The desert station had become a tomb of silence.
Three days had passed since the confrontation at the Origin. Three days of waiting, watching, wondering. The inner circle's leader was gone, vanished into the shadows. The Covenant was shattered, its operations in chaos. But the victory felt hollow, like ashes in their mouths.
"We need to talk," Vance said, his voice low. "I've been monitoring the global networks. There's been a development."
Axel turned, his eyes tired. "What is it?"
"The Covenant's collapse has created a power vacuum. Other organizations are moving in, trying to fill the void." Vance's voice was tight. "We've got reports of new players emerging—groups we've never seen before."
"Like what?"
"There's one in particular. They call themselves the Ascendancy. They've been
