When they got out from the side tunnel, rays of flashlight shined on them. "Drop your weapons." a man shouted.

  Viola's voice was laced with a mixture of sarcasm and caution. "Oh, look who's here to greet us. And here I thought our day couldn't get any better." She raised her hands, a sly smirk on her face, her pistol hanging loosely from her finger.

  Leanna, her stance defensive and her expression tense, spoke firmly. "Let's not make this difficult. We're no threat to you, we're just trying to get out of here."

  "For what reasons?" A voice that's too familiar to Leanna, her eyes widened in surprise as a figure that's slightly taller than her approaches, she gulps. "No way." Leanna mutters under breath.

  "On your knees... Now!" Nova said, her voice sharp and commanding, her eyes hard and unyielding as she stared down at the group. Leanna's eyes met Nova's, a mixture of defiance and a hint of fear in them.

  Leanna’s breath hitched, the weight of Nova’s presence pressing down on her like an iron vice. Her piercing blue eyes—so much like Leanna’s own—were cold and unyielding, cutting through her defenses as easily as a blade. Nova’s sharp voice rang out again, freezing the air around them.

  “On your knees,” Nova commanded, her tone brooking no argument. “Now.”

  Leanna hesitated, her pistol still hanging loosely in her grip. Her knuckles whitened as she resisted the urge to comply. It wasn’t fear keeping her upright—it was defiance, coupled with an ache that refused to dull.

  “Mother,” Leanna said finally, the word spilling from her lips, heavy with bitterness. It hung in the air like a challenge, and for a split second, the soldiers around Nova hesitated, their confusion palpable.

  Nova’s expression didn’t waver, but there was a flicker of something colder in her eyes—disdain, perhaps. “Don’t waste my time with theatrics,” she said, her voice clipped and icy. “You forfeited the right to call me that the moment you chose rebellion over duty.”

  “I’m not rebelling,” Leanna shot back, her voice sharp with pain. “I’m trying to stop you from supporting something monstrous.”

  Nova stepped closer, her polished boots clicking against the ground with precision. The soldiers flanking her shifted slightly but held their weapons fixed on Leanna’s team. “You’re trying to stop me?” she echoed, her tone dripping with condescension. “You? A reckless child who doesn’t understand the first thing about duty or sacrifice?”

  Leanna’s jaw clenched, her hands trembling at her sides. “And what about you, Nova? Do you even know what’s really happening in this place? Or are you too busy playing the Imperium’s perfect pawn to care?”

  Nova’s lip curled in a faint sneer, her composure entirely intact. “Spare me your moral grandstanding,” she said. “You’ve always been naive, Leanna—so desperate to prove yourself that you latch onto whatever cause makes you feel righteous. But righteousness doesn’t win wars. Power does.”

  “You think this is about power?” Leanna snapped, her voice rising despite herself. “You don’t see it, do you? You’re enabling the destruction of everything we’re supposed to protect!”

  Nova’s icy gaze bore into her, unimpressed. “You assume you have the clarity to see the big picture. You don’t. All you see are shadows on the wall and think you understand the entire room. You’re out of your depth, Leanna.”

  Leanna’s breath came in short bursts, her pulse pounding in her ears. “You don’t know me. You never did. All you care about is control.”

  Nova’s voice dropped, the chill in it enough to make Leanna’s heart falter. “Control? If I wanted control, you wouldn’t still be standing. I’m giving you a chance to surrender gracefully because I pity your ignorance. Don’t mistake it for anything else.”

  Minka and Viola exchanged uneasy glances behind Leanna, their postures tense as they waited for the standoff to erupt into violence. The tension between mother and daughter was suffocating, the weight of unspoken resentment filling the air.

  Leanna stared back at Nova, her throat tight with unshed emotion. “You’re wrong about me. You always have been. And you’re wrong about this. You have to listen—”

  “I’ve listened enough,” Nova cut her off, her voice a low growl. “Make your choice, Leanna. Surrender or suffer the consequences.”

  Minka and Viola both look at Leanna, they can fight but their chances are slim and they know. Leanna felt the weight of her team’s lives on her shoulders, the responsibility pressing down on her like a physical force. She closed her eyes for a moment, a thousand emotions swirling inside her, each one aching with the bitter knowledge of what she had to do.

  Leanna’s fists clenched tightly at her sides, her nails biting into her palms. Her mind raced through every possible scenario, every potential move, but the odds were stacked against them. Nova’s soldiers had them surrounded, weapons raised and ready to fire at the slightest provocation.

  She opened her eyes, meeting Nova’s icy gaze. “I’ll come with you,” she said finally, her voice low but steady. “Just let them go.”

  Minka stiffened. “Leanna—no. We can figure this out.”

  Leanna shot her a sharp glance, the weight of her decision written in her expression. “There’s no figuring this out, Minka. Not like this.”

  Nova raised a single eyebrow, her lips curling into a faint, humorless smile. “How noble of you. But you don’t dictate terms here, Leanna. Your ‘team’ will be detained as well. They’ll answer for their crimes.”

  Viola’s smirk faltered, her fingers twitching near her holster. “I’d like to see you try.”

  “Viola, don’t,” Leanna snapped, her voice harsh with desperation. She turned back to Nova, her blue eyes blazing. “You have me. That’s what you want, isn’t it? Let them go, and I’ll do whatever you want.”

  Nova studied her for a long moment, the air between them crackling with unspoken tension. Finally, she nodded toward her soldiers. “Detain them. Carefully. If any of them resist, you have my permission to subdue them—permanently.”

  “No!” Leanna shouted, stepping forward, but Nova’s icy glare froze her in place.

  “This is the best compromise you’re going to get,” Nova said, her voice dripping with condescension. “Your bravery is admirable, but it’s misplaced. Don’t let your recklessness end their lives.”

  The soldiers moved in swiftly, their weapons aimed and ready. Viola tensed, her hand inching toward her gun, but Minka grabbed her arm. “Don’t,” Minka whispered. “It’s not worth it.”

  Leanna watched helplessly as her team was disarmed and restrained. She locked eyes with Minka, silently willing her to understand. I’ll figure a way out of this. Trust me.

  Minka’s expression was a mix of fury and anguish, but she nodded ever so slightly.

