The Safe Zone - Reckoning (Book 2)

Chapter 20: Allies and Enemies

Ethan:

The tension was thick as we made our way through the narrow alleys of the Safe Zone. My heart pounded with every step, and my mind raced as I tried to anticipate what was coming next. The once-familiar streets now felt hostile, like a trap waiting to spring shut at any moment.

It felt like the entire world was holding its breath.

I could feel Lena's presence beside me, her steps steady despite the weight of everything we were walking into. She didn't say much, but I knew her well enough to understand her thinking. We were heading into a fight that would define everything from here on out. If we failed, the Safe Zone—and everyone in it—would be wiped out. The Directive had made sure of that.

Carter led the way, his shoulders hunched, his movements jittery with fear. He had been on edge since we'd pulled him out of that apartment, and I couldn't blame him. We were outnumbered, outgunned, and walking into a hornet's nest.

"We're close," Carter muttered, barely turning his head to look at us. "The council building is just up ahead."

Nora's most loyal supporters gathered in the council building, where the few remaining Safe Zone leadership members met to discuss the future. They had plotted against us in the same place we were still inside these walls.

I clenched my fists, the anger simmering just beneath the surface. These people had betrayed everything the Safe Zone was supposed to stand for. They had sold out to the Directive, willingly or not, and now they were helping to orchestrate its destruction. And we were going to stop them.

"We'll need to go quiet," I said, glancing over at Lena. "If we make too much noise, the Enforcers will be on us before we can even get inside."

Lena nodded, her face set in that familiar, determined expression. "No mistakes, Ethan. We can't afford any slip-ups."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. We couldn't afford to be reckless, not now. But the rage boiling inside me made it hard to think clearly. The faces of the people we had lost flashed through my mind—friends, comrades—everyone who had died because of the Directive's twisted plan.

No more. This was where it ended.

Lena:

I could feel the moment's weight pressing down on me as we approached the council building. It wasn't just the mission that hung over us—the fear, the uncertainty, the knowledge that everything could fall apart at any second. And yet, despite the odds and danger, there was a strange sense of calm inside me.

Maybe it was because we had come too far to turn back. Perhaps it was because, deep down, I knew that this was the only way. Or maybe it was because the alternative—letting the Directive win—was simply unacceptable.

We stopped at the edge of a building, crouching low as we surveyed the council building from a distance. The place looked heavily fortified, with guards posted at every entrance. They were Enforcers, dressed in black tactical gear, with their faces obscured by helmets. These weren't the usual Safe Zone guards—these were the Directive's soldiers.

"They've doubled security," Carter whispered, his voice trembling. "I didn't know it was this bad."

"It's worse than we thought," Ethan muttered, scanning the area. "There's no way we're getting in without a fight."

I nodded, my heart sinking. We didn't have the workforce to take on an army of Enforcers. But if we didn't find a way inside, we'd lose any chance of stopping the Directive's plan. And once they launched their attack, nothing would be left of the Safe Zone but ashes.