Chapter 856 - 858
Tamir sat nearby, whittling a piece of wood with a blade far too sharp for casual use, but his hands were steady. Rhea lay wrapped in blankets on a cot not far from them, her body still weak from the last raid. She hadn’t spoken since that night, but her eyes watched everything. Jude knew she was still there. Just quiet. Always quiet.
They couldn’t stay here much longer. Their presence was known now, and although the last strike had crippled one of Ascendia’s major hubs, it had also provoked them. Satellite feeds confirmed increased patrols in nearby sectors, security drones deploying in tight grids, and new units being airlifted in under the guise of "reconstruction assistance." They were tightening the noose, preparing for something. Jude had seen this before, when the enemy realized they couldn’t control the fire, they smothered the entire forest. And they were the forest.
Elias returned that night. Mud on his boots, torn sleeve, but intact. His face was older now, weathered by guilt and missions that had taken more than they gave. He approached the fire slowly, nodding to Tamir, who gave a quiet grunt in return. Jude met him halfway.
"You’ve seen it?" Elias asked.
Jude nodded. "They’re building something east of Talserra. Too big for a standard base. Power grids are overloaded. Supplies moving in every three hours. We think it’s a fallback site. Possibly a control center."
"It’s not just a base," Elias said, voice low. "It’s a hive. They’re calling it Aeon Facility. It’s where they test the second-generation control tech. Not just kids anymore. Adults too. Volunteers and abductees. No more memory wipes. Full personality reprogramming. And they’ve managed to stabilize it."
Jude’s jaw tightened. "How many?"
"Over three hundred subjects. Maybe more. We don’t know how many made it through the trials, but the ones who did, they’re not like us anymore. They don’t remember who they were. And they obey orders without hesitation."
Rhea stirred in her sleep, and both men paused, watching her as her brow furrowed briefly before relaxing again.