SPOTLIGHT

She shouldn't be doing this.

The shadows of the city loomed as Myst trailed behind the Clan, her movements ghosting through the alleyways just outside their line of sight. She had memorized their route from Cipher's briefing—every corner, every blind spot.

They wouldn't know she was here unless she wanted them to.

At least, that's what she told herself.

She had fought alongside them before. She had risked her life for them. And now, after everything—after the decrypted files, after getting the first lead—they wanted her to sit back and wait?

Not a chance.

Her earpiece, discreetly hacked into the Clan's comms, crackled with Razor's voice. "In position. No signs of patrols yet."

Shade's response followed. "Stay sharp. We're too close to the Ascended's sector for comfort."

The others moved with precision, their steps near silent as they navigated the crumbling infrastructure. Unbeknownst to them, Myst followed from the shadows, keeping her distance but never losing sight.

Cipher worked quickly, fingers flying across his portable console as he unlocked the entryway. "Almost got it," he murmured.

"Make it faster. We don't have all night," Blaze urged, eyes scanning the surroundings.

Nyx remained near the group, keeping watch. "Something's off. This was too easy."

Myst pressed herself against the wall of a narrow passage, watching as the team moved deeper into enemy territory.

She waited until the last of them disappeared inside before slipping forward. Careful, calculated steps. Just close enough to observe. Just close enough to prove she wasn't a lia—

A small red sensor flickered to life the moment her foot touched the ground beyond the alley. Too late, she saw the embedded tripwire stretched thin between two crumbling posts. The sharp click that followed sent a chill down her spine.

Her breath hitched. Fuck!

The silence of the night shattered as alarms flared to life, a shrieking, mechanical wail echoing through the complex.

Inside, the Clan's comms erupted in chaos.

"Shit—what was that?!" Echo's voice cut through.

"Proximity alert. We're compromised," Cipher snapped, already scanning his interface. "Where—?"

Then came Razor's curse. "Outside. Someone's outside."

Myst's stomach twisted as realization dawned. They knew. They knew.

The Ascended moved fast.

From the far end of the complex, dark figures emerged, their silhouettes illuminated by the blood-red glow of the alarms. Their movements were precise, synchronized—the kind that came from years of brutal efficiency.

Myst's heart hammered as she turned, but it was too late. The nearest Ascended soldier had already seen her. "Target acquired."

She barely had time to react before the first shot rang out. A plasma bolt seared past her shoulder, close enough that she felt the heat scorch the air.

Her comms flared again. "Who the hell—" Blaze's voice cut off mid-sentence as the group charged towards her direction. Then a sharp, furious snarl. "Myst."

She didn't respond. What could she even say?

"Myst, you goddamn—"

"Later," Shade cut in, his voice unnervingly level. "We need to move. Now."

The Ascended closed in. One of them vaulted over a broken beam, landing fluidly a few meters away from her. She lashed out with a desperate burst of energy, but it faltered. Her body was still recovering from the surge earlier.

A soldier lunged. She twisted away, barely dodging the strike aimed at her ribs. Another closed in, hand reaching for her throat.

Then, a gunshot. Sharp, precise.

The soldier crumpled before he could make contact. Myst's head snapped toward the source.

Flux, pistol still raised, his expression unreadable. "Move."

Before she could respond, Razor and Echo flanked her, weapons drawn. "You are so dead after this," Echo muttered before nudging her forward. "Run."

The Clan moved as one, forcing their way through the Ascended forces. Cipher was already feeding coordinates into their exit plan. "Route's compromised. We need a detour."

After what seemed like hours of running, the mission had taken a sharp turn, and now, the Clan found themselves cornered.

"Fuck, we're boxed in! The only way out is through them," Blaze hissed, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

From the darkness ahead, the Ascended leader emerged—a tall figure in reinforced combat plating, his presence imposing. His voice, cold and synthetic, rang through the narrow corridor. "You should not have come here."

Echo tightened his grip on his weapon, jaw clenched. "Yeah, well, we tend to have bad ideas."

Cipher's fingers danced over his wrist interface, working to override whatever jamming signal was disrupting their comms. "I just need thirty seconds to break through this interference. If we can get an opening—"

"We don't have thirty seconds," Shade muttered, his eyes locked on the advancing line of enemies.

Myst hadn't planned for this, hadn't expected to see them struggle like this. Something in her chest tightened at the sight of them—her Clan—staring down an enemy they couldn't possibly take head-on.

Her hands clenched at her sides. She knew she wasn't supposed to be here. They had left her behind for a reason. But now, she was getting them killed because of her.

The Ascended leader raised a hand. "Stand down, and perhaps we will spare you. Resist, and you will be reduced to nothing."

Myst's heart pounded in her ears. No. She had already cost them too much. She wasn't going to be the reason they fell here.

She inhaled sharply, power stirring at her fingertips. If they wanted a fight, she'd give them one.