The trio ascended the final ramp, the steady cadence of the depot’s machinery echoing like the heartbeat of a place they’d come to know. Jo, Maya, and Marcus were exhausted but alert, their earlier descent into the lower levels weighing heavily on their minds. Jo paused briefly, her gaze sweeping over the entrance reflecting on when she and Jonathan first arrived. The rhythm of the depot had become a part of their days over the past week, a constant presence, like a steady and familiar heartbeat. This place had been their shelter, its unyielding structure a semblance of stability amid uncertainty. Now, as they neared the entrance, the space felt less like a machine and more like a memory—a fleeting moment of normalcy they were about to leave behind. Maya glanced back, her lips pressed thin, while Marcus adjusted his steps, his jaw set tight. None spoke, but the shared silence carried a quiet goodbye to a place they might never return.

The guards at the checkpoint stiffened as they approached, their hands hovering near their energy pulse rifles. One guard stepped forward, his expression unreadable beneath his visor. “State your purpose.”

“Returning from the lower levels,” Jo replied firmly. “Mission complete. We’re here to report to Director Reeves.”

The guard scanned them, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Protocol requires weapon surrender.”

Marcus groaned under his breath. “What is it with the protocols?”

Jo shot him a look, silencing him before addressing the guard and handing over her rifle. “Understood.”

One by one, they handed over their weapons. Marcus hesitated as his fingers brushed over his holstered sidearm. “This better be waiting for me when I’m done,” he muttered, setting it down.

The guard nodded to the squad leader standing nearby. “They’re clear.”

“Follow me,” the squad leader commanded, his voice sharp. Without waiting, he turned and marched toward a nearby corridor. The trio followed as the guard walked behind.

Jo glanced at Maya, whose jaw was set with quiet determination. This is more than a debrief, Jo thought grimly.

The squad leader stopped before a nondescript door, keying in a code. The door hissed open, revealing a dimly lit room. "Restraints," he barked. The guard put cuffs on Marcus first, as the leader pulled out his sidearm to ensure his order would be followed. Once all three were constrained he led them inside. The room was colder than the corridor. A bolted table dominated the center, its surface smooth except for a holoterminal at one end.

Reeves sat to one side, bound. His head tilted slightly forward as he sat. His face bore faint bruises, his expression tight with frustration. Energy cuffs locked his arms in place. Next to him sat Cassandra, similarly bound. Her posture was rigid, her eyes downcast, as though the ordeal had taken a toll on her.

“Sit,” the squad leader commanded, gesturing to the three empty chairs opposite Reeves and Cassandra. His voice was clipped, betraying no emotion.

Jo and Marcus sat immediately, their movements cautious. Maya lingered for a moment, glancing at the glowing console. The squad leader’s sharp look prompted her to follow suit.

The leader keyed a command on his wrist, and the door hissed shut behind them. “You’re here because of one thing,” he began, tapping the console. A holographic projection appeared above the table, data revealing overlapping logs. “The Abacus’s signature was detected within twenty meters of your last known position. Care to explain?”

Jo leaned forward, her voice steady. “Unstable zones interfere with sensors. Any proximity reading could be distorted.”

“Convenient excuse,” the squad leader said. “But combined with your augment sensors being offline, it’s too much to ignore.”

Cassandra shifted slightly in her chair, her voice trembling just enough to draw sympathy. “I’ve told you everything I know,” she said, her gaze flicking briefly toward Reeves. “He was the one who insisted on secrecy. And now… this.” Her voice broke, though her expression remained controlled.

Jo frowned. “What exactly are we being accused of?”

Cassandra looked at her, a flicker of fear in her eyes. “They think we conspired with you. I certainly did not!”

Reeves made a muffled noise, jerking his head toward Cassandra. Jo caught the movement, her brow furrowing. Reeves’ fists clenched, his body tense with restrained urgency. His eyes locked on Cassandra’s for a moment, a mix of frustration and something else—betrayal?

The squad leader gestured toward Reeves, his tone even. “He’s had his chance to talk. We’re here for your side of the story.”

