Chapter 08
The air inside the war room was electric with urgency. Varen stood at the head of the table, his shoulders tense but his expression resolute. The Syndicate’s downloaded data—the trap he’d planted—was now their best chance to strike back.
“They’ll rendezvous at these coordinates,” Varen explained, pointing to a glowing section of the map. “It’s a resource depot on the outskirts of the Derelict Zone. If we move now, we can cut them off and cripple their supply chain.”
Ronan studied the map with a critical eye. His trust in Varen was fragile, but desperation outweighed caution. “What kind of resistance can we expect?”
“Minimal,” Varen replied. “The Syndicate won’t risk their heavy forces on a supply run. They’ll send a skeleton crew, no more than a dozen operatives.”
Ronan nodded. “Then we strike hard and fast. Lila.”
She straightened at the sound of her name, her pulse quickening.
“You’ll lead the infiltration team,” he said, his silver eyes locking onto hers. “This is your plan. I trust you to see it through.”
Her breath caught, but she nodded firmly. “I won’t let you down.”
On the Syndicate ship, Kael stood in the dimly lit command room, their helmet resting on the console. Their face, sharp and angular with faint scars tracing their cheekbones, was a mask of fury barely restrained.
“You’re certain?” they asked, their voice cold and measured.
The officer before them nodded. “The data we retrieved from the palace... It led us into an ambush. Our supply convoy was destroyed, and we lost valuable assets.”
Kael’s lips twisted into a humorless smile. “Varen.”
The officer hesitated. “It’s likely he fed us false information.”
Kael’s hands clenched into fists, their cybernetic fingers sparking faintly. “Ronan’s influence runs deeper than I thought. To turn one of my own against me...”
They turned to the officer, their tone as sharp as a blade. “Prepare a retaliation strike. I want every weak point in Ronan’s defenses exploited. And when the time comes, bring me Varen alive. I want him to see what loyalty costs.”
The Derelict Zone was a graveyard of abandoned structures and twisted metal, remnants of a long-forgotten war. The air was heavy with the scent of rust and decay as Lila and her team crept through the shadows.
“Stay sharp,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the faint hum of the Syndicate’s machinery.
Ahead, the depot loomed—a sprawling complex of storage containers and automated loading bots. A handful of Syndicate operatives patrolled the perimeter, their black armor glinting under the faint moonlight.
Lila signaled for her team to split up, each member moving to their assigned position.
“Wait for my signal,” she whispered into the communicator.
Her heart raced as she watched the Syndicate operatives. She could feel the weight of the mission pressing down on her, but she pushed the fear aside. This was her chance to prove herself—not just to Ronan, but to herself.
“Now,” she whispered.
Her team moved with precision, taking out the perimeter guards silently and efficiently. Lila herself darted toward the central terminal, her fingers flying over the controls as she hacked into the depot’s systems.
“They’ve got reinforcements inbound,” one of her team members reported through the communicator.
“Then we need to move faster,” Lila replied, her voice steady despite the adrenaline surging through her veins.
The depot’s automated defenses sprang to life, targeting the approaching Syndicate reinforcements and buying Lila’s team precious time.
Varen had insisted on joining the mission, despite the mistrust that lingered between him and the others. He worked alongside Lila, using his knowledge of the Syndicate’s systems to disable their security protocols.
“You don’t have to do this,” Lila said quietly as they worked.
“Yes, I do,” Varen replied, his voice filled with quiet determination. “I’ve made mistakes, but I won’t let them define me. Not anymore.”
For the first time, Lila saw something in him she hadn’t before: a man trying to atone for his choices, even if it cost him everything.
When the Syndicate reinforcements finally broke through, it was Varen who held the line, fending off their attackers long enough for Lila and the others to complete the mission.
“Go!” he shouted, his weapon blazing as he covered their retreat.
Lila hesitated, her instincts screaming at her not to leave him behind. But his expression left no room for argument.
“Don’t waste this,” he said, his voice firm.
The mission was a success. The depot was destroyed, and the Syndicate’s supply chain had taken a critical hit. But the victory was bittersweet.
Lila and her team returned to the palace, battered but alive. Ronan was waiting for them in the courtyard, his silver eyes scanning the group for her.
“You did it,” he said simply as she approached.
“Varen made it possible,” she replied, her voice heavy with emotion.
Ronan nodded, his jaw tightening. “Then his sacrifice wasn’t in vain.”
As the others dispersed, Lila lingered, her gaze meeting Ronan’s.
“Did I do enough?” she asked quietly.
He stepped closer, his hand brushing her shoulder. “More than enough. You’ve proven yourself, Lila. Not just to me, but to everyone.”
The warmth in his voice, the quiet pride in his expression, sent a flutter through her chest.
But the moment was cut short by the sound of an approaching messenger.
“My king,” the messenger said, bowing quickly. “Kael has issued a challenge. They’re demanding a duel—with you.”
Ronan’s expression darkened, the weight of the war settling over him once again.
“Then they’ll get one,” he said, his voice steady but fierce.