Shadows in the Distance

The evening air was brittle, clinging to the compound like a warning. It wasn't cold, not yet, but the chill had settled deep in Leila's bones. A creeping, gnawing unease that had nothing to do with the shifting temperatures.

Everything was too quiet.

It had been that way all afternoon, a kind of unnatural stillness that set every nerve in her body on edge. No birdsong. No rustling of wildlife in the surrounding underbrush. Even the wind felt hesitant, whispering instead of howling, as if afraid to disturb something lurking just beyond the compound walls.

Leila had learned to trust that silence. It wasn't peace. It was the moment before a predator pounced.

Her fingers curled tightly around the radio at her hip as she walked the perimeter, the weight of the weapon at her side a familiar but unsettling reassurance. Every instinct told her to be ready.

The confirmation came moments later when Darren's voice crackled through her earpiece.

"Leila. North ridge. We've got movement."

A pulse of adrenaline shot through her veins as she immediately veered toward the watchtower, her boots striking hard against the packed earth.

By the time she reached the top of the ladder, Mark was already there, his rifle propped against his shoulder, finger hovering just outside the trigger guard. He didn't look away from the scope as she approached, his jaw clenched so tightly it looked carved from stone.

"What do we have?" Leila asked, her voice controlled despite the tension curling in her gut.

Mark exhaled sharply through his nose, adjusting the scope with steady fingers. "Two—no, three figures. Sticking to the trees. Moving slow, watching us."

Leila reached for the binoculars beside him, raising them to her eyes. The blurs of shadow solidified into unmistakable silhouettes lurking just beyond the tree line. They weren't advancing. They weren't scavenging. They weren't trying to hide, either.

They were observing.

Her stomach twisted.

Reconnaissance.

This wasn't a coincidence. This wasn't some desperate band of drifters seeking shelter.

This was intentional.

They were gathering information.

Leila's grip tightened around the binoculars, the weight of reality sinking deeper into her chest.

Jace.

She didn't need to see his face to know.

This was him. His way of working. He never lunged blindly—he studied his prey first. Picked apart their defenses before striking.

A shudder worked its way down her spine, but she refused to let it take hold. Not now.

She lowered the binoculars and handed them back to Mark.

"Hold your position," she ordered, her voice sharp and unwavering.

Mark glanced at her sideways. "You don't want me to scare them off?"

"No."

Kai's voice cut through the tension before Mark could argue further.

"You're playing the long game," he murmured, stepping up beside her.

Leila didn't look at him, her gaze fixed on the shadows in the trees. "If we show our hand too soon, they'll know exactly how strong we are. We can't afford that."

Kai was quiet for a moment before nodding. "Makes sense."

But there was an edge to his tone, something unreadable.

Mark, however, didn't bother to hide his frustration. "So what? We just let them sit there? Let them watch?"

Leila exhaled slowly, forcing her pulse to steady. "We let them wonder."

Mark muttered something under his breath but ultimately obeyed, keeping his rifle at the ready as she turned back toward the ladder.

Kai followed her down, falling into step beside her as they crossed the compound.

"You knew it was him the second you saw them," he said quietly. It wasn't a question.

Leila hesitated before answering.

"I knew the possibility was real."

Kai gave her a look. "And the reality?"

Leila exhaled sharply, running a hand over her face before shaking her head. "Jace doesn't let his people waste time. If they're here, they're watching for a reason."

Kai didn't press, though she could feel the weight of his concern pressing against her shoulders like an unspoken question.

But she didn't have an answer. Not one she could stomach.

Not yet.

The tension in the compound was palpable, thick enough to choke on. Even those who hadn't seen the figures in the trees felt the unease radiating through the air.

Shadows stretched long over the barricades as the last of the daylight bled into dusk, leaving everything cast in hues of deep indigo and violent crimson.

Leila stood near the northern wall, hands gripping the edge of the rough wooden barrier as her gaze swept the treeline once more.

They were gone.

But she knew better than to think they'd left.

They were waiting.

The radio on her hip crackled, breaking the silence.

"Leila… I think we need to talk."

Fiona.

Leila pressed the receiver. "What's wrong?"

There was a pause, then, "Just come to the west side. You'll want to see this yourself."

Leila didn't waste time asking questions. She pushed off the barricade, making her way quickly through the compound toward Fiona's post near the old service road.

When she arrived, Fiona was crouched behind a stack of sandbags, her rifle resting lightly in her hands.

"Talk to me," Leila said, scanning the area.

Fiona gestured toward the distant horizon. "About an hour ago, I saw dust kicking up past the ridge. Something moving fast. Could've been vehicles."

Leila's breath hitched.

"Could've been?" she echoed.

Fiona's jaw clenched. "I wasn't sure until now. But with what Mark just saw…" She exhaled heavily, shifting her weight. "It's not random, Leila. They're moving. And I'd put money on the fact that it's them."

Leila felt something coil tight in her chest.

Kai, who had followed in silence, now crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "Then it's official," he said, voice edged with something dark. "Jace is making his move."

Leila's pulse roared in her ears, but she forced herself to stay steady. "Then we reinforce the plan. Patrols stay doubled. No one goes anywhere alone, even inside the walls."

Mark, who had just arrived, nodded sharply. "I'll spread the word."

As he jogged off, Fiona hesitated before stepping closer. Her voice was softer, just for Leila.

"You gonna be okay?"

Leila forced a tight-lipped smile.

"I don't have a choice."

The night deepened, swallowing the compound in its inky embrace. Fires burned low, and figures moved like ghosts across the ramparts, their silhouettes framed by the dying embers of sunset.

Leila stood at the top of the barricade once more, watching the darkness.

Somewhere out there, Jace was watching too.

The past was no longer behind her.

It was closing in.

Kai stepped up beside her, his presence steady, grounding.

"We don't run," he said quietly.

Leila exhaled slowly, steeling herself.

"No," she agreed. "We fight."