, Arjun and Zara persisted in moving forward despite the sounds of incomplete robots and equipment.