Fragments

torage unit covered in ivy and half-buried tires. Tia and Mark emerged

utside was

si

a pile of scrap metal as

ered. "No visuals. I t

d against the fresh gash on his

to him. "

m f

e blee

again. Just pull

essing the wound with practiced movements - quick

ay?" Ma

he one who

not what

pa

"They weren't Ironhogan.

or. The kind of people you call when

w tigh

gn up for th

eople. And somewhere along the line... they s

at him then -

eone who still bel

h. And I believe in people who fight for it, even

eyes l

worn a smirk. The first time she

em changed - not gone,

ying the banda

o keep moving

id. "But for now.

was holding. And for the first time since the

dows. Only the distant hum of a few leftover drones buzzed

ontainer, under a tangle of tarps. Juno's safehouse was nothing more t

the adrenaline had worn off until now. She was exhausted - physically, emo

ome kind of signal out. His shoulders were tense, but his posture had softe

said after a moment, not looking

m f

her, eyes dark but intense. "Yo

d for the first time,

ne, either," s

t away? The bleeding or the fact tha

despite herself

a moment, there was an ease

al, closing her eyes for a second. "You know...

the comm unit, but he d

"I didn't run

ard bits and pieces of his story - the official reports, the w

it wasn't the people I thought it was. I thought I was helping. I thought I was fighting th

m, watching the shadows flicker across his f

id quietly, her voice breaking the

in." He glanced at her, eyes flickering. "You know how that fee

ghting the tightn

ftened, the weight of the moment pulling

Every little movement felt heightened

ightly, his voice almo

ps was a quiet ple

k away. Didn't

silence wra

brushing against hers. It was gentle, tentative, like a question he d

their fingers barely touching. She could feel the heat of his skin, the unspok

them, his hand enveloping hers in a wa

the warmth, the quiet trust - th

rviving together anymo

ng inev

d quietly, his voice thi

at, but she didn't pull

whispered, her fingers

them and danger waiting just outside the shadow

tr

o matter what happened next,