The safe house, once a haven of trust and camaraderie, now felt like a cage, each corner cloaked in shadows of suspicion. The air was thick with tension, every breath drawn seemed to vibrate with the unspoken doubts that hung between the team members. Ava stepped into the room, her eyes scanning the familiar faces now turned unfamiliar. The walls seemed to close in around her, and the very ground she stood on felt unsteady, as if it might give way at any moment.
"Where have you been?" The question cut through the silence like a blade, sharp and demanding. It was Sarah, her voice laced with an edge that hadn't been there before. She was no longer just a teammate; she was an accuser, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. Ava hesitated, her mind racing to form the right answer, the safe answer.
