Chapter 14 : The Betrayal Within

Aria looked down at the device, a strange feeling of vulnerability creeping over her as she realized the enormity of what they were doing—and what he was willing to risk. She nodded, feeling the weight of his sacrifice settle over her.

"Stay safe," she muttered, hating the way her voice shook. "And don't do anything stupid."

"Stupid's my specialty," he replied with a faint grin. And before she could say another word, he turned and darted out into the open, drawing the attention of the Tribunal airship above.

Aria felt her heart race as he sprinted across the industrial yard, his movements quick and sure. The airship's spotlight shifted, locking onto him, and a barrage of plasma fire followed, illuminating the night with bright, deadly arcs of energy.

Without wasting another second, Aria activated the Chrono Transmitter. A faint hum vibrated in her hand, and a shimmer washed over her, the air around her distorting as the device scrambled her time signature. She felt herself fade, slipping out of view like a ghost. She bolted through the shadows, staying low as she made her way to the outer perimeter.

The airship's engines roared as it circled overhead, fixated on Elias. Aria forced herself not to look back, focusing only on escaping. She couldn't let herself think about what might happen if he didn't make it out, if this was the last time she'd see him. The thought tore at her, but she shoved it aside, channeling her fear into raw determination.

The Chrono Transmitter's effect was fading by the time she reached the edge of the industrial yard. She ducked behind an old transport vehicle, pressing her back against the cold metal as she checked her surroundings. The airship's spotlight swept over the area, but she remained undetected.

With a final glance back, she saw a burst of light—the flash of Elias's Phase Cloak deactivating as he continued to evade the Tribunal's fire. Her heart twisted, but she turned away, steeling herself as she sprinted toward the safehouse in District Seven.

The safehouse was a nondescript building wedged between two warehouses in one of the older districts. Aria slipped through the back entrance, her footsteps echoing in the silence. The adrenaline from the mission still pumped through her veins, but her mind was fixed on Elias—on the risk he'd taken and the uncertainty of his fate.

She activated the security panel and scanned the Data Shard, the holographic interface projecting streams of information across the room. She'd wait for him here, using the time to study the data they'd retrieved and hoping it would reveal something—anything—that could help bring down the Tribunal.

The files began to decrypt, lines of code unraveling to reveal hidden records, mission logs, and personnel profiles. Aria's eyes scanned the information, and her heart raced as she realized the depth of the Tribunal's reach. They'd orchestrated disappearances across timelines, altering critical events and removing key figures who stood in their way. Mara's name appeared more than once, but the files were redacted—vital information blocked, even from this supposedly unrestricted source.

"What were you involved in, Mara?" Aria whispered, scrolling through the files.

But her concentration was shattered by the faint creak of a floorboard behind her. She whirled around, ChronoWeapon in hand, her heart pounding as a shadow shifted in the doorway.

"Easy, Aria. It's me."

She lowered the weapon, relief flooding through her as Elias stepped into the room, his face flushed and his clothes disheveled from the escape. "You made it," she breathed, the tension in her chest easing.

He smirked, brushing dust from his coat. "Told you I would."

But before she could say anything more, she noticed the flicker of something strange in his eyes—something she couldn't quite read. He crossed the room, and her eyes narrowed as she watched him, a faint suspicion creeping in.

"Did you get what we needed?" he asked, nodding toward the data projection.

"Yes," she replied slowly, her gaze steady. "The data confirms a lot of what we suspected. The Tribunal has been altering timelines for decades. But there's still something missing, something they're hiding."

"Is that so?" His tone was casual, but she caught the slight hesitation in his voice.

Her instincts flared, and she took a step back, her hand inching toward her weapon. "Where were you just now, Elias? After you drew their fire."

He met her gaze, his expression unreadable. "I took a detour to make sure they wouldn't track us. Had to throw them off the trail."

Aria's eyes narrowed. "And you didn't think to let me know?"

Elias's jaw tightened, and she saw a flicker of annoyance cross his face. "Are you questioning me now? After everything we just went through?"

"I'm asking because something doesn't add up," she shot back, the mistrust simmering between them. "You left me the Data Shard, risked your life to get me out, and now you're acting like… like you're holding something back."

He shook his head, his tone calm but edged with tension. "You're overthinking this, Aria. We got what we came for, didn't we?"

"Did we?" She took another step back, her fingers brushing the handle of her weapon. "Or did you get what you wanted?"

For a moment, silence filled the room, the tension so thick it was almost suffocating. Elias's expression hardened, the playful spark in his eyes replaced by a steely resolve she hadn't seen before.

"You're not the only one with questions, Aria," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I've been trying to stop the Tribunal for years. And maybe—just maybe—that means I've had to make choices you wouldn't understand."

Her heart pounded, a mixture of anger and fear twisting in her chest. "Then explain it to me. Make me understand, Elias. Because right now, it feels like I'm in this alone."

He took a step closer, his gaze intense. "You're not alone, Aria. But if you're going to keep questioning my every move, this partnership won't survive."

Her fingers tightened around her weapon, the weight of his words sinking in. They were on the same side—or so she'd thought. But the lines between ally and enemy were blurring, and she wasn't sure if she could trust him.

The Data Shard continued to project its stream of data, casting an eerie glow over the room as Aria and Elias stood in silence, the weight of unspoken secrets pressing between them.

Somewhere in the scrolling data, a hidden file flashed—marked with her sister's name.