Jo leaned back slightly, keeping her gaze steady on the squad leader. “We’re not hiding anything. Whatever the Abacus’s proximity signature means, it wasn’t because of us.”

“Of course, you’d say that,” the man said coldly. He keyed another command into his wrist module, and the holographic projection shifted. Energy spikes and timestamps overlapped with movement records, forming a map of glowing trails. “This shows your team’s exact trajectory. Every movement recorded—except for the critical window when your augments went offline. Convenient timing, don’t you think?”

Maya tilted her head, studying the projection. “Those logs are incomplete,” she said, her voice calm but sharp. “There’s missing data near the 14:32 mark. If this is supposed to be definitive, it’s not.”

The interrogator narrowed his eyes. “Nice try. That’s your team’s blackout zone. A known tactic to subvert tracking.”

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Reeves strained against his bonds and jerked again toward Jo, desperation flickering in his eyes. The guard standing near the console adjusted the grip on his rifle.

“Enough from him,” the man looked at Reeves. “You've had your chance, Director. Whether or not they corroborate is the only question that remains.” His tone lowered, "If you don't settle down you'll get a taste of the guards handle. Reeves settled down a bit.

“Reeves is no liar,” Cassandra interjected suddenly, her voice soft but insistent. “He’s been misled. By them.” Her gaze swept toward Jo, Maya, and Marcus, her face a mask of regret.

Jo’s jaw tightened as she processed Cassandra’s words. She leaned forward, her voice measured but firm. “What exactly did Reeves say? Because from where I’m sitting, all I see is incomplete data and assumptions.”

"You either cooperate or you don't." The squad leader’s eyes narrowed, “Are you denying it?” The menace was harsh and unexpected.

Maya interjected, her gaze fixed on the holographic map. “Look here,” she said, pointing to an overlay near the blackout zone. “This energy trail—it doesn’t align with the Abacus’s movement pattern. The oscillation spikes are wrong. If you’re basing your case on proximity, this doesn’t add up.”

The man frowned but didn’t respond immediately. Jo took the opportunity to press further. “You’re running this whole show on data that your expert won't be able to confirm. And Reeves?” She nodded toward him, her tone sharpening. “He is the Director of Veridian Security and Councilmember. You are way over your head in this interrogation and guilty of insubordination of senior officers.”

Reeves straightened slightly, his bound hands straining against the cuffs. He let out another muffled grunt, his eyes boring into Jo’s. She glanced at Marcus, who had been silent so far, his clenched fists betraying his frustration.

The squad leader's voice was full of indignation, “If you all would just tell the truth instead of deflecting and debating technicalities, we could all get out of here.” He shook his head, “Reeves confessed—he placed his trust in you. But the evidence speaks for itself.”

Jo felt her stomach twist as the words settled over the room like a heavy obstacle.

Cassandra spoke softly, her voice trembling with a blend of fear and righteousness. “I didn’t want to believe it at first. That you’d turn on everything we’ve worked for. But Reeves…” She hesitated, her eyes flickering toward him. “Reeves told me everything. How you used him, how you manipulated his loyalty.”

Jo couldn't read Cassandra at all, but she couldn't deny she had a goal. Is she just trying to save herself? Reeves jerked against his restraints, making another muffled protest. His eyes were wild, fixed on Cassandra now, filled with fury and desperation. The guard jammed the butt of his rifle hard into Reeves's rib cage causing him to bend over.

“Enough,” the squad leader said, cutting through the tension. He gestured to the data still hovering above the table. “We have everything we need. Augment failures, proximity logs, and Reeves's testimony. The story writes itself.”

Jo’s voice sharpened, her calm slipping. “This isn’t a trial. It’s a performance. Your use of force invalidates any confession or testimony. We need to hear what director Reeves is trying to say.”

“Oh please,” Cassandra begged, her voice rising. “He already admitted to helping you sabotage the mission, letting Ava escape with the Abacus.”

Reeves thrashed again, his chair scraping against the floor. The guard threatened again while Cassandra’s gaze remained locked on Jo.

The squad leader stepped forward, his shadow falling over Jo. “If you won’t confess, we’ll settle this another way.” He keyed a command, and the guard stowed his rifle raising a sidearm to Reeves's head.

The energy weapon powered up ominously in the guard’s hands, its blue glow sharp in the dim room. Reeves, bound and gagged, froze. His wide eyes darted between Jo, Maya, and Marcus. Marcus’s stomach dropped as he recognized the familiar scuff on the barrel. “That’s my gun,” Marcus said, his voice low, almost a whisper. His fists clenched against the restraints as he locked eyes with the squad leader. “You’re using my gun to do this?”

The squad leader’s expression didn’t waver. “Your weapon is evidence, Marcus. Evidence of a conspiracy to sabotage Veridian and aid a known insurgent. A tribunal would find it very compelling.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Maya snapped, leaning forward. “The gun was confiscated when we came in. You know that.”

The interrogator ignored her, his voice turning cold. “Reeves confessed to working with you, but his story doesn’t match up completely. That’s where you come in. Confess now—admit to aiding the Abacus—or we’ll finish this here and let a tribunal handle the rest.”

Jo’s heart pounded as she glanced at Reeves. He thrashed against his bonds, his protests growing frantic. The guard lowered the barrel squarely at Reeves’s chest, his finger hovering on the trigger.

Jo shot Marcus a warning glance, but his fury boiled over. “This is a setup,” Marcus growled. “You confiscated that weapon. Everyone here knows it!”

The man tilted his head, his voice calm and measured. “It’s not framing if it’s true. All the evidence points to guilt. You’ve given us no choice.”

Jo’s breath quickened as she glanced at Reeves.

“Jo,” Maya whispered, her voice cracking. “What do we do?”

Jo’s mind raced. She met Marcus’s eyes, his glare a mix of rage and disbelief. We can’t let Reeves die. But Marcus is right—this is a trap. Her hands balled into fists as she stood up.

“Fine,” Jo said, her voice breaking. “We helped Ava escape with the Abacus.”

Marcus surged forward in his chair. “Jo, don’t—!”

Maya swallowed, her voice barely audible. “We did it,” she whispered as she stood slowly beside Jo.

The guard hesitated, looking toward Cassandra. Her lips curved into a faint, cold smile. "Finish it," she said as she also stood. Her hands came from around her back without any constraints as Jo's knees became weak with regret.

The guard gestured to his band, “Backup, now”.

Before they could react, the sound from the weapon rose sharply. The guard fired, and Reeves jerked violently, a blast hitting his chest in a blinding flash. A second shot followed, silencing him before he slumped forward in his restraints. The interrogator fired at Marcus in the chest in near succession, finishing him off with a second headshot.

"No!" Jo screamed, raw with anguish as she sank to her knees beside Marcus, her face pale, tears dropping onto the floor.

Maya couldn’t bring herself to look at Marcus’s body. Her hands, trembling in constraint, curled into fists, her nails digging into her palm.

The first guard stepped forward, slipping Marcus’s weapon into his lifeless hand. Cassandra straightened, her voice smooth and deliberate. “A tribunal will see this as clear conspiracy and attempted coverup. Reeves confessed. Marcus acted out of hatred. And you two—” she gestured at Jo and Maya, her smile widening slightly, “you’ll answer for all of it.”

Jo stared at Marcus’s body as the interrogator pulled her to her feet. Her mind spinning, This is my fault. I should have done more. Thought faster.

Maya clenched her jaw, her voice trembling. “You think this will hold up in a tribunal? We’ll expose all of you!”

Two guards entered, their weapons drawn.

Cassandra stepped closer, the sterile light catching the sharp lines of her face. She leaned in just enough to make her voice a conspiratorial whisper. ‘A tribunal loves a good story,’ she said. ‘And I’ve just written yours.’

Jo's chest burned with fury, her hands itching to tear free from the restraints. Her mind darkened, grief giving way to a fierce resolve. This isn’t over. I’ll make sure you pay, Cassandra.