Into the Abyss: The Rise of the Malevolent Player

Chapter 9: Trust and Betrayal

Aiden’s POV

The resistance hideout was dimly lit, the faint hum of machinery filling the silence. Zane stood at the center of the room, arms crossed, his sharp eyes drilling into me like laser beams.

Kara leaned against the far wall, feigning indifference, though her clenched fists betrayed her tension. The air was thick with mistrust, and I felt like a pawn on the verge of being sacrificed.

"You’re holding back," Zane said, his voice low and dangerous. "I can see it in your eyes, Aiden. You’re not telling us everything."

I forced myself to meet his gaze. "I’ve told you everything I know. Rhea Valen warned us about Malrik’s plan, and—"

"And yet," Zane interrupted, stepping closer, "you conveniently forget to mention the part where you’re the Catalyst. The one person Malrik needs to pull this off."

Kara snorted. "Oh, so now we’re putting all our chips on Aiden? Great strategy. Let’s ignore the fact that he’s been stumbling through this entire mess like a lost puppy."

"You’re one to talk," I shot back, turning to her. "You’ve been cagey since day one, Kara. If anyone’s hiding something, it’s you."

Her eyes narrowed, and for a moment, I thought she might lunge at me. Instead, she pushed off the wall and walked toward me, her voice cold and measured. "I don’t owe you my life story, Cross. But let’s get one thing straight: I’m here to stop Malrik. Whatever it takes."

Zane raised a hand, silencing us both. "Enough. We don’t have time for this petty crap. Malrik’s forces are closing in, and if we’re not united, we’re dead."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing thoughts. "Fine. But if we’re talking about unity, maybe we should start with transparency. Kara, why don’t you tell us why you’re really here?"

She smirked, but it didn’t reach her eyes. "You think you’ve got me figured out, don’t you? Fine. You want the truth? Malrik killed my family. My parents, my little brother—all gone because of his obsession with The Abyss. So yeah, I’ve got a personal stake in this. Happy now?"

Her confession hit like a punch to the gut. I didn’t know what I’d expected, but it wasn’t this.

"I’m sorry," I said quietly.

She scoffed. "Don’t waste your pity on me. Save it for someone who needs it."

Zane, however, didn’t look convinced. "And yet, despite your tragic backstory, you’ve been more than comfortable keeping secrets. Like the encrypted files you’ve been hoarding."

Kara’s head snapped toward him, her eyes wide. "What are you talking about?"

"Don’t play dumb," Zane growled, pulling a small device from his pocket. "We found this in your gear. Care to explain why it contains classified Helios data?"

My stomach dropped as Kara’s face went pale.

"That’s not—" she started, but Zane cut her off.

"Don’t bother denying it. We decrypted part of it. Turns out you worked for Helios before joining the resistance. Care to explain that little detail?"

The room went deathly silent. My mind reeled as I processed what Zane had just said. Kara, working for Helios? It didn’t make sense. Or maybe it made too much sense.

"It’s not what you think," Kara said, her voice trembling slightly. "I worked for Helios, yes. But I didn’t have a choice. They... they threatened my family."

"And yet, here you are, conveniently showing up with just the right skills to infiltrate Malrik’s network," Zane sneered. "How do we know you’re not still working for him?"

"Because I wouldn’t be risking my life if I were!" Kara snapped. "Do you think I’d go through all this just to play double agent?"

"People have done worse for less," Zane shot back.

I stepped between them, raising my hands. "Enough. This isn’t helping. Zane, you’re right to be cautious, but we don’t have time to tear each other apart. We need to focus on stopping Malrik."

Zane glared at me but didn’t argue. Kara, however, looked like she wanted to say more, but a sudden noise cut her off.

A sharp beeping sound echoed through the hideout, followed by a deafening crash. The ground shook beneath us, and the lights flickered.

"What the hell?" I shouted, grabbing onto a nearby table to steady myself.

Zane’s expression darkened. "We’ve been compromised. Everyone, gear up!"

Kara and I followed him out of the room, our argument forgotten as we entered the main hall. Resistance members were scrambling, weapons in hand, as the walls trembled under the force of the attack.

"Crimson Hand," Zane muttered, his jaw clenched. "They’ve found us."

A loud explosion tore through the far wall, and smoke filled the room. Through the haze, I saw them—Malrik’s elite forces, clad in crimson armor, their weapons glowing with the eerie light of Abyssal tech.

"Take cover!" Zane shouted, firing his rifle at the intruders.

Kara and I dove behind a makeshift barricade as chaos erupted around us. Bullets and energy blasts flew in every direction, and the air was thick with the acrid smell of burning metal.

"We can’t hold them off forever!" I yelled over the noise.

"We don’t need forever," Zane called back. "We just need to buy enough time to evacuate."

But even as he said it, I knew it was a losing battle. The Crimson Hand forces were relentless, and their numbers seemed endless.

I turned to Kara. "Can you hack their comms? Maybe we can disrupt their coordination."

She nodded, pulling out her portable terminal. "Cover me."

I leaned over the barricade, firing at anything that moved, as Kara’s fingers flew across her screen.

"Got it!" she shouted a moment later. "Their comms are down, but it won’t last long!"

Zane was barking orders, his voice barely audible over the chaos. Suddenly, a blast of energy hit the barricade, sending Kara and me sprawling.

When I looked up, I saw Zane on the ground, clutching his side. Blood seeped through his fingers, and his face was pale.

"Zane!" I scrambled to his side, trying to assess the damage.

He grabbed my arm, his grip surprisingly strong. "Don’t stop. You have to get out of here. Take Kara and go."

"I’m not leaving you," I said, my voice breaking.

"You don’t have a choice," he hissed. "This fight isn’t over, Aiden. It’s just beginning."

Before I could respond, another explosion rocked the room. Smoke and debris filled the air, and I felt someone grab my arm.

"We have to go!" Kara shouted, pulling me to my feet.

I hesitated, looking back at Zane. He met my gaze, his eyes filled with determination.

"Go!" he yelled.

Kara dragged me toward the exit, and I followed, my heart heavy with guilt. As we fled, the sounds of the battle faded behind us, but Zane’s final words echoed in my mind.

The fight wasn’t over. It was just beginning.