Story 337: Trust and Turmoil

Zara’s grip on her knife didn’t waver as the stranger stepped closer, her boots crunching softly on the forest floor. Callum, leaning heavily against a tree, eyed the newcomer warily, his pistol trembling in his grasp.

“I just saved your life,” the woman said casually, lowering her rifle. Her sharp eyes flicked between Zara and Callum. “If I wanted you dead, I’d have let that thing finish the job.”

Zara didn’t lower her weapon. “People don’t help without an angle. What’s yours?”

The woman shrugged, her smirk unwavering. “Let’s just say the Syndicate and I don’t get along. I’ve been tracking their movements for weeks, and when I saw their squads closing in, I figured I’d lend a hand. The enemy of my enemy, right?”