Page 75 of Broken Sentinel

"What will happen to him?"

"Council's divided. Some want execution. Others argue for imprisonment." His amber eyes meet mine. "What would you suggest?"

The question catches me off guard. "Me? Why would my opinion matter?"

"You're the only one here who truly understands both sides. Unity and Splinter."

I consider this, watching a group of children being hurried inside by worried parents. "Ellis is a product of Unity's conditioning. Executing him for following his programming seems, I don’t know, unfair."

"Even though his actions put you directly at risk?"

"Especiallythen. My opinion would seem biased."

Vex studies me with that unsettling intensity of his. "Always surprising me, Thorne."

Before I can respond, I catch a familiar scent—clean soap with undercurrents of gun oil and that indefinable something that is Trent. My body reacts before my brain can intercede, heartbeat quickening.

Damn these modifications. They make hiding reactions nearly impossible.

Trent approaches, looking harried. Dark circles shadow his eyes, and his clothes are rumpled as if he's slept in them. Despite our complicated situation, concern rises in me automatically.

"Council's calling for an emergency session," he says. "They want both of you there."

"Both of us?" I ask, surprised.

"Security and the primary target." Trent's tone is all business, but his eyes linger on me a second too long. "Ellis finally cracked."

The council chamber is packed when we arrive. Nora and the other Elders sit at the center table, faces grim. Dr. Reid stands to one side with security personnel. The tension is thick enough to taste.

"Thank you for joining us," Nora says as we enter. "Please, sit."

Vex and I take seats near the front. Trent remains standing, positioning himself against the wall with a clear view of all exits—Sentinel habits die hard.

"Ellis has provided concerning information," Nora begins. "Unity isn't just hunting you, Zara. They're mobilizing a specialized extraction team specifically designed to capture modified individuals alive."

"Hardly surprising," Vex comments. "They've been trying to study us for years."

"What's different," Reid interjects, "is their focus. Ellis's reports centered exclusively on Zara's modifications—specifically, the adaptive nature of her changes."

"They're afraid," Trent says from his position by the wall. "If Zara's modifications spread or are replicated, it undermines Unity's entire premise. Controlled adaptation threatens their power structure."

The council members shift uncomfortably. I'm struck againby the physical differences between them—some with obvious modifications like reflective eyes or textured skin, others with changes only visible through movement or in certain light.

"Ellis also revealed that Unity has begun identifying other potential Haven children within the arcologies," Nora continues. "They've created a genetic marker profile based on information they extracted from captured Splinters."

My stomach drops. "The other children are in immediate danger, then."

"Yes. And so is this settlement." Nora's silver hair catches the light as she leans forward. "Ellis transmitted our location before he was caught."

Well, fuck.

The room erupts into anxious murmurs. I catch fragments of conversation—evacuation plans, defensive preparations, accusations about security failures.

"How much time do we have?" Vex asks, cutting through the noise.

Reid consults his tablet. "Based on standard Unity response protocols and known patrol patterns, three days. Maybe four."

"We need to evacuate," one Elder argues.

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