The Fringe Wars

1.28

Staring into the Abyss

Heid

Heid replayed the news segment again. She rubbed her burning eyes, inhaled, and tapped her comm. "Sebin, report to my quarters."

"On my way."

She was on her feet and standing by the time he arrived a minute later.

When he saw her, he frowned. "Is everything all right?"

"No. Everything's not all right." She replayed the news segment onto her wall panel. The volume was muted, but the pictures of the fugitives on Alluvia told the story. She recognized the profiles. Not all of them, but she'd recognize the scarred face of Critch anywhere.

She shot Sebin a hard look. "They made it to Alluvia. Yet, I never received any responses to my messages to them."

His brow knit together. "I don't understand."

"They never received my messages." She shook her head. "You betrayed me, Painter."

He pointed to himself. "What? Me? You should know I would never betray you."

"You contacted Mason."

His eyes widened. "I didn't contact him. He contacted me—"

"You were not to contact Mason!" Her fists shook. She calmed herself down with a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "I gave you explicit instructions to not engage Mason under any circumstances. He could not know what we were doing."

"But, he reached out to me right after the torrents left Myr, and said he was helping us out from the ground on Alluvia."

"He lied," she said bluntly. She rubbed her eyes and took a deep breath. "It's not your fault. I should've known he'd put his claws into your head."

"No," Sebin replied, incredulous. "He—"

"Played you, just like he plays everyone, and now a future we've sacrificed everything for is in jeopardy, all because of your naivety. Only Mason would have the authority to block my messages." She pointed to the screen. "Those torrents were counting on my help when they reached Alluvia, and I failed them. Now, they're all dead or soon will be."

She pulled out her gun and aimed it at Sebin. She needed to hold the gun with both her hands to keep it steady.

"Don't," he said.

"People are dying because of us...because I trusted you," she added in a tiny voice she didn't recognize.

He gazed into her eyes for a long moment. He didn't click his heels as he'd always done in the past. Instead, he spoke softly. "I love you."

Her lips trembled. Then, she clenched her jaw and then shot him through the heart.