Chapter Twelve: The Quiet Between

The bell tolled once.

Day Two in the Field dawned with the same dreadful murkiness—like someone had pressed pause on the sun. Fog curled through the broken cobblestone streets of the village, refusing to lift. Somewhere above, the Field shimmered with an unseen force, responding not to time but tension.

The players gathered again.

Shuri stood with arms crossed, not speaking yet, her mind clearly elsewhere. She had spent the night running simulations in the corner of her assigned "room," building charts from what little data she had. Yet she looked less confident today. Her brows were furrowed—calculations failing to yield clarity.

Yelena yawned loudly, almost performatively. "I had the worst sleep of my life. Someone was pacing outside my door all night. Loudly. Like ghost auditions for *Riverdance*."

Scott glanced around nervously. "I-I thought that was part of the game? The noises?"

Moon Knight said nothing. Steven's eyes flicked from one face to another. Too fast. Too searching. He hadn't slept.

Nebula cleaned the blade of a knife she hadn't used yet. Her arms were tense. Ready. But there was a delay in her reactions. Barely noticeable. Like her mind was two seconds behind her body.

Six remained.

One was working for the Fieldmaster.

And none of them had figured out who.

**Spectator's Balcony**

"Still no kills overnight," Darcy said, chewing on what looked like cotton candy that occasionally screamed. "Do you think they're playing safe, or playing smart?"

Mobius made a quiet noise. "They're scared. And that's when people get dangerous."

The Divergent girl leaned forward. Her eyes shimmered like star-wounds. "Fear breeds strange things. Trust evaporates. Loyalty? Fragile."

Wong grunted in agreement. "Today's the day something breaks."

**Village Square**

The players approached the voting plaza again. No one spoke. The holographic clock began ticking the fifteen-minute **Discussion Phase** countdown.

Shuri broke the silence. "We need to talk. Not accuse. Talk."

Yelena raised a brow. "And how do we 'talk' when one of us is actively trying to kill us?"

"We don't kill," Scott muttered. "We *vote*. That's the game, right?"

Moon Knight's voice was low. "That's what they want us to believe."

Nebula folded her arms. "I think Mysterio said it best. The traitor isn't necessarily Mafia. The Fieldmaster's pawn could be anything. Could even be *helpful* if it benefits the Field's drama."

Subtle pause.

Scott's eyes widened. "Wait... is that why there was *no* kill last night? The Field's pawn interfered?"

No answer.

Shuri frowned. "Possibly. But that still leaves the roles. I want to go over them."

Yelena smirked. "You're not the game host, princess."

"I know," Shuri said, "but maybe that's why I'm still thinking straight."

Her voice didn't shake, but her eyes betrayed her.

**Spectators' Balcony**

Vanta, arms folded, said quietly, "She's close to seeing it. But she won't trust the answer."

The Divergent tilted her head. "Would *you*?"

Mobius said nothing.

**Back Below**

Discussion devolved into quieter arguments. Whispered exchanges. Frantic glances. Hands brushing over vote panels only to hesitate.

Then the Fieldmaster's voice broke through like a blade on glass.

> "A change. You've spent your words well, so let's see how you *act.* Today's voting will require unanimous agreement. Or... everyone suffers a penalty."

Gasps. Silence. The fog shifted slightly. Was that... laughter?

**New Voting Condition: UNANIMOUS VERDICT REQUIRED. FAILURE RESULTS IN A GROUP PUNISHMENT.**

Nebula swore under her breath.

Scott stared at his shoes.

Moon Knight chuckled darkly. "Of course. Force the hand."

Yelena stretched. "Let's make this interesting, then."

Shuri's gaze sharpened. Her voice dropped to a whisper, more to herself than anyone: "A unanimous vote means we all have to trust one person's read... or *lie together.*"

No one seemed to hear her.

Except Nebula.

Their eyes met.

Something passed between them. Uneasy. Unspoken.

**Voting Phase Initiated.**

The panels lit up. One by one, each player moved forward.

The name that appeared? Not the one anyone expected.

It wasn't Scott.

It wasn't Nebula.

It was **Moon Knight.**

He stepped forward without resistance.

"Do you want to defend yourself?" the Fieldmaster asked.

Steven hesitated.

Then...

"No. I understand. I'm not the one you're afraid of. But I scare you anyway."

A beat.

The Fieldmaster grinned.

**Bang.**

Smoke.

**Moon Knight – Town.**

Wrong again.

The fog surged in from all directions.

Then a scream.

Not from the players.

From above.

Darcy had dropped her cotton candy.

Mobius stood. "He wasn't the traitor. But someone *knew* he wasn't."

Wong's eyes narrowed.

The Divergent blinked slowly. "One of them... voted too quickly."

Back below, only five remained.

And one had just betrayed their own for the second time.

**End of Chapter Twelve.**