Arc 5: The Veil of Betrayal Chapter 15: Beneath the Mask
The safehouse was cold, dimly lit, and barely furnished, but at least it was hidden well enough from Nexus's prying eyes. Jae-min stood by the cracked window, peering out at the empty alley below, his mind racing with thoughts of their next move.
Behind him, Yuna slumped onto a worn-out couch, her exhaustion evident in the way her shoulders sagged. Kai sat cross-legged on the floor, dismantling his weapon with mechanical precision, the repetitive task helping him calm his nerves. The rest of the team spread out, checking their gear or resting while they had the chance.
"So, what now?" Yuna finally asked, breaking the silence.
"We can't stay here for long," Jae-min said without turning around. "Nexus knows we're alive. It's only a matter of time before they track us down again." He paused, then added, "We need to find out who tipped them off about our mission."
Kai glanced up from his weapon. "You think we've got a mole?"
Jae-min turned to face the group, his expression grim. "Someone knew exactly where we'd be and when. That kind of information doesn't get out by accident."
A tense silence fell over the room as everyone processed the implication of Jae-min's words. The idea of a traitor in their midst was unsettling, but it made sense. The ambush had been too well-coordinated to be a coincidence.
"If there's a mole, we need to find them fast," Yuna said, her voice low. "Otherwise, everything we do will be compromised."
Jae-min nodded. "Agreed. But first, we need to secure a new base of operations. This safehouse won't hold up if Nexus launches another attack."
"Where do we go?" one of the team members asked.
"There's an old outpost on the eastern edge of the city," Jae-min said. "It's been abandoned for years, but it should still have the basic infrastructure we need. We'll head there at first light."
Yuna frowned. "That's a long way to go without backup."
"We don't have a choice," Jae-min said firmly. "Staying here isn't an option."
The night passed uneventfully, though no one really slept. There was too much at stake, and the tension in the air made rest impossible. By dawn, the team was ready to move. They left the safehouse in silence, keeping to the shadows as they navigated the backstreets of the city.
The eastern outpost was a relic of a bygone era, a crumbling structure half-hidden by overgrown vegetation. It had once been a military installation, but it had been abandoned years ago when the city expanded and rendered it obsolete.
"This place is a dump," Kai muttered as they approached the outpost's entrance.
"It's better than nothing," Yuna replied. "And it's off Nexus's radar. That's what matters."
Jae-min led the way inside, his weapon at the ready. The interior was dark and musty, with broken furniture and rusted equipment scattered about. Despite the decay, the building's walls were sturdy, and the layout was defensible.
"This'll do," Jae-min said after a brief inspection. "Set up a perimeter and get the comms system online. We need to establish contact with HQ and let them know what's going on."
As the team got to work, Jae-min pulled Yuna aside. "We need to talk."
Yuna raised an eyebrow. "About the mole?"
Jae-min nodded. "I need you to keep an eye on everyone. See if anyone's acting suspicious. If there's a traitor among us, we need to find them before they can do any more damage."
"You really think it could be one of us?" Yuna asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.
"I don't want to believe it," Jae-min admitted. "But we can't afford to take any chances."
Yuna sighed. "Alright. I'll keep watch."
A few hours later, the team had settled in. The outpost's comms system was up and running, though it was barely functional. Jae-min was in the middle of drafting a report to HQ when an alert flashed on the monitor.
"Someone's trying to breach our network," Kai said, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he tried to trace the source of the intrusion.
"Can you block it?" Jae-min asked.
"I'm trying, but whoever's doing this is good," Kai replied, his voice tense. "If I had to guess, I'd say it's Nexus."
Jae-min clenched his fists. "Shut them out. We can't let them get access to our systems."
"I'm on it."
Minutes passed in tense silence as Kai worked to counter the intrusion. Finally, he let out a breath of relief. "Got it. They're locked out."
"Good," Jae-min said. "But that means they know we're here. We need to move fast."
Before anyone could respond, a distant explosion rocked the building, followed by the unmistakable sound of gunfire.
"They've found us!" Yuna shouted, grabbing her weapon.
Jae-min cursed under his breath. "Everyone, get ready. This isn't going to be easy."
End of Chapter 15