Chapter 24: Fugitive Truths

Chapter 24: Fugitive Truths

Silvia's POV

The streets of Ravenspire blurred around them as Silvia and Dragon moved through the narrow alleys, weaving between shadowed corridors and crumbling stone archways. The sound of alarms still echoed from the Azure Spire, but they had put enough distance between themselves and their pursuers—for now.

Silvia clutched the stolen data drive against her chest, the weight of it heavier than its physical form. This held answers. This held danger.

Dragon shot her a side glance as they reached a quiet, dimly lit back street. "You doing okay there, Earthstar? You're holding that thing like it might explode."

Silvia exhaled, stuffing the drive into her coat. "Because for all we know, it might."

He smirked. "I've seen you throw fireballs at monsters without blinking, but a little piece of tech has you spooked?"

She shot him a glare. "Fireballs don't hold classified corporate secrets. This does."

Dragon raised his hands in surrender. "Fair point. But we need to get somewhere safe before we dig into it."

Silvia nodded, glancing behind them one last time before following Dragon deeper into the city's underbelly.

The Hideout

They slipped into a small, abandoned apartment complex in the lower district—one of Dragon's many safe houses. The walls were cracked, dust layered the furniture, and the faint scent of oil and rust lingered in the air. But it was off the grid, and that was all they needed.

Dragon locked the door behind them, double-checking the windows. "Alright, let's see what was worth nearly getting killed for."

Silvia sat at a battered wooden table, pulling the data drive from her coat. She hooked it up to a portable interface, fingers flying over the screen as encrypted files unraveled before her eyes.

A long list of names, profiles, and biometric scans scrolled past. Hundreds of them.

Her blood ran cold. "These are people."

Dragon frowned, leaning over her shoulder. "People? You mean prisoners?"

Silvia shook her head. "No. Recruits."

The realization hit her like a punch. "Echelon isn't just taking magic users. They're training them."

The Truth Unveiled

Silvia scrolled through the files, pulling up logs and video snippets. Darkened laboratories. Restraints. People—mages—being forced into controlled combat scenarios. Some of them barely looked older than twenty.

Her breath hitched. "They're making an army."

Dragon let out a low whistle. "Looks like Echelon isn't content with just running the city. They want to expand."

Silvia clenched her fists. "They're taking magic users—people like me—and turning them into soldiers."

She pulled up another file labeled "Viability Reports." It detailed experiments. Strength tests. Endurance trials. And at the bottom, a section labeled FAILED SUBJECTS.

Her stomach twisted. So the ones who didn't meet their standards…

Dragon's jaw tightened as he scrolled through the list of names. "This isn't just recruitment. It's weeding out the weak."

Silvia slammed the device shut. "We have to stop them."

Dragon sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Yeah, but first, we need a plan. Charging in now would get us killed."

She looked up at him, fire burning in her eyes. "Then we find out where they're keeping these people. And we take Echelon down."

A Moment of Rest

Silvia leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes for a brief moment. She could still hear the echoes of the data logs playing in her mind—people screaming, begging for freedom, the sounds of energy weapons discharging in sterile, heartless laboratories.

Dragon watched her for a long moment before sitting down across from her. "You're carrying that weight like it's all on you."

She sighed. "Because it is. These people are suffering because of what I am."

Dragon reached over, flicking her forehead lightly. "Ow!"

"Stop that," he said with a grin. "You're not responsible for what they're doing. You just happen to be the only one willing to fight back."

Silvia rubbed her forehead but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. "You're surprisingly decent at pep talks."

Dragon smirked. "I have many talents."

She huffed. "Most of them involve breaking and entering."

"And charming you."

Silvia rolled her eyes, but the tension in her chest loosened just a little.

The Escape Route

Before they could strategize further, a sharp buzzing noise rang through the safe house.

Dragon snapped to attention. "Motion sensors. Someone's outside."

Silvia grabbed her dagger, tension coiling in her chest. "How? No one followed us."

Dragon peered out a cracked window. "Doesn't matter. We need to move."

Heavy footsteps echoed from the alley. Multiple figures. Not just a few enforcers—an entire squad.

Silvia took a deep breath, feeling the fire in her core start to rise, her magic begging to be let loose. "Do we have a plan, or are we improvising?"

Dragon glanced at her with a gleam in his eye. "A little bit of both."

Silvia tightened her grip on her dagger, her free hand already crackling with heat. "Good. I'm tired of running."

Dragon grinned. "Then let's give them a reason to regret coming after us."

The door exploded inward as the enforcers stormed inside.

Silvia launched herself forward, fire erupting from her fingertips as she slammed a wave of heat into the first attacker. The enforcer staggered, his armor glowing red-hot from the sudden temperature spike.

Dragon moved like a shadow, weaving between enemies, striking with precision. The room filled with the sounds of combat—blades clashing, magic crackling, bodies hitting the walls and floor.

"Exit?" Dragon asked between dodging attacks.

Silvia pointed toward the window. "We jump."

Dragon laughed. "I love your plans."

They both leapt from the balcony, crashing through a lower rooftop before rolling onto the streets below.

The sounds of shouting and alarms echoed above them, but the streets were crowded, giving them just enough cover to disappear into the chaos.

Silvia panted, tucking the stolen data safely beneath her cloak. "We got it."

Dragon grinned, brushing dust from his coat. "Told you it would be fun."

Silvia groaned. "Let's get out of here before I regret this."

As they slipped into the night, she couldn't shake the feeling that what they had just stolen was only the beginning of something much, much bigger.