*Chapter 24: The Betrayal*
Aria's eyes locked onto Ryker's, her mind reeling with shock. "Elijah is working with Vraxxis?" she whispered.
Ryker's face was grim. "It looks that way," he said. "But we need to be careful. We don't know what Elijah's role is in all of this."
Aria's heart was racing with anger and betrayal. She had trusted Elijah, and now it seemed like he had been playing her all along.
Lena's expression was sympathetic. "I'm sorry, Aria," she said. "I know how much you trusted Elijah."
Aria took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "We need to focus on stopping Vraxxis," she said. "We can deal with Elijah later."
Ryker nodded, his eyes locked onto hers. "You're right," he said. "Let's get to work."
As they began to plan their next move, Aria couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal. She had thought Elijah was on her side, but now it seemed like he was just another enemy.
But she was determined to stop Vraxxis, no matter what it took. She was going to save her city, even if it meant facing down her former allies.
Just as they were finalizing their plan, Aria's phone buzzed. She hesitated, wondering who it could be.
But when she saw the name on the screen, her heart sank. It was Elijah.