Chapter 10: Gaining the Technological Edge.

A few hours had passed since Talon's surprise return with his captive, and the camp had settled into a tenuous calm. Around a flickering campfire, Talon recounted his adventures to Ava, Miko, and a group of ADF soldiers, their faces illuminated by the soft glow.

"So there I was, tailing them for days," Talon began, his voice low and dramatic, drawing everyone in. "Lucas’s little gadget starts buzzing and lighting up like crazy—no clue what it was actually doing, but I figured it was picking up some kind of signal."

Miko leaned forward, clearly intrigued. "Wait, what does it detect exactly? Their communications? Movement?"

Talon shrugged, flashing his usual mischievous grin. "Honestly, your guess is as good as mine. I just know when it buzzes, there’s tech nearby. It’s like a sniffer dog for all their fancy toys."

Ava chuckled. "You’re trusting tech without understanding it? That’s new for you."

"Yeah, well, when you’ve been out in the field alone for as long as I was, you start to rely on anything that keeps you alive—even stuff that beeps without explanation," Talon replied, leaning back with a satisfied smile.

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a stern-looking Sentinel officer. "Sentinel Talon, Sentinel Ava, you’re needed at the command tent," he said, his tone formal but urgent.

Ava and Talon exchanged glances before nodding, getting up from the warmth of the fire and following the officer back toward the command center.

Inside the tent, the scene was one of controlled chaos. Maps were sprawled across tables, radios crackled with orders, and in the corner stood the man Talon had brought back. He was surrounded by a team of Sentinel techs, their faces a mix of curiosity and suspicion as they poked and prodded at the equipment he’d been captured with.

"Alright, what’ve you got for us?" Ava asked, stepping forward, her arms crossed, eyes fixed on the captive.

The man, still slightly shaken but composed, pointed to a set of strange-looking devices. "This one," he said, tapping a bulky machine covered in buttons, "is what jammed your communications. Press this, and it creates a signal blackout for about two miles, as long as there’s nothing obstructing the signal."

Ava raised an eyebrow, her earlier suspicions confirmed. "So that's why we went dark."

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The man nodded quickly. "Right. And this—" he gestured to a smaller device, "is a drone controller. We use it to paint targets and relay visuals back to our command for missile strikes. You got lucky—you took out the drone, then your artillery strikes took out a vehicle like mine before it could lock on fully and paint your position."

Commander Sterling, who had been listening intently, cut in with a question. "So how do we stop them? What’s the best way to disable their tech?"

The man hesitated, glancing nervously between the equipment and the techs. "Take out the drones, that’s your best bet. They’re the eyes in the sky, and without them, the Reclaimers are blind. As for the jammers, once you locate the source, you can disable it—but good luck doing that while under fire."

Sterling’s face hardened, and he immediately turned to his staff, barking orders. "Spread the word across the camp! As soon as you hear or spot a drone, it’s to be shot down immediately. And keep a sharp eye out for any strange signals; we need to locate their jamming devices fast."

Suddenly, the tension in the room spiked as one of the Sentinel soldiers raised her weapon, pointing it at the Reclaimer tech. "Step away from the equipment!" she ordered, her voice sharp, eyes flashing with suspicion.

The man’s hands shot up in a defensive gesture, his eyes wide. "Whoa, whoa! It’s not connected to their network anymore, I swear! You can relax," he pleaded, backing away from the devices.

Ava, sensing the soldier’s unease, stepped in quickly. "Stand down, he’s cooperating. Let’s hear him out first," she said, her voice calm but firm.

The soldier hesitated for a moment, then lowered her weapon, though the tension lingered in the air.

The Reclaimer tech let out a relieved breath. "Thanks," he muttered before turning back to the devices. "Look, if you give me some time, I might be able to repurpose this," he said, gesturing to the jammer. "With a few tweaks, I could potentially reverse the signal—jam their communications instead of ours. It’s a long shot, but it’s possible."

Ava and Talon exchanged a glance, both considering the offer. "Do you trust him?" Ava asked quietly, her voice carrying an undercurrent of caution.

Talon’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "I don’t trust much that I can’t fully understand," he admitted with a half-smile. "But if this guy can really turn their tech against them, it’s worth a shot."

Ava nodded, her expression softening slightly. "Alright, Plan B it is."

As they turned to leave the tent, the weight of the situation settled heavily on their shoulders. Walking back toward the defensive line, the pair found themselves in a rare moment of shared silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Feels like we’re fighting on uneven ground," Ava muttered, more to herself than to Talon. "They have the tech, we’ve got instinct. Let’s hope that’s enough."

Talon glanced at her, a flicker of amusement crossing his face. "Instinct, guts, and a hell of a lot of stubbornness. That’s what makes us Sentinels, right?"

Ava smirked, her mood lightening a little. "Right. Let’s show them what that looks like."

As they returned to their positions, the camp was already bustling with renewed energy, soldiers preparing for whatever might come next. The Reclaimers had their tech, but the Sentinels had something stronger—resilience, adaptability, and a bond forged in the fires of battle. And with Talon’s unexpected "gift," they might just have a fighting chance to even the odds.