He doesn’t turn around.
“You feel it too?” I ask.
He lets out a soft huff. “Been feeling it for days.”
“Then why the cryptic message?”
“Because I don’t like putting certain things on open channels. Even encoded.”
I walk up beside him, eyes skimming the lines of code scrolling across the display. It’s a routine system check. Or at least itlookslike one.
“Tell me straight.”
He finally turns. His gaze is sharp, narrowed. “Station’s under a low-priority internal review.”
My stomach tightens. “That’s Alliance code for?—”
“Yeah.” He nods. “A deeper op.”
I step back, pulse thudding in my throat.
“Someone’s been leaking intel. Not major files. Nothing classified on paper. But data fragments. Personal logs. Power grid pings. Access codes. Behavioral patterns.”
“Behavioral—”
“Schedules. Traffic flow. Med logs. Even rehydration cycles.”
I exhale slowly. “They’re building a profile.”
“Someone is. And someone else is helping them do it.” He leans in. “And I don’t think it’s you.”
I give him a look.
“I mean it,” he continues. “I think it’s Tarek.”
I blink. “That doesn’t make sense. Herunsthe security net. Why feed it anything off the grid?”
“Power games. Distraction. Maybe he’s not working for the Alliance directly anymore. Maybe he’s working for someone who’swatchingthe Alliance.”
I pace the room, boots scuffing the metal floor. My heart feels like it’s trying to hammer out of my chest.
“What if it’s not him?” I ask. “What if it’s someonecloseto him?”
Drel tilts his head. “You mean Vael.”
“I don’t know.” My voice cracks. “He’s different. Not like before. There’s… pieces missing. But some parts aresharperthan ever. Like he knows exactly how much to say to keep me off-balance.”
Drel watches me. Quiet. Calculating.
“You still love him.”
I freeze. “Don’t.”
“It matters.”
“No, Drel. Whatmattersis keeping Nessa safe. And right now, I don’t know if that means staying or running.”
He frowns. “Rynn…”
