Akio and I crouched behind a rusted dumpster where the shadows swallowed most of our figures. The scent of decay and damp metal lingered in the air, mixing with the quiet hum of distant drones. I could feel my heartbeat echo in my ears, sharp and restless. The cool night clung to us like a second skin as we remained hidden in silence, both waiting for Julian's next message.
Julian's voice crackled in through the earpiece. "Akio, Amara—based on the path I sent, did you find anything specific on that map?"
Akio pressed lightly on the side of his ear to respond. "No... nothing stood out. Just labels—Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3—but no detailed information."
There was a long pause before Julian responded, his tone carrying disappointment. "I see. You're lucky I'm letting you off the hook. Ashford probably won't be as lenient."
I glanced at Akio, but he didn't look back. He just stared straight ahead as if bracing for what was to come.
"We'll talk more when you're back. Move out, quietly."
The line went dead.
Akio exhaled slowly, then turned to me. "Let's get out of here."
I nodded, and we rose from our cover. Without a word, we began the walk back to the hideout, sticking close to the alleys and backstreets we knew well. Our boots were soft against the dirt path. Occasionally we paused to listen for signs of patrols, but nothing stirred.
——
The sky had begun to lighten faintly when we reached the familiar, concealed entrance to the hideout. A metal door embedded in an abandoned structure stood in front of us. Akio raised his hand and knocked three times.
There was a short silence before the mechanical click of the lock disengaging echoed in the hallway. The door creaked open, and Julian stood there, eyes shadowed from lack of sleep. He stepped aside.
"Get in."
We entered without a word. The door shut behind us with a heavy thud.
——
Julian led us through the dim corridor until we reached the meeting room. At the center of the room was a battered table, scratched and worn from years of use. Maps, papers, and old tech cluttered the surface. Sitting on the far side was Ashford, arms crossed and his stare unwavering.
He didn't speak, but I could feel the weight of his eyes on us—cold and judging.
Julian motioned toward the table. "Sit down. We need to talk."
Akio and I took our seats. The tension in the room tightened around my chest.
Julian spread out the picture of the map we took. "This map… I've been analyzing it since you sent the photos. I'm not one hundred percent sure, but I think I'm starting to piece some things together."
He tapped the area marked Phase 1. "This was where you both just infiltrated. Am I right in assuming you saw some sort of military stockpile?"
"Yeah," Akio said. "There were crates—some weapons."
Julian nodded. "Exactly. They're preparing for something. Stockpiling weapons in an abandoned building isn't just storage. It's preparation. But I still don't know what they're preparing for."
He moved his finger across the map to the next point. "Phase 2... this is likely where the real event begins. A battle. A skirmish. Or something bigger."
Ashford finally spoke, his voice low but sharp. "They don't waste time unless something's about to explode."
I felt my spine stiffen.
——
Julian's finger moved again, now pointing at Phase 3. His expression shifted—no longer certain, but contemplative.
"This is where things get confusing," he said. "There are so many possibilities. Maybe they're setting up another base. Maybe they're planning to spread and colonize more territory."
He paused.
"Or… this could be a location for something more secretive—somewhere to develop technology that hasn't even been approved for public use. Experimental tech. Advanced warfare. Things we can't even begin to imagine."
Julian leaned back, his hand resting on his chin. "The map doesn't give us all the answers. But it gives us the questions we need to ask. That's the first step."
I stared at the map with narrowed eyes. The term Phase 3 felt ominous, like a curtain we weren't allowed to peek behind.
"There are other possibilities," Julian added. "But I'd be making guesses I can't support yet. We need more intel before we make assumptions."
No one said anything for a moment. The weight of those words lingered.
——
Julian straightened up and cleared his throat. "That said… Akio, Amara—officially, you're now part of this team."
I blinked in surprise. Akio's shoulders relaxed a little.
Ashford looked at Julian, then at us. "You didn't die. That's a good start."
But the cold look remained in his eyes. "Still... you didn't check the rest of the room. You could've found more. Julian told me you grabbed a map and that was it."
I opened my mouth to respond, but stopped when Ashford stood up.
He looked at both of us long and hard before slowly offering a hand. "Just don't let it happen again."
There was a slight smile—almost impossible to catch, but it was there. I reached out and shook his hand, then Akio followed.
For a moment, there was a warmth I hadn't expected.
"I'm just glad you weren't too rough on us," I said with a faint smile. "We thought we'd be walking into hell after we came back."
Akio gave a small nod. "Thanks, Ashford."
Ashford said nothing more, just returned to his seat.
Julian stood, placing both palms on the table to get our attention. His voice sharpened into command again.
"From now on, we're moving with purpose. Each of us—including me—is going to take on a mission. We need more information before making any kind of move."
He pointed to Phase 2 on the map. "We'll start here. Before the battle happens—if it's going to be a battle—we need to gather all the intel we can. Understand the terrain, the defenses, any patterns."
Then his finger slid to Phase 3. "After that, we'll shift to here. The goal is to uncover underground facilities, hidden technology, or anything else they don't want seen."
Julian looked up at us with determination. "This is a long game, and we need to be the ones thinking ahead of it. Now is the time to act. Not react."
He paused again, eyes sweeping across all of us.
"Let's get to work."