The Safe Zone - Ascension (Book 5)

Chapter 5: The Rise of a New Threat

I woke up to the sound of distant footsteps echoing down the cold stone hallways of the underground bunker. The air felt damp, heavy with the weight of unease that had settled over our camp like a blanket. Sleep had been fitful, full of disjointed images of Ethan flickering in and out, warning me of something I couldn't fully grasp. His voice echoed in my mind, blending with the cold static of memories distorted by time and loss.

I sat up, rubbing the back of my neck as I tried to shake off the remnants of those dreams. The metal cot beneath me creaked, and for a moment, I just sat there, staring at the bare stone walls, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me. Leading the resistance was never something I asked for, but now it was all I knew. I had no other choice.

The world outside our camp was changing. I could feel it. I knew something was coming—something worse than the Directive. And it wasn't just me; Carter had felt it, too. Marian had seen the signs in the old Directive systems. But what chilled me the most was that I wasn't the only one with a plan for the future anymore.

The Ascendants.

The name still felt strange on my tongue, a bitter taste that lingered long after it was spoken. They were a shadow in the distance, an idea whispered in the corners of our camp by those who wanted to believe in anything that promised a more accessible future. They believed the world needed order. Without control, humanity would descend into chaos again, and everything we fought for would be lost.

But control wasn't the answer. The Directive had proven that. And yet, I couldn't shake the fear that the Ascendants were somehow worse. Not just because they had remnants of the Directive's technology but because they were smarter. They weren't like the Overseer, who had ruled through brute force and fear. The Ascendants were subtle and persuasive. They didn't conquer people; they convinced them.

I stood up, pulling on my jacket and lacing up my boots, feeling the cold bite into my skin as I stepped into the hallway. The camp was quiet, too quiet. The kind of quiet that made you wonder what people were whispering about behind your back. And lately, I'd been hearing plenty of whispers.

As I made my way through the dimly lit corridors, I spotted Carter up ahead, talking to a few of our scouts near the main entrance. He looked up when he saw me approaching, his eyes narrowing with concern. He could read me like a book—he always could.

"Couldn't sleep?" he asked, his voice low.

I shook my head. "Dreams again. Ethan."

He nodded, his expression tightening. He didn't need to say anything. He knew as well as I did what those dreams meant. Warnings, memories, maybe even guilt. Ethan had given everything, and I was still here, trying to figure out how to stop a new threat without losing anyone else.

"Anything from Marian?" I asked, glancing toward the makeshift communication center we'd set up at the far end of the hall.

"Not yet," Carter said, crossing his arms over his chest. "She's still working on decrypting more of the Directive's files, but it's slow going. Whatever the Ascendants are doing, they've covered their tracks well. Too well."

I nodded, biting my lip. "It's not just their tech I'm worried about, Carter. It's their reach. Elias has already made his move, and I know others are starting to doubt me. They think the Ascendants offer a way out."

"They're wrong," Carter said firmly, his voice steady. "We've seen what happens when people start thinking like that. The Directive didn't just fall out of the sky. It was built on people who believed in control, in order over freedom."

"Exactly," I muttered, my mind racing as I thought about what Marian had told me. "But the Ascendants aren't pushing fear. They're offering hope. It's different this time. They're giving people exactly what they want: safety, security, and the promise of peace."