Chapter 4

POV: Jace

The Human Quarters were suffocating tonight, the kind of oppressive quiet that made every creak of old wood or scuff of a boot echo too loudly. Drones hummed above, their red searchlights casting eerie shadows on crumbling walls and trash-strewn streets. I pressed my back against the warehouse wall, every nerve on edge. Even in the darkness, the feeling of being watched never left.

The old warehouses were abandoned long ago, their rusted doors hanging crooked on warped frames, the air thick with the smell of decay and oil. This one, though, had become a haven for whispers of rebellion. Tonight, those whispers would take shape—or fall apart entirely.

Davin arrived, slipping out of the shadows with two others at his back. His wiry frame seemed taut with frustration, his movements sharper than usual. I followed him inside without a word, the door groaning as we pushed through.

Inside, the group was already gathered, their faces illuminated by the dim flicker of a single lantern perched on the center of a makeshift table. Maps, scraps of paper, and scavenged blueprints littered the surface, their edges curling from dampness. The scent of mildew clung to the air, a reminder of how precarious even this space was.

Rourke, his broad shoulders hunched over the table, jabbed a finger at a crude map spread out in front of him. “This is it. The drone hub. You want to hit them where it hurts? This is the nerve center of their surveillance. Take it out, and they’re blind.”

“Not completely blind,” Davin added. “But blind enough to give us breathing room. We take out the hub, and we make them feel it.”

The scarred woman beside him—Nera—narrowed her eyes. “You say that like it’s easy. That place is crawling with Enforcers. A frontal attack will be suicide.”

Davin scoffed. “Then we don’t go through the front.”

“We’re still rushing into this,” I said, stepping forward. My voice cut through the rising tension, and heads turned toward me. “Do you even know how many guards are stationed there? What their patrol patterns are? What happens if reinforcements arrive before we’re done?”

Rourke grunted, his expression grim but thoughtful. “He’s right. We need more than just a target. We need a plan.”

Davin’s frustration flared. “We’ve been planning for months, and where has it gotten us? Nowhere. Every day we wait, people suffer. Or have you forgotten why we’re doing this?”

“I haven’t forgotten,” I said, my voice steady despite the churn of emotions roiling beneath it. “But this isn’t just about doing something. It’s about doing it right.”

The door creaked open, and every head snapped toward the sound. Karlon stepped inside, his black coat brushing the floor as he moved toward the table with deliberate ease. His presence sent a ripple of unease through the room, subtle but unmistakable.

“You’re late,” Davin muttered, his voice tight.

Karlon ignored him, his cold, calculating gaze sweeping across the group before settling on the map. He picked it up, studying it for a moment before letting out a low chuckle. “This is your plan? A full-on assault on the hub?”

“What’s wrong with it?” Davin shot back, his jaw tightening.

Karlon smirked, setting the map down with exaggerated care. “What’s wrong is that it’s foolish. You’ll be dead before you get within fifty feet of the perimeter.”

“And you have a better idea?” Nera asked, her voice wary.

Karlon’s eyes gleamed in the flickering light, his smirk widening. “Collateral damage,” he said, his voice smooth and almost casual. “You don’t attack their machines. You attack their resources. Their people. Make them bleed where it hurts most.”

A heavy silence fell over the room.

“You’re talking about civilians,” Nera said, her tone sharp and disbelieving.

Karlon shrugged. “I’m talking about winning. Do you think they’ll hesitate to do the same to you? To your families? This isn’t a game. You don’t win by playing nice.”

“That’s not who we are,” I said, stepping forward. My hands clenched at my sides as I met Karlon’s gaze. “We’re fighting for freedom, not revenge.”

His smirk didn’t falter. “Freedom doesn’t come without a price, kid. The question is, are you willing to pay it?”

The group exchanged uneasy glances, and I felt their uncertainty like a physical weight pressing down on me. Karlon wasn’t just pushing his agenda—he was testing me, sowing seeds of doubt and division.

“This isn’t about making them bleed,” I said, my voice rising. “It’s about making them see that we’re more than they think. More than expendable. If you can’t understand that, then you don’t belong here.”

Karlon chuckled softly, leaning back against the wall. “Your call, leader. Just don’t forget—playing it safe doesn’t win wars.”

The meeting ended in uneasy silence, the group dispersing one by one. I stayed behind, staring at the maps and notes scattered across the table. My chest felt tight, the weight of their trust and expectations pressing down on me like a vice.

“You okay?” Davin asked from the doorway, his voice uncharacteristically soft.

“No,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t know if I’m ready for this.”

Davin stepped closer, his brow furrowed. “Nobody’s ever ready, Jace. You just… do it. You make the call, and people follow.”

“And if I make the wrong call?” I asked, my voice cracking. “What then?”

Davin placed a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm. “Then you learn. And you make the next call better.”

When I got home, Mira was waiting for me. She stood near the stove, arms crossed, her face tight with frustration. The dim light of the single bulb cast shadows across her features, making her look older, wearier.

“You’re going to get yourself killed,” she said, her voice trembling with barely restrained anger.

I set my bag down, ignoring her.

“I mean it, Jace,” she continued, stepping closer. “This isn’t a game. These people are putting their lives in your hands. Do you even realize what that means?”

“I’m doing what I have to,” I snapped, turning to face her. “If you can’t see that—”

“This isn’t who you are!” she interrupted, her voice cracking. “Do you remember when we were kids? When we used to talk about leaving this place? About finding somewhere better? You said you wanted to build something, Jace. To create, not destroy.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I looked away, unable to meet her eyes.

“I’m trying to make things better,” I said quietly, my voice hollow.

“At what cost?” she demanded, tears glistening in her eyes. “You’re letting this war turn you into someone I don’t recognize. Please… just think about what you’re doing. Think about who you are.”

I didn’t have an answer.

Mira turned away, her shoulders trembling as she walked to her room and shut the door. I stood there, the silence pressing in around me. Her words echoed in my mind, louder than anything Karlon had said.

Who are you?

For the first time, I wasn’t sure I knew.