The silence in the cabin was suffocating, the air thick with tension.
Ada's fingers tightened around the grip of her weapon as the familiar face in front of her smirked.
Every muscle in her body screamed to act, to move, but she held herself in check.
Vega was standing beside her, her presence a constant, her energy taut like a bowstring ready to snap.
The man before them was someone from Ada's past, someone she thought was long gone.
But here he was, standing in the doorway with a grin that didn't belong in this world.
A ghost from her former life.
"Ada," he said again, his voice smooth, like velvet wrapped around a knife. "I never thought I'd see you again. You've been quite the shadow, haven't you?"
Her mind raced.
This man—he was once a part of her team, someone she trusted, someone who had disappeared without a trace years ago.
But the man in front of her wasn't the same person she had once known.
His eyes were cold, calculating, the warmth of their past friendship long extinguished.
Vega's hand moved subtly, but Ada caught the flash of intent in her eyes.
She wasn't going to let this man get the upper hand—not without a fight.
"What are you doing here?" Ada asked, her voice low, steady, though every fiber of her being screamed with distrust.
The man chuckled softly, his eyes flicking between the two women. "Same as you, I imagine. Trying to survive. The world's changed, Ada. The rules aren't the same anymore."
Ada's grip on her weapon tightened. "You're with them, aren't you? The ones hunting us."
His smile widened, and for a moment, there was a flicker of something almost nostalgic in his gaze. "You always were the sharp one." He glanced behind him, then back at Ada. "But you're wrong if you think I'm hunting you. I'm here to offer you something."
Ada didn't lower her weapon. "I don't take offers from people like you."
"People like me?" he raised an eyebrow, clearly entertained. "You think you know who I am now? Who I've become?"
Vega took a step forward, her posture tense, ready for anything. "Cut the games. Why are you really here?"
The man's eyes flicked to Vega, then back to Ada. "You've changed, haven't you? More than I expected. But it doesn't matter. I'm offering you a way out, Ada. A chance to join forces. With me. With us."
Ada's mind raced.
She had to think fast.
There was no way she was going to trust him, not after everything that had happened.
She exchanged a glance with Vega, who gave a slight nod.
Whatever game he was playing, they weren't about to fall for it.
"Join forces?" Ada echoed, her voice laced with disbelief. "With who, exactly?"
He stepped into the room, his gaze never leaving Ada. "I'm not here alone. There are others, people who want what you and Vega have. A future. A chance to rebuild. And you, Ada, you're going to help us."
Ada's blood ran cold. Rebuild?
After everything they had been through, after all the pain and loss, someone was trying to convince her to join them in some twisted attempt at rebuilding? She couldn't let that happen.
"We're not interested," Ada said firmly, her voice cutting through the air. "Whatever you think you can offer, it's not worth the price."
The man's smile faltered, a flicker of annoyance flashing in his eyes.
But then it was gone, replaced with the same cold calculation. "You'll regret that decision," he said softly, his tone dangerously calm. "You've made a powerful enemy today."
Before Ada could respond, the door to the cabin slammed open with a force that sent a shockwave through the air.
Ada's body tensed, her hand already moving toward her weapon, but it was too late.
A group of figures appeared in the doorway, their faces masked, their movements precise.
There was no mistaking it now—this wasn't just a chance encounter.
They had been set up.
The man chuckled again, stepping back and out of the way as the figures entered the room. "I told you, Ada," he said, his voice dripping with menace. "You should've accepted my offer."
Ada's mind spun into overdrive, but she kept her composure.
She looked at Vega, saw the same determination mirrored in her eyes.
They had no choice but to fight their way out of this.
But Ada knew one thing for sure—this wasn't just a random encounter. Someone was playing a much bigger game, and they were the pawns.
Vega took a step toward Ada, her voice barely a whisper. "What now?"
Ada's eyes hardened as she took in the masked figures, their weapons drawn, their intent clear. "Now, we fight."