Echoes of Red [BINI AU]

Chapter 37 🐶

Third Person's Point Of View

The dimly lit corridor was an unyielding maze of metal and shadows. The group's pace quickened as they moved forward, their senses on high alert. Colet, leading them through the facility, was focused and determined, but the air of urgency was palpable. Mikha, carrying Sheena, felt the weight of their mission bearing down on her.

As they approached the exit, the unexpected happened. A guard rounded the corner, his eyes widening in shock at the sight of the intruders.

Mikha tightened her grip on Sheena, preparing to defend her if necessary. Before the guard could even raise his radio, Colet sprang into action. Her knife, a sleek and deadly extension of her will, sliced through the air with precision. It struck the guard's chest, sending him crashing to the floor. The group stared in disbelief at the speed and efficiency of Colet's move.

Aiah, who had been following closely behind, seemed unnerved. Her eyes flickered nervously as she looked back at the lifeless body of the guard. Mikha and Jhoanna exchanged worried glances, but Colet's voice cut through the tension.

"We need to move, now!" Colet urged, her tone brooking no argument.

As they prepared to escape, the guard spoke, his gaze settling on Aiah with suspicion. His eyes narrowed, and he began to speak, his voice strained and full of pain. "You..." he croaked, his voice a rasp of disbelief and accusation. "You were the one feeding them information."

The revelation hit the group like a physical blow. Aiah's face went pale, and she looked down at the floor, unable to meet their eyes. Mikha and Jhoanna's faces were a mixture of shock and hurt, their expressions reflecting the weight of betrayal. Colet's face was inscrutable, a storm of emotions hidden behind her calm exterior.

Aiah's eyes widened in shock, a flicker of panic darting across her face. She tried to steady herself, but her hands trembled, revealing her mounting fear.

With his last ounce of strength, the soldier's voice grew fainter but more insistent. "Sheena's father... He has something on her... She's been working for him... The information... It led to her abduction..."

Aiah's heart pounded in her chest. She slowly lifted her gaze to the group, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and remorse. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking.

The words hit the group like a sledgehammer. Mikha's face drained of color, her hands gripping Sheena tightly as her eyes filled with a mixture of rage and betrayal.

Sheena's condition made the revelation even more bitter. Jhoanna's jaw clenched, her fists trembling at her sides, barely able to process the betrayal. Colet's expression was a mask of cold resolve, her gaze flicking between Aiah and the unconscious Sheena.

The silence that followed was thick with unspoken hurt and disbelief.

Aiah's gaze swept over Jhoanna, Mikha, Colet, and Sheena. She saw the hurt in Mikha's eyes, the deep disappointment etched on Jhoanna's face, and the hard, unreadable look in Colet's eyes. Aiah's heart ached, guilt and shame nearly overwhelming her.

The rift within the group was immediate and palpable. Mikha's voice broke the silence, her words harsh and accusatory. "So.. all this time, you were working against us? Helping them?"

Jhoanna, her eyes brimming with tears, added, "What is this? Intern ka namin, diba?"

Aiah's voice was barely a whisper, filled with regret and desperation. "I... I didn't have a choice. I was forced to help him... I didn't want this."

Her explanation did little to bridge the widening chasm between them. The group's anger and betrayal were raw, the air crackling with the intensity of their emotions.