Captain Tade Odo stood rigid in his father's office, arms behind his back, eyes forward. The flickering light of the central war table bathed the room in a dull blue glow. Outside, the wind screamed over the steel roofs of the compound.
General Odo stood at the viewport, silent.
"You killed him," the General finally said.
Tade didn't flinch. "Yes, sir. The scavenger refused to speak. He died under interrogation."
Odo turned, slowly, disappointment carved deep into the lines of his face. "You moved too quickly."
"I was trying to be efficient."
"You were impatient," the General snapped. "We had a live lead. That boy was a runner, not a mastermind. He might've led us to the source—the mole. Instead, he's dead, and we're still blind."
Tade lowered his head slightly. "I believed the message had already been passed. I thought we had no time to waste."
Odo sighed, his voice lowering. "Time is always against us, Tade. That's why we need to move with precision, not fury."
"I understand. It won't happen again."
The General regarded his son in silence for a moment, then gave a dismissive wave. "We're close, I can feel it. But now… the mole knows we're looking. He'll become more cautious. Harder to catch."
Tade nodded. "I'll tighten the sweeps. Watch the patrol logs. Cross-reference assignment shifts with scavenger sightings."
"Good," Odo said. "But don't chase shadows. We only get one clean shot at this."
"Yes, sir."
---
Barracks — Later That Night
The steel hallway buzzed with dim overhead lights. Most of the barracks were quiet, the soldiers either asleep or buried in routine.
Gad Brown sat on his bunk, staring at the floor, heart heavy with guilt. The scavenger was dead. A boy who trusted him. A boy who believed in the cause.
He didn't even get the message through.
He barely noticed Jimi walk in, until his friend leaned against the locker nearby and said, "You hear what happened?"
Gad glanced up. "What?"
"They caught a scavenger earlier. Tried to smuggle something out of the compound. They took him to Tade."
Gad's stomach dropped, but he kept his face as steady as he could. "So?"
"So... the kid didn't make it."
Silence.
Jimi stared at him. "Funny thing is… he got stopped near the west sector. That's your patrol zone, isn't it?"
Gad blinked. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying," Jimi continued slowly, "you've been twitchy all day. Spaced out. Like someone who lost a friend."
Gad stood, frustrated. "You're imagining things."
Jimi's tone sharpened. "Am I?"
Gad turned away, fists clenched at his sides.
"You've always been different, Gad. Always watching, always walking the line, like you don't belong here." Jimi stepped closer. "Who are you, really?"
And then it broke.
"I'm Gad Brown," he said, voice low and cracked. "Son of Asa Brown."
Jimi froze.
"I've been the one giving them information," Gad whispered. "Through the scavengers. Patrol routes. Weak points. Anything that can save lives. My people's lives."
Jimi's breath hitched. "You're the mole?"
"I'm trying to end this war," Gad growled. "This army isn't peacekeeping. It's occupying. It's destroying."
Jimi took a slow step back, his face pale. "You've lied to all of us."
"I lied to survive."
They stared at each other, the weight of betrayal thick in the air.
"I never meant for anyone to die," Gad said, softer now. "I didn't think they'd catch him. I was careful. Always careful…"
But Jimi said nothing more. He turned and walked out, wordless.
And Gad was left alone