*Chapter 35: The Betrayal*
The darkness receded, and Jax's vision slowly returned. He found himself in a stark, white room, with no sign of Lyra, Kael, or Dr. Sofia. Zara stood before him, a cold smile spreading across her face.
"Welcome to your new home, Jax," she said, her voice dripping with malice. "You'll be staying here for a while, until you agree to cooperate with us."
Jax's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with possibilities. "What do you want from me?" he asked, his voice cold and steady.
Zara's smile grew wider. "We want you to join us, Jax," she said. "We want you to help us build a new Empire, one that will last for centuries to come."
Jax's face twisted in disgust. "I'll never join you," he spat, his voice venomous.
Zara's expression didn't change, but her eyes flashed with anger. "We'll see about that," she said, her voice cold. "Take him away."
Jax was dragged from the room, his mind racing with possibilities. He knew he had to escape, but he had no idea how.
As he was led through the corridors, he caught glimpses of the Empire's base. It was massive, with thousands of soldiers and ships at Zara's disposal. Jax knew that he was in grave danger.
He was thrown into a cell, with no windows and no door handle. The walls were made of thick, cold steel, and the air was stale. Jax knew that he had to think fast if he wanted to survive.
He began to examine the cell, searching for any weaknesses. He found a small vent in the ceiling, but it was too small for him to fit through. He was about to give up when he heard a faint whisper.
"Jax, can you hear me?"
Jax's eyes snapped to the vent, his heart racing with hope. "Who's there?" he whispered back.
"It's Lyra," the voice replied. "I'm in the cell next to yours. I've been trying to contact you."
Jax's eyes widened with excitement. "Lyra, what's going on?" he asked, his voice urgent.
"We're in deep trouble, Jax," Lyra replied. "The Empire has taken over the base, and they're planning to use the new technology to crush the Rebel Alliance once and for all."
Jax's face twisted in anger. "We have to stop them," he said, his voice cold and steady.
Lyra's voice was laced with determination. "I know, Jax. I've been working on a plan. But I need your help."
Jax's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with possibilities. "What do you need me to do?" he asked, his voice low and urgent.
The whisper from the vent grew quiet, and Jax knew that Lyra was thinking carefully. "I need you to create a distraction," she said finally. "Can you do that for me?"
Jax's face twisted in a wicked grin. "Oh, I can do that," he said, his voice dripping with malice.
The darkness closed in around him, like a shroud, and Jax knew that he was in this alone.
But he was ready.