Chapter 6: The Cost of Defiance

The night after the raid, Elara lay awake in the dim light of the rebels' bunker, her heart still racing from the mission. She couldn't shake the sight of the explosions or the sounds of alarms blaring through the darkness. The station had been one of the Ascendants' key energy hubs, and disabling it had been a blow to their power. But the victory felt hollow.

Kade lay on the ground beside her, his eyes open and staring at the ceiling. "Do you think they'll come for us?" he whispered.

Elara hesitated. "They always come, Kade. But we're ready this time."

Before she could say more, Raya, their leader, appeared at the doorway. Her face was grave as she motioned them over. "You two, with me."

They followed her down a corridor into a small room where a group of rebels were gathered around a holographic map. Raya pointed to a series of red dots marking Ascendant checkpoints. "After our strike, they've heightened security. Surveillance drones are everywhere."

Kade frowned. "So, what's the plan?"

Raya looked them both in the eyes. "We go into hiding, keep a low profile for a few weeks. But we'll need to take out one of the surveillance control stations first. Otherwise, they'll find us."

Elara felt a pang of fear, but she nodded. The price of defiance was rising, and there was no going back.