The next day arrived with an unsettling quiet. Cas woke in Evren's arms, feeling the warmth of their shared bond, but the weight of their situation quickly came rushing back. Their fight against the system was far from over, and the victory they had claimed the night before had only shifted the battlefield.
As they made their way to the command center, Rhea was already waiting, her expression serious.
"We've got a problem," she said, her voice low and tense.
Cas's stomach tightened. "What now?"
Rhea stepped forward, showing them a holographic map of a field station, deep within neutral territory. "This station just went dark three hours ago. We've lost contact with anyone there. But… we've intercepted strange signals. Someone's been tampering with the system nodes. And I think we know who."
Evren frowned, his expression darkening. "The Reaper?"
"No," Rhea said. "Worse. Someone using his code—but not him."
Cas's heart skipped. "Who?"
Rhea hesitated for a moment before she pressed a button, and the image of a man appeared on the screen. His features were slightly distorted by the static, but there was no mistaking him.
"Alyen," Cas said in a whisper, his voice laced with disbelief. "My mentor. Before the system branded me unstable."
Rhea nodded. "He's alive. And he's using some very familiar methods to manipulate the system. He's the one who's activated the kill switches on your bond, Cas."
Evren stepped forward, his eyes dark with concern. "He's been waiting for this moment. A trap."
"We need to go," Cas said, determination settling in his chest. "We need to stop him."
Rhea's gaze flickered with doubt. "But Cas—Alyen's dangerous. He's still using system code to control the bond. We have no idea what he'll do next."
"I don't care." Cas's voice was cold, resolute. "He was my mentor. He knows me. But that's why I have to face him. I can't let him destroy everything we've fought for."
Evren took his hand, squeezing it tightly. "Then we face him together. No matter what he throws at us."
Cas nodded, grateful for the strength Evren always gave him. "Let's go."
They left the room, heading toward the shuttle that would take them to the outpost, where Alyen waited. There was no more running, no more hiding. This time, they were the ones in control. And together, they would stop him.