Chapter 73: Chasing Ghosts
Kaiser's brow furrowed. "With whom?"
She met his eyes, the pain in her expression raw and unguarded. "Someone I trusted with my life. " Her voice hardened as she continued. "But trust doesn't mean much when you're up against the Codex. "
He didn't press further, his expression unreadable. As the shuttle docked with their ship, Sylvie's thoughts turned to her bloodchain tattoo—the one she had lost, and the promise she had made to herself to ensure their sacrifice wasn't in vain.
The shuttle settled onto the hangar platform with a soft hiss, its thrusters venting steam into the dimly lit bay. The dim light reflected off the scarred hull of the ship, a somber reminder of the chaos they had barely survived. Sylvie winced as she unstrapped herself, her side still aching from the wound she had taken during the mission. Each movement sent a sharp jolt of pain through her body, but she gritted her teeth and pressed on.
Her fingers brushed against the blood-soaked fabric at her side, and she let out a quiet sigh. "Chivalry is dead." she muttered under her breath, her voice tinged with a mix of irritation and exhaustion.
She shook her head as she glanced at Kaiser, who was already halfway to the ramp despite his own injuries, his posture stiff but unyielding. His movements were deliberate, his left arm cradled against his chest, yet he showed no signs of slowing down.
Cassian stood at the far edge of the hangar, his presence commanding despite the muted chaos around him. Mechanics scrambled to service the shuttles, their voices echoing through the cavernous space, but none of it seemed to touch him. His sharp eyes tracked the returning operatives as they disembarked.
His gaze lingered briefly on Kaiser, before settling on Sylvie. Her gut tightened under his scrutiny, but she forced herself to meet his eyes, her posture as steady as she could manage.
Kaiser reached him first, snapping a crisp salute and handing over a secure data module. "Recon team Alpha returned three hours ago. The Codex's supply routes are mapped, and we've confirmed their defensive network," he reported, his voice clipped but heavy. "The situation is worse than expected. Their forces are far more organized than we'd projected."