Chapter 234 234: Confessions

Words : 2050 Updated : Sep 27th, 2025

The skycraft slipped back into the maintenance hangar at the Nexus Arena with less than an hour to spare before dawn. The eastern horizon was just beginning to lighten as they powered down the engines and completed their post-flight checks. "Clean mission," Lucas remarked, stretching as they exited the craft. "Apart from the prison break we didn't actually cause." "Don't jinx it," Kelvin warned. "We're not in the clear until we're back in our quarters with no one the wiser." Sophie remained silent as she secured the craft, methodically erasing any evidence of their unauthorized excursion. Her movements were precise, professional—giving nothing away of her thoughts or feelings. Noah checked his wristband. "0432 hours. I need to return Miss Brooks' clearance chip before she has my head for it" "I'll start analyzing the data," Kelvin offered, patting his tablet where the downloaded files from Academy 8 were stored. "Shouldn't take too long to decrypt the more heavily protected sections." Lucas nodded. "Sophie and I will make sure this craft is properly... re-requisitioned. Meet in my quarters at 0700. We need to discuss what we found." As they prepared to split up, Sophie finally spoke, her voice carefully neutral. "Noah, after you've returned the chip, I need to talk to you." It wasn't a request. Noah met her gaze and nodded once. "I'll find you." The group separated, moving through the predawn shadows of the Nexus Arena with the practiced stealth of Academy 12's elite cadets. Noah made his way toward the instructors' quarters, his mind racing with everything they'd discovered—and everything he still needed to face. Miss Brooks' door was exactly as he'd left it hours earlier. He knocked softly, knowing she'd be awake. Brooks never slept more than four hours a night—a habit from her years on the front lines during past Harbinger conflicts. The door opened almost immediately. Miss Brooks stood there in her pajamas, looking as if she'd been awake for hours rather than disturbed from sleep. "Eclipse," she said, her eyes quickly assessing him. "You're cutting it close." "Yes, ma'am." He held out the clearance chip. "Mission accomplished." She took the chip, tucking it away in her pocket without examining it. "Any complications I should be aware of?" Noah hesitated, considering how much to share. "Nothing we couldn't handle." "And the information you sought?" "We got it." He paused. "It's... concerning." She studied him for a moment. "I won't ask what exactly you went there to find. I trust that if I needed to know, you would tell me." Noah sighed, the weight of their discovery pressing on him. "Of course." Miss Brooks nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Very well. Get some rest before your matches come up. You'll need it." "Thank you, ma'am," Noah said, turning to leave. "And Eclipse," she called after him, her voice softer than usual. "Whatever you and your team or friends discovered... be careful with it. Not everyone who wears an EDF uniform deserves your trust." The warning sent a chill down his spine. Had she somehow guessed what they'd found? Or was this simply the cautious advice of a veteran who'd seen enough betrayal in her career to be wary? "Understood, ma'am," he replied, before disappearing down the corridor. ___ Lucas's quarters were more spacious than the first-year accommodations, befitting his status as a senior cadet. By 0700, all four of them had gathered there, the atmosphere tense as Kelvin displayed his findings on the main screen. "Antoine Gregor," Kelvin began, pulling up the former headmaster's file. "Commander of Academy 8 for six years before his arrest. Decorated EDF veteran with over twenty years of service. No disciplinary issues, exemplary record... until six months ago, when an internal investigation uncovered evidence of his involvement with the Purge." "What kind of evidence?" Sophie asked, seated as far from Noah as the room allowed. "Communications, mostly," Kelvin replied, scrolling through the data. "Encrypted messages to known Purge cells. Meeting logs. Resource allocations that couldn't be accounted for." He paused at a particular file. "And this—a manifesto, apparently written by Gregor himself." The screen displayed a document titled "The Evolution Imperative." Noah skimmed the text, his unease growing with each line. "He believes the Harbinger war was... beneficial?" Lucas read, incredulous. "That it 'accelerated human potential' and 'catalyzed necessary evolutionary adaptations'?" "That's the Purge's core philosophy," Noah confirmed, remembering what Lila had told him. "They think the Harbingers weren't invaders, but catalysts—that the emergence of abilities like ours was the intended result." "That's insane," Sophie muttered. "Millions died in that war." "And still are," Lucas added with folded fist. "According to Gregor, that was just 'evolutionary pressure,'" Kelvin said, his usual humor absent. "Natural selection on a global scale." Noah frowned, studying the prisoner transfer orders. "What I don't understand is why Minister Reigns would want to interrogate such a dangerous prisoner at the Nexus Arena. Why not a secure EDF facility?" No one spoke for a moment, each contemplating the implications. "Personal reasons, maybe?" Lucas suggested carefully. "The minister's wife..." "Left to join the Purge," Sophie finished quietly. "At least, that's what my father told me. They were close friends with Gregor before... before everything." Noah nodded, the pieces falling into place. It made a twisted kind of sense—the minister seeking personal answers from a former friend who'd betrayed not just the EDF, but him personally. "So what do we do with this information?" Lucas asked, leaning forward. "If the Purge has infiltrated the academies at the highest levels, who can we trust? Our own headmaster? Commander Owen? Albright?" "No one," Noah said firmly. "Not until we know more. For now, this stays between us." Kelvin closed the files with a gesture. "According to what we found, the Purge is planning something for the day of the finals. We have time to prepare, at least." "Prepare for what?" Sophie challenged. "An attack by an unknown number of infiltrators with unknown capabilities?" She shook her head. "We need more intelligence." "We'll get it," Noah assured her. "But for now, we stay alert and keep this to ourselves." Lucas stood, stretching. "Well, looks like saving the EDF from internal treachery is just another day at Academy 12." Despite the gravity of the situation, Kelvin cracked a smile. "Should we put it on our résumés?" The tension in the room eased slightly, but Noah knew there was one more difficult conversation waiting. As Lucas and Kelvin prepared to leave, discussing how to secure the data they'd acquired, Noah caught Sophie's eye. She nodded once, then slipped out the door without a word. Her meaning was clear: follow me. Noah found Sophie in one of the small observation lounges overlooking the training grounds. Early morning sunlight streamed through the windows, but the space was deserted—most cadets were either still asleep or already in the dining hall. She stood with her back to him, arms crossed, staring out at the arena where the tournament's matches would be held. The stadium where, apparently, the Purge planned to strike. "I'm here," Noah said quietly, closing the door behind him. Sophie didn't turn. "You and Lila." The words hung in the air between them, both accusation and question. Noah felt his chest tighten, but he'd prepared for this moment ever since what happened in his domain. "Yes," he admitted, not offering excuses or deflections. Sophie turned then, her eyes hard. "You fucked her." It wasn't a question. Noah met her gaze steadily. "Yes." "The same Lila who threatened me? The psychotic bitch with the split personality who nearly cost you your life during your first expedition?" Sophie's voice remained eerily calm, which somehow made it worse than if she'd been shouting. "Yes." "Did you know she was Purge when you fucked her, or was that just a bonus you discovered afterward?" Noah winced at her deliberate crudeness. "I knew. She told me," Sophie laughed, a sharp, humorless sound. "How considerate of her. Was that before or after she warned you about this attack they're planning?" "Before," Noah said quietly. "Sophie, I—" "Don't you dare say you're sorry," she cut him off, her composure finally cracking. "Don't you fucking dare, Noah. We had something real. I trusted you." "I am sorry," he insisted, taking a step toward her. "I made a mistake. I let my emotions override my judgment, and I hurt you. That's on me." "A mistake," she repeated, her voice cold again. "Is that what Lila was to you? A mistake?" Noah chose his next words carefully. "What I did was a mistake. Betraying your trust was a mistake. But Lila..." He paused, searching for the right words. "I won't devalue her by calling her that. She's a person, not an error in judgment." Sophie's eyes flashed dangerously. "So what are you saying? That you have feelings for her too?" "I'm saying I won't lie to you about this," Noah replied firmly. "I care about you, Sophie. That hasn't changed. But I won't pretend that what happened with Lila meant nothing, or that I don't care about her too." "Are you serious right now?" Sophie's voice rose slightly. "You think you can just stand there and tell me you want both of us?" "That's not what I'm saying," Noah shook his head. "I'm not treating either of you like some prize to be won or shared. I'm just being honest about where I stand. I fucked up. I hurt you. But I won't compound that by throwing Lila aside now like she doesn't matter." Sophie stalked forward, closing the distance between them. "You have no idea what you're getting into with her. Lila is not who you think she is." "What does that mean?" "It means we had a deal," Sophie snapped, then seemed to catch herself. "It means she's dangerous, Noah. More dangerous than you realize." "A deal?" Noah pressed. "What kind of deal did you have with Lila?" Sophie waved the question away. "That's not important right now. What matters is that you need to decide what the hell you want." "I want to fix this," Noah said honestly. "I want to earn back your trust." "That's not happening anytime soon," Sophie replied, her voice lower now. "I need space, Noah. I need to process this without you standing in front of me with your earnest fucking face, telling me how you care about both of us." Noah nodded slowly. "I understand." "Do you?" She searched his face. "Because this isn't some tactical problem you can solve with your void powers or your strategic brilliance. This is real life, Noah. Actions have consequences." "I know that." Sophie stepped back, rubbing her temples. "Just... give me time. We still have to work together on this Purge situation, but beyond that... I need distance." "Whatever you need," Noah agreed quietly. She moved toward the door, then paused with her hand on the handle. "And Noah? If you think Lila told you everything about the Purge, about her involvement with them... you're more naive than I thought." With that, she left, the door closing firmly behind her. Noah remained in the observation lounge, watching as cadets began to fill the training grounds below. The tournament would continue tomorrow, matches playing out while a hidden threat loomed over them all. And now, personal betrayal complicated an already dangerous situation. He knew Sophie was right—actions had consequences. His had created fractures in their team at the worst possible moment. As for Lila... Sophie's warning echoed in his mind. What wasn't Lila telling him? And what kind of "deal" had the two women made? With a heavy sigh, Noah turned away from the window. They had a Purge plot to uncover and stop. His personal problems would have to wait. But one thing was certain—nothing at the Nexus Arena was as it seemed, and the true battle was only beginning.

Chapter 234 234: Confessions

Comments (0)