By the time Hayden returned to the scavenger camp, the sun was high in the sky. His body ached, his muscles fatigued from the mission, but a sense of triumph drove him forward. The Codex’s constant presence pulsed faintly in his chest, its soothing voice still replaying his success.

  As he approached the gates, two guards stepped forward, their eyes narrowing. Before they could speak, Hayden held up the satchel. “Supplies from the Syndicate convoy,” he said. “Let Lyra know I’m back.”

  One guard exchanged a skeptical glance with the other before nodding. “Wait here.”

  A few minutes later, Lyra emerged from her tent, her expression unreadable. She looked at the satchel in his hands, then back at him. “You actually did it.”

  Hayden shrugged, though he couldn’t hide the smirk tugging at his lips. “Told you I could handle it.”

  Lyra snatched the satchel from him and opened it, her sharp eyes scanning the contents. Medical kits, energy cells, and a handful of Syndicate data drives gleamed inside. She let out a low whistle.

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  “You didn’t just handle it—you went above and beyond,” she said, her tone grudgingly impressed.

  “I aim to please,” Hayden replied, his voice laced with sarcasm.

  Lyra’s lips quirked into a half-smile. “You’ve earned your place here, Hayden. We’ll get you into Neo-Erebus as promised, but there’s one more thing I need you to do before we make our move.”

  Hayden raised an eyebrow. “Another job? You didn’t mention this before.”

  “It’s not a job,” Lyra said, crossing her arms. “It’s information. Before I risk my people smuggling you into that city, I need to know what I’m dealing with. Tell me about this Kyra and why the Syndicate wants you dead.”

  Hayden hesitated. The memory of Kyra’s betrayal was still raw, and the thought of sharing it made his stomach churn. But Lyra’s sharp gaze told him she wasn’t going to let this go.

  He took a deep breath. “Kyra and I worked for the Syndicate. Smuggling, mostly. She was good at it—better than me, if I’m honest. We made a good team. At least, I thought we did.”

  Lyra nodded, motioning for him to continue.

  “Dregan, our handler, gave us a job a few weeks ago,” Hayden said, his jaw tightening. “Something big. We were supposed to deliver a package to a Syndicate boss in Neo-Erebus. I didn’t know what was in it, but it was important enough to send enforcers after us.”

  “And then she turned on you,” Lyra guessed.

  “Yeah,” Hayden said bitterly. “She sold me out. Left me for dead so she could take the credit—or whatever deal Dregan offered her.”

  Lyra’s expression hardened. “Typical Syndicate scum.”

  Hayden leaned forward, his voice low. “I don’t just want revenge on Kyra. I want to tear down the Syndicate for what they’ve done to people like us.”

  Lyra studied him for a long moment, then nodded. “Alright. You’ll have your shot. But if you’re serious about taking on the Syndicate, you’re going to need more than vengeance—you’re going to need power.”

  The Codex hummed in agreement, its voice echoing in Hayden’s mind. “We’ll give you the power to conquer, Hayden. All you need to do is embrace it.”