Without A Thousand Stars: Part II

Chapter 6

Alyce and Nora sat huddled together on the worn couch in the dimly lit cabin. The distant sound of sirens wailed through the night, cutting through the oppressive silence, each pulse sending a shiver down Alyce's spine. Nora held her close, her arm wrapped protectively around Alyce's shoulders, trying to shield her from the weight of the world outside.

"We'll be safe here," Nora murmured, her voice steady but laced with tension. "It's okay."

But Alyce barely registered Nora's words. Her mind was elsewhere, stuck in the moments before the explosion. The last thing she remembered was Jax, his face filled with fear and desperation, trying to reach her. Then everything went white. The deafening roar of the explosion. The force of it slamming her to the ground. She could still feel the heat on her skin, the panic gripping her chest. And Jax—Jax had vanished in the chaos.

Nora gently tightened her hold on Alyce, sensing the turmoil inside her. But Alyce's eyes remained vacant, staring at the floor as if it would give her some answer, some explanation that would undo the horrors of that day.

Across the room, Raye and Reyn moved swiftly, unpacking gear, assembling equipment, and working silently as they tried to set up a base of operations in the cabin. Their faces were grim, the weight of what had happened pressing down on them too. They knew they couldn't stay hidden forever, but for now, this cabin was their refuge, their only safe haven.

The flickering screen in the corner of the room buzzed with static before the image of a bot news anchor came into focus. The voice was calm, calculated, as if discussing something routine.

"Explosion at AlphaTower," the anchor announced, its tone clinical. "The culprit, a plasma leak. Officials have evacuated the Core, and citizens are urged to stay home."

Reyn glanced at the screen, a bitter laugh escaping them. "Plasma leak? They're really trying to get ahead of this."

Raye crouched beside them, shook their head, their lips pressed into a thin line. "They've gotta say something to make sure they don't look weak. Can you imagine if it got out that rebels bombed the place?"

Reyn muttered under their breath as they continued adjusting the cables, their hands moving faster now, but shaking with anger. "It's just a matter of time before people start asking questions."

Alyce was still barely present, clutching the wristband her father had given her before he died. It felt cold against her skin, the metal pressing into her palm, a reminder of everything she had lost. Of everything she was still losing.

Nora glanced at Alyce, noticing the way she held the wristband like it was the only thing anchoring her to reality. She shifted closer, her heart aching at the sight of her broken, haunted gaze.

"We'll get through this," Nora whispered, her voice steady, though the uncertainty hung in the air between them. "I promise."

But as the sirens continued to wail in the distance and the truth of the explosion lay buried beneath the official narrative, Nora knew the road ahead was darker than any of them could see.

—

Nora and Raye pushed through the door of the cabin, their boots leaving faint impressions on the dusty floor. The bags they carried were barely half filled with supplies from their salvage mission. Jax perched at the table, saw them and sprang up from his chair, his face lighting up with excitement.

"Hey!" Nora called softly, as she bent to set down her bag. She lifted Jax with ease, cradling him against her hip. "I got something for you."

Jax's eyes widened as he saw the box in her hands. "Awesome!" he exclaimed, eagerly taking the box of pancake mix and darting towards the kitchen.