The silence in the apartment wasn't the same anymore.
Before…
it was just heavy.
Now…
it was dangerous.
No one slept.
No one even tried.
Because closing your eyes now meant one thing:
trusting someone.
And no one there…
was ready for that.
Max leaned against the wall, eyes fixed on the floor.
But his mind…
was far away.
Very far.
"Hey."
Rick's voice came low.
Max looked up.
Rick stood in front of him.
Still injured.
But steady.
"You look worse than I do," Rick said.
Max let out a quiet laugh.
No humor in it.
"I'm starting to think this isn't about fixing anything anymore."
Rick crossed his arms.
"It's always about fixing something."
"What if it isn't?"
Silence.
"What if we already lost?"
Rick stepped closer.
"Then we lose fighting."
That hung in the air.
Simple.
But enough.
Max gave a slight nod.
"Thanks."
Rick shrugged.
"Don't get used to it."
"We need to figure this out now."
Daniel broke the silence.
His gaze moved across everyone.
"Someone here killed that guy."
"Or let him die," Elena corrected.
Celine remained silent.
Watching.
"Not much difference," Daniel replied.
"It does," she said calmly. "Intent matters."
His eyes locked onto hers.
"Then what was yours?"
Silence.
The air thickened.
"Careful," Rick said, not taking his eyes off Daniel.
"I'm just asking," Daniel replied.
"No," Elena said. "You're accusing."
"And you're defending."
"I'm being logical."
Max watched.
Without stepping in.
Not yet.
"Enough," he said at last.
But it was too late.
Because the doubt…
was already there.
And growing.
"She knew too much from the start."
Daniel said it plainly.
No hesitation.
All eyes turned to Celine.
She didn't react.
"You showed up already knowing about the symbols," he continued. "The ritual. Max."
"I never hid that."
"No," he said. "You just never explained it."
Silence.
Heavy.
"I explained enough."
"Not for me."
"It's not for you."
That lit something in him.
"Then who is it for?!"
"For him," she said, looking at Max.
All eyes shifted to him.
And for the first time…
Max didn't answer right away.
Because deep down…
the doubt was in him too.
"Max…" Daniel started.
But Rick cut in.
"Enough."
His voice firm.
"This isn't going anywhere."
"It is," Daniel snapped. "It'll show who's lying."
Rick stepped forward.
"Or it'll break us for good."
Silence.
And that…
was true.
Celine took a breath.
Then spoke.
"You want answers?"
No one answered.
But everyone listened.
"I've been through this before."
The air shifted.
"Before you."
"With who?" Max asked.
She looked at him.
"With people who thought they could stop this."
A pause.
"They couldn't."
Silence.
"And you survived," Daniel said.
"Yes."
"Alone?"
She didn't answer.
And that was enough.
"Or did you help someone die?" he pressed.
"That's enough!" Max snapped.
Stronger now.
Everyone stopped.
"We don't know what happened."
"But we know she's not telling everything," Daniel shot back.
"And none of us are," Max replied.
Silence.
Because that…
was true.
"Do you trust her?"
Rick asked quietly, beside Max.
Max didn't answer immediately.
His eyes stayed on Celine.
"I… don't know."
Rick nodded.
"Fair."
"And you?"
Rick gave a faint smile.
"I don't trust anyone."
A pause.
"But I trust you."
That lingered.
Stronger than it seemed.
"Then follow your instincts," Rick added.
Max took a breath.
Then stepped forward.
"No one gets accused without proof."
His gaze moved across all of them.
"But no one's clean either."
Silence.
"So from now on…"
A pause.
"We play it straight."
"You start," Daniel said to Celine.
She stayed silent.
For a moment.
Then—
"I knew that ritual was going to happen."
The world stopped.
"What?" Max said.
"I didn't know where.
Or exactly when.
But I knew."
The air turned heavy.
"And you did nothing?" Rick asked.
"I tried.
But I couldn't stop it."
Silence.
Heavier now.
"That doesn't help your case," Daniel said.
"I'm not trying to help my case," she replied.
"Then what are you doing here?"
She looked at Max.
And said:
"Trying to fix it."
Silence returned.
But now…
more dangerous.
Because no one knew what to believe.
Later…
Max was alone.
Again.
But this time…
his mind wasn't just confused.
It was divided.
"She could be lying…" he murmured.
"Or not…"
The voice came.
Lower.
Closer.
"You already know…"
Max closed his eyes.
"I don't know anything."
"You do…"
A pause.
"You just don't want to accept it."
He opened his eyes.
Heart racing.
"Accept what?"
Silence.
And then—
"That the enemy…"
A pause.
"…was never far."
In the other room…
Celine stood still.
Alone.
Her gaze distant.
And for a second…
just one…
she whispered:
"I won't let it happen again…"
But the way she said it…
didn't sound like a promise.
It sounded like…
a warning.