#14: On the Trail of Danger

The wind carried the smell of smoke and ozone as Lara and Dante crossed the dark, forgotten streets of the city. They had no clear plan, only the urgent need to disappear.

“We need a safe place to spend the night,” Dante said, his voice low but firm. He was still pressing on his arm, trying to stop the bleeding.

“And you need stitches for that cut,” Lara replied, glancing at him as she scanned the surroundings with alert eyes. “If we don’t fix this, we won’t even make it to tomorrow.”

Dante let out a dry laugh.

“Are you worried about me now? Who would have thought.”

Lara stopped suddenly and turned to him.

“This is no time for jokes, Dante. They’re targeting us. Every second you’re bleeding is another one we lose for them to track our scent.”

He stared at her for a moment before sighing.

“Okay. What do you suggest, genius?”

Lara pointed to an emergency staircase that led to the rooftop of a low-rise building.

“Over there. It’ll give us some time to think.”

They climbed quickly, despite the fatigue that weighed on each step. At the top, Lara opened her backpack and pulled out a makeshift first aid kit.

“This is going to hurt,” she warned, preparing a sterile needle and thread.

“I’m used to pain,” Dante replied, but his body tensed as Lara began to work on the wound.

“Get used to this too, then,” she said, with a half-smile.

As she stitched up the cut, the silence between them was interrupted only by the distant sound of sirens and drones patrolling the sky. Finally, she finished, cutting the thread with precision.

“There you go.” It’s not a work of art, but it will hold,” she said, looking at him.

Dante moved to test his arm and smiled slightly.

“You have a lot of hidden talents, huh?”

Lara shrugged, putting the kit away.

“Someone has to know how to handle this.”

The Revelation

As they settled into the darkest corner of the terrace, Dante finally broke the silence.

“Do you think we can expose all this? The Aurora, what are they doing…”

Lara was quiet for a moment, looking at the skyline full of city lights.

“It won’t be easy. But we can’t just ignore it.”

“Have you thought about what happens if we fail?” he asked, his voice low, almost hesitant.

She turned to him, her eyes determined.

“And have you thought about what happens if we don’t try?”

He remained silent, impressed by her conviction. There was something about Lara, a strength that seemed greater than the surrounding chaos.

“You’re different,” he said, almost to himself.

“Different how?” she asked suspiciously.

“You believe you can change something. That… that’s rare.”

Lara laughed, but not mockingly. It was a nervous, almost vulnerable laugh.

“Maybe because I have nothing left to lose.”

Dante stepped closer, his eyes fixed on her.

“Believe it or not, Lara, you do.”

For a moment, silence returned. The weight of his words hung in the air, and Lara felt something new forming there, something she wasn’t ready to acknowledge, but couldn’t ignore either.

Movement in the Dark

Suddenly, the distant sound of footsteps brought them back to reality. Dante stood up, his hand automatically going to his gun.

“Someone’s coming,” he said, looking toward the emergency stairs.

Lara approached, pulling a small device from her backpack.

“I’m going to activate an electromagnetic pulse. That should slow down the drones and whatever tech they have.”

“What about the ones going up?” Dante asked, his eyes narrowed.

Lara smirked.

“That’s up to you.”

As the pulse was activated, a buzzing sound ran through the air, and the nearby lights flickered and went out. Lara glanced at Dante, who was already positioned next to the stairs, ready to act.

The footsteps got closer, louder and louder. Then a figure appeared. It was a tall man, dressed in simple clothes, but with a military posture.

“Dante? Lara?” he called, keeping his hands visible.

Lara narrowed her eyes.

“Who are you?”

“My name is Caio. I’m…” he hesitated for a moment. “I work for them, but I don’t agree with what’s happening. I want to help.”

Dante exchanged a look with Lara, the tension between them evident.

“Why should we trust you?” Dante asked, keeping his gun pointed.

Caio raised his hands.

“Because if I wanted you dead, I wouldn’t have gone up there alone.”

Lara crossed her arms, still suspicious.

“Okay, Caio. If you want to help, start by telling us everything you know.”

The man nodded, his eyes serious.

“Okay. But you need to listen to me. Because if you keep this up, you won’t last another night.”

The silence that followed was heavy. Lara and Dante knew that trusting someone was a risk. But at the moment, it seemed like the only way.