CHAPTER 16: THE TRAITOR'S FACE
918 Words
The crimson emergency lights painted the frozen corridor in blood.
Nysera Quinn stood motionless at the far end of the hallway, snow melting slowly from her dark coat while her pistol remained aimed directly at Vaelora’s chest.
No one moved.
The arctic facility groaned softly beneath the storm outside.
Kaedrin stared at Nysera in disbelief.
“You survived.”
Nysera’s expression remained cold.
“Barely.”
Vaelora narrowed her eyes carefully.
Something was wrong.
The guilt Nysera carried inside the bunker—
Gone.
Now her face looked hollow.
Resolved.
Like she had already crossed a line she could never return from.
Kaedrin stepped slightly forward.
“Lower the gun.”
Nysera ignored him completely.
Her eyes stayed locked onto Vaelora.
“You should never have come here.”
Vaelora’s voice hardened.
“You betrayed us.”
A flicker of emotion crossed Nysera’s face.
Pain.
Then gone.
“I did what I had to.”
“The agency murdered your sister,” Kaedrin snapped.
Nysera finally looked at him.
“And Soryn promised justice.”
Silence.
Vaelora felt cold settle through her chest.
There it was.
The truth.
Kaedrin’s expression darkened instantly.
“You’re working for him.”
Nysera lowered her gun slightly.
Not surrendering.
Just tired.
“I’ve always worked for him.”
The words echoed like a bullet through the corridor.
Vaelora’s stomach tightened.
Every mission.
Every ambush.
Every leak.
Nysera.
Always Nysera.
Kaedrin looked genuinely furious now.
“You played us from the beginning.”
Nysera’s jaw tightened.
“No.”
Her voice cracked unexpectedly.
“I tried not to.”
The storm thundered violently outside.
Vaelora studied her carefully.
There were tears frozen in the corners of Nysera’s eyes.
Not fear.
Regret.
Dangerous thing for spies to feel.
Then Nysera spoke softly—
“Soryn told me you’d destroy everything if Helix activated.”
Vaelora’s expression hardened.
“And you believed him?”
“I’ve seen what Cerberus turned you into.”
Those words hit sharply.
Because some part of Vaelora feared they were true.
Kaedrin stepped protectively beside her.
“That’s enough.”
Nysera looked at him for a long moment.
Almost sadly.
“You still trust her.”
Kaedrin answered immediately.
“Yes.”
The single word stunned Vaelora more than it should have.
Nysera noticed too.
And something painful flickered behind her expression.
Then suddenly—
The facility alarms changed tone.
WARNING: CORE ACTIVATION SEQUENCE INITIATED
All three froze instantly.
Vaelora looked toward the lower corridor.
“The Helix core.”
Nysera tightened her grip on the gun.
“You’re too late.”
Kaedrin’s eyes narrowed sharply.
“What did Soryn start?”
Nysera hesitated.
Then quietly—
“This facility isn’t storing Helix.”
Silence sharpened.
Vaelora’s pulse slowed dangerously.
“What?”
Nysera swallowed hard.
“It’s building the next phase.”
Before either could speak—
Massive steel doors suddenly opened deeper within the corridor.
Freezing air rushed outward.
Then footsteps echoed slowly through the red-lit hall.
Measured.
Calm.
Terrifyingly familiar.
Soryn Kade emerged from the shadows wearing a black military coat dusted with snow.
His silver eyes settled instantly on Vaelora.
And for the first time since meeting him—
Vaelora remembered fear.
Real fear.
Soryn looked almost pleased.
“Orchid.”
The name hit like poison.
Kaedrin immediately raised his weapon.
“Don’t.”
Soryn barely glanced at him.
“You were always emotional, Commander Vale.”
Kaedrin’s finger tightened on the trigger.
“You ruined our lives.”
Soryn’s expression remained calm.
“No.”
He looked toward Vaelora slowly.
“I gave hers purpose.”
Vaelora felt rage ignite instantly.
“You tortured children.”
Soryn stepped closer.
“And created survivors.”
Kaedrin fired.
The bullet missed intentionally—
Because Nysera suddenly stepped between them.
“Stop!”
Silence crashed through the corridor.
Kaedrin stared at her in disbelief.
Nysera’s voice shook now.
“Soryn… please. This isn’t what you promised.”
Soryn finally looked at her directly.
Cold.
Empty.
“You served your function well.”
Nysera’s expression slowly broke.
“You said no one else had to die.”
Soryn’s gaze returned to Vaelora.
“They don’t.”
Then softly—
“Only her.”
Vaelora’s pulse turned ice cold.
Every instinct screamed danger.
Soryn took another slow step forward.
“You still don’t understand what you are, Orchid.”
“Don’t call me that.”
His eyes darkened slightly.
“You were never meant to be human.”
Kaedrin moved instantly in front of Vaelora.
Protective again.
Always.
“You touch her and I kill you.”
Soryn studied him curiously.
Then something almost amused flickered across his face.
“Interesting.”
The alarms screamed louder throughout the facility.
WARNING: HELIX SYNCHRONIZATION IN 10 MINUTES
Soryn glanced briefly toward the ceiling.
“Time grows short.”
Then he looked directly at Vaelora.
“Come willingly, and the Commander survives.”
Kaedrin laughed once.
Cold.
Murderous.
“You really think she’d trust you?”
Soryn answered without looking away from Vaelora.
“She already does.”
That unsettled her instantly.
Because somewhere deep inside—
A buried memory stirred.
A hand gently resting against her head.
A voice whispering:
> “You were never abandoned.”
Vaelora staggered slightly.
Soryn noticed.
Of course he did.
Kaedrin grabbed her arm carefully.
“Vaelora.”
But before she could respond—
Nysera suddenly turned toward Kaedrin.
And fired.
BANG.
The gunshot exploded through the corridor.
Kaedrin staggered backward violently.
Blood bloomed across his chest.
- Writer
