Because survival is not enough. We need to live.

C. 25 days, 18 hours since the assassination of rebel leadership

As Estingai crept through the tunnels of Last Shadow’s massive base with Uuldina, Meik'ka, and Aaden, she found herself surprised at how easy it had been to slip in with the Ironpeak refugees. Even with the number of people still slinking in after evacuating their base, the guards and personnel taking stock of everyone who entered meant they would be discovered eventually. Estingai didn't plan on being here long enough for that to matter. They'd taken the patches and coats of those from Jaran's part of Uuchantuu's team.

"Where do we go?" Aaden asked as they neared an intersection of tunnels where the crowd grew.

Estingai frowned, looking around. "I'm not entirely sure. Koruuksi and Svemakuu had both been here a few times before, but I was usually back at Wolfden."

"You don't even know your way around?" Meik'ka hissed. "How—"

Estingai shushed her, wishing, not for the first time, that she could have left them at Wolfden instead of Marjatla. She needed support, though, and Marjatla had cautioned against leaving Meik'ka and Uuldina back at the base with no one there to watch them.

"You agreed to follow me," Estingai said, voice low enough so only they could hear. "This is my plan."

Meik'ka grunted. "I'd say 'plan' is a generous term at this point."

Before Estingai could glare at the woman, Uuldina cleared her throat, pointing to the right, "I've been here before. The command room is that way."

Estingai wobbled her head at the woman, then started in that direction.

After a few minutes of walking, however, a few shouts sounded down the tunnel, and people started flooding through the tunnel, a tide Estingai and her companions pushed against.

Estingai looked to Aaden. "Did you hear what this is about?"

***

Koruuksi waited until the suite had emptied almost entirely before walking inside. He wasn't welcome, and even if a mask with someone else's name on it would allow him to go unnoticed through most of the base, it wouldn't do him much good here.

When he opened the curtain to Nomlana and Lysanda's alcove, they both sat up, alarmed. When he removed his mask, flashing a nervous smile toward them, their expressions darkened.

Both were in their underclothes, relaxing after their work shift.

"What are you doing here?"

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Koruuksi winced at the edge to Nomlana's voice. He knew the man would be hurt, but he hadn't expected it to go that deep.

"I said you weren't welcome here anymore," Lysanda said when he was silent.

Koruuksi wet his lips, then met each of their gazes in turn.

"Did you think I would really just give up?"

They frowned at him, but didn't yell, and made no move to force him out.

He stepped fully into the alcove, closing the curtain behind him.

"I've been hiding out, swapping masks the past few days to escape notice," he said, then threw them each a wry grin. "I'm technically not allowed to be in the base any longer."

"We know," Lysanda said. "We should—"

"I know," Koruuksi said, raising his hands. "But just hear me out, please. If you don't like what I have to say, I'll leave. I'll even let you help the guards throw me out if you want, but just—" He cut off with a sigh. "Please."

Lysanda and Nomlana shared a look, and Lysanda studied Koruuksi for a long minute before folding her arms over her chest, letting out a frustrated sigh. "Fine."

Koruuksi smiled, then leaned in a bit, lowering his voice. "You two were right. I was lying to you."

"No shit." Nomlana murmured, looking away.

Koruuksi frowned, but continued, "For the record, I hated lying to you. Both of you. That doesn't excuse it, but—Anyway, these past few days, I've been listening to rumors and going over everything that happened since I arrived here. Something is wrong."

Lysanda snorted. "That's a pretty broad statement."

Koruuksi took a deep breath. "I considered killing Paiz."

Lysanda and Nomlana's eyes went wide.

"What?"

"Obviously, I didn't," Koruuksi pointed out. "I thought she was the spy. That's the reason I'm here. Someone gave away the meeting time and location. Someone gave away Nightstone's location. Someone must have called in Imaia reinforcements to Memfoso. Paiz, Mahele, and Kytai were the only ones that knew about Memfoso, besides Estingai and Marjatla and the team they sent there." He let that hang in the air for a moment, let it sink in, then added, "That's what I thought, at least."

Lysanda frowned. "What do you mean?"

“I—” Koruuksi bit his lip, then sighed. “Fuck, I don’t know who it is. I thought it was Paiz, but now I don’t know. I’ve been thinking over all the intel I’ve gathered since I got here, and… I need your help. I don’t know what to do.”

They were silent for a while.

“Why?”

Koruuksi looked to Lysanda.

“Why do you need our help?” she asked. “What can we do?”

Koruuksi took a deep breath. "I just need support. Someone to help me hide until I can catch him in the act or gather enough intel to bring to Mahele. You don't need to let me sleep here or anything like that. Just help me listen for anything I can use, and help me not get thrown out."

Lysanda and Nomlana stared at him, then shared a look.

Please.

He couldn’t do this without them.

Before they could say anything, shouts sounded from outside, followed by frantic conversation and hurried footsteps.

Lysanda and Nomlana stared at him for a moment, then rose and started dressing.

"Put the mask on and come with us," Lysanda said, shrugging into her coat.

Koruuksi smiled. "Thank y—"

"I'm still pissed at you," Lysanda said, tying on her boots, then hopping to her feet. She pushed past him out the door.

Koruuksi dared a look at Nomlana, and winced at the ice in the man's dark eyes.

"This doesn't change anything between us."

Koruuksi frowned, nodding. "I know. Thank you, anyway."

Nomlana grunted. Koruuksi moved aside to let him through, then strapped on his mask before ducking out of the alcove.

Before they stepped out into the hall, Lysanda rounded on him again. "We'll help. But you better not be lying again."

Koruuksi nodded, smiling beneath his mask. "I'm not. And thank you."

Aaden shrugged. "Something about an announcement?"

Estingai thought for a moment, then turned and nodded in the direction everyone else was headed. "Come on. If there's an announcement gathering this many people, Mahele will be there."