A Line in the Sand

The mission was a success. The Coalition was buzzing with energy as we returned to the warehouse, supplies in hand. For a moment, hope sparked through the tension and fatigue, the quiet thrill of striking back against the regime. I could see it in their faces—a flicker of something we hadn’t felt in a long time. It felt like victory, even if it was just a small one.

But as I caught Liam’s stare across the room, I knew our triumph was only temporary. His eyes held an intensity that I couldn’t quite decipher, a weight that had nothing to do with the mission.

Once the others had dispersed, he crossed the room and stopped just in front of me. “We need to talk.”

I tensed, feeling a pang of annoyance. After what we’d just pulled off, I didn’t want to deal with whatever accusation he was holding onto. But I followed him out of the main room, down a narrow hallway until we were alone.

“You did well back there,” he said, surprising me. “But that doesn’t mean I trust you.”

“Of course not,” I replied, crossing my arms. “Trust is earned. I get it.”

“Do you?” he challenged, folding his arms as well. “Because I’ve seen plenty of people who thought they were ready to fight back—people who thought they could handle the risk. Most of them aren’t here anymore.”

A flicker of anger rose in me, but I kept it contained. “I know what I signed up for, Liam. I lost my family to this regime. This isn’t a game to me.”

“Then prove it,” he shot back, his voice a low hiss. “Because this life? It’ll tear you apart if you’re not ready for it.”

I held his gaze, refusing to let him see any hint of doubt. “I don’t need to prove anything to you, Liam. I’m here to fight the regime, not win your approval.”

He looked at me for a long moment, something unreadable passing over his face. Then, to my surprise, he softened, though just barely. “You’ve got spirit, I’ll give you that.” He paused, taking a breath. “Look, I don’t hate you, Ariana. But I’ve watched too many people fall trying to do what we’re doing. I’d rather you didn’t end up like them.”

His words hit harder than I expected. Beneath his hard exterior, there was something more—a weariness, a sense of loss that mirrored my own. It was strange, realizing that Liam and I might be more alike than I’d thought.

“Then maybe it’s time we started working together,” I said, my tone gentler now. “If we’re going to win this, we need to trust each other.”

He let out a sigh, his gaze dropping for a moment. “Fair enough,” he muttered, as if the words left a bitter taste. “But don’t make me regret it.”

A tentative truce hung between us as we returned to the main room. I knew I’d have to watch my back with Liam, but maybe—just maybe—we could forge an alliance. Because if there was one thing this mission had taught me, it was that fighting alone wasn’t an option. We had to stand together, even if we didn’t always see eye to eye.

As I looked around at the others, I felt the weight of my promise solidify. This was my fight, yes, but it was theirs too. And tonight, we’d drawn a line in the sand—a line we’d have to cross together, no matter what waited on the other side.

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