The atmosphere inside the safe house was thick with suspicion and tension. After the chilling discovery of the mole within their ranks, Selene's team moved with cautious eyes and guarded voices. Every glance, every silence seemed loaded with unspoken accusations. Trust, once the foundation of their alliance, was now a fragile thread stretched perilously thin.
Selene sat at the head of the table in the command room, flanked by Calder, Lina, and Marrow. The air was heavy, filled with the hum of equipment and the faint, ever-present drizzle tapping against the windows. Tonight would be the night the mole was revealed—or so Selene hoped.
Lina was the first to speak, her voice steady but tinged with urgency. "I've been tracking the network logs and correlating them with access codes. The breaches align with Cassandra's activity patterns."
Selene nodded grimly. "So the lieutenant has been playing a double game."
Calder's voice was low, almost bitter. "We knew she was dangerous, but I didn't think she'd betray us outright."
Marrow rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "We have to be sure before we make a move. False accusations will destroy what little trust we have left."
Selene agreed, knowing the truth was a razor's edge. "We'll confront her, but we need leverage."
They devised a plan: they would feed Cassandra false intel, carefully crafted to expose her intentions. If she acted on it, they would know her guilt beyond doubt.
The hours crawled by, every tick of the clock amplifying the tension. Selene reviewed the fabricated data one last time before sending it through the secured channels, making sure Cassandra would intercept it.
The team watched in silence as the minutes passed, eyes glued to their monitors.
Suddenly, a flicker on one screen—a trace of unauthorized data extraction.
"It's her," Lina whispered.
Selene's heart pounded. They had their confirmation.
"Prepare to isolate her," Selene ordered. "This ends now."
They moved swiftly. Selene, Calder, and Marrow approached Cassandra's cell, weapons drawn but controlled.
The lieutenant looked up, calm as ever, a hint of a smirk playing on her lips. "So, the little game is up."
Selene's voice was cold. "Why, Cassandra? Why betray us?"
The smirk faded, replaced by something colder, sharper.
"You think this is betrayal? No," Cassandra said smoothly. "This is survival. Harrow's web is vast, and I'm the only one who can navigate it from the inside. You're pawns, blind to the real war."
Her words sent a ripple of doubt through the team, but Selene stood firm.
"We decide our own fate," she said, stepping closer. "Not Harrow. Not you."
Cassandra's eyes flashed with defiance. "You underestimate what I'm capable of. And what Harrow demands."
Suddenly, the lights flickered, and a warning siren blared.
"Trap!" Marrow shouted, drawing his weapon.
The cell doors slammed shut automatically, locking them inside with Cassandra.
Selene's mind raced.
The lieutenant laughed softly. "Did you really think it would be that easy?"
From a concealed panel, a series of screens lit up around the room, displaying feeds from outside. Harrow's forces were advancing.
"We're running out of time," Selene said grimly. "We need a plan—and fast."
As the walls closed in, Selene's resolve hardened.
This was more than a fight for survival.
It was a fight for the soul of their cause.
And she would not let it fall.