"Haaa…"
With a deep breath, he walked to the door, his hand hovering over the handle for a moment before finally pulling it open.
Angie stood there, looking uncharacteristically disheveled. Her usually sharp eyes were tinged with red, her expression a mixture of exhaustion and distress.
'She's probably still mourning those who died in the mission, or could she be pretending to mourn? I don't know anymore…' He sighed inside.
"Rey," she said softly, glancing over his shoulder into the room. "Are you alone? I need to talk to you. It's important."
Rey glanced back into the room, his eyes scanning for Seraph.
She was gone. Or invisible. Either way, the tension in his shoulders eased slightly. Turning back to Angie, he nodded and stepped aside.
"Come in."
Angie entered, her movements stiff and hesitant. Rey closed the door behind her, watching her carefully.
"You can sit," he said, gesturing to the chair by the desk.
She hesitated, then sat down, running her hands through her hair.
Rey moved to lean against the edge of the desk, his arms crossed. "You look like you've been through hell. What's going on?"
Angie's lips parted as if to speak, but she hesitated again, her gaze darting around the room. "Are you sure we're alone?"
"Yeah," Rey replied. He wasn't entirely sure, but he couldn't see or sense Seraph anywhere. "You can trust me, Angie. Whatever it is, just say it."
She looked at him, her eyes filled with an intensity that made him uneasy.
"Rey, what do you really think of the Resistance?"
The question caught him off guard, and he frowned.
"What do I think? I don't know. I guess I don't think much of it. Their goals are too lofty, almost naive. It's like trying to kill a god with a stick. And... lately, it's felt like we're not actually getting anywhere. It's like we're just going in circles."
Angie nodded slowly, her gaze dropping to her hands.
"I used to believe in the mission, you know? I really thought we could defeat the Dragon Emperor. That we were the last hope for humanity." She let out a bitter laugh. "But after so many setbacks, so many lives lost... it's starting to feel like we're just being played."
Rey felt a pang of sympathy as he watched her. He could see the weight of those losses in her eyes, the doubt that mirrored his own.
"Played how?" he asked.
Angie looked up at him, her expression grim. "What if the Resistance isn't what we think it is? What if it's compromised? What if the higher-ups are in bed with the Dragon Emperor?"
Her words hit him like a punch to the gut. He stared at her, his mind racing. "That's... a hell of an accusation, Angie. Do you have any proof?"
She shook her head, her frustration evident.
"No. But think about it, Rey. All those times we've been one step behind. All those missions where things went wrong at just the right moment. Doesn't it seem... suspicious?"
Rey narrowed his eyes, her words striking a chord.
He couldn't deny that he'd had similar thoughts, though he'd always brushed them aside. But hearing them from Angie made them harder to ignore.
"And you want my help?" he asked.
"I need it," she said. "I can't do this alone. You're the only one I trust enough to ask."
Rey studied her, his mind a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. He wanted to believe her. He didn't want to believe Seraph. But trust was a dangerous thing in their world, and he knew he couldn't afford to be blind.
Before he could respond, a soft shimmer appeared in the corner of the room. Rey's eyes snapped to it, and a moment later, Seraph materialized, her golden glow muted but still radiant.
"Do you see now?" she said, her voice calm but laced with triumph. Her gaze shifted between Angie and Rey. "She's the mole."
Rey's jaw tightened, his mind reeling.
Angie turned sharply, her eyes widening as she stared at Seraph.
"What the—?" Angie looked confused, standing abruptly.
She exchanged glances between Rey and Seraph, utterly dumbfounded by the situation she was stuck in.
Rey didn't answer, his gaze locked on Seraph.
The room was suffocatingly silent, the air thick with tension. Angie's wide eyes darted between Seraph and Rey, her expression a mixture of confusion, hurt, and anger.
"What the hell is going on?" she demanded, her voice trembling.
Rey took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "Seraph told me you're the mole, Angie. She said you've been leaking information to the Dragon Emperor."
Angie froze, her jaw slack. "What?"
"She can read thoughts," Rey continued, his voice heavy. "She says you're the only one who has the access, the freedom, and the reputation to pull something like this off. And honestly..."
He paused, his eyes narrowing.
"It makes sense."
Angie's mouth opened, but no words came out. Her face twisted in a mix of disbelief and pain.
"Do you have any defense?" Rey asked, his tone sharp. "Anything to prove that she's wrong?"
Angie stared at him, her lips trembling as if she wanted to speak but couldn't find the words.
Her eyes glistened, and she looked more hurt than Rey had ever seen her.
"I..." she began, but her voice cracked.
Shaking her head, she turned on her heel and strode toward the door, her movements stiff and hurried.
"Angie, wait—" Rey started, but she flung the door open.
She stopped dead in her tracks. Standing in the hallway were the rest of their squad—the Resistance's top fighters—alongside Admiral Zach Skylar. Their faces were grim, their stances rigid, weapons ready.
"Lady A," the Admiral said coldly, stepping forward. "You are under arrest for treasonous acts against the Resistance and humanity. Surrender peacefully, and you will be given a chance to speak in your defense."
Angie's hands balled into fists, her entire body trembling.
"You..." she hissed, her voice filled with venom. "You all think I'm the traitor?"
Her anger flared, and reddish-purple energy began to crackle around her like a living storm. The air grew heavy, vibrating with raw power as her eyes glowed with a dangerous light.
"You think you can accuse me, arrest me, without proof?" Her voice was a roar now, the energy around her spiraling into chaos. "Get out of my way!"
The squad tensed, weapons raised, but before anyone could move, Rey stepped forward.
"Angie," he said firmly, his voice cutting through the storm of energy.
She turned to him, her glowing eyes filled with rage and betrayal.
"Don't you dare, Rey. Don't—"
Rey moved faster than she could react, his hand a blur as he struck the back of her neck with a precise, calculated chop. Her energy flickered and vanished as she crumpled, her body collapsing into his arms.
Before she blacked out, she managed to lift her gaze to him, her eyes dimming but still filled with betrayal.
"Why...?" she whispered weakly, her voice barely audible.
Rey's throat tightened, but he said nothing. He simply held her limp form as she slipped into unconsciousness.
The hallway was silent for a moment, everyone frozen in place. Finally, Admiral Zach stepped forward, his expression unreadable.
"Take her to the holding cells," he ordered, his voice curt.
Two operatives moved forward, gently taking Angie from Rey's arms. He let her go without a word, watching as they carried her away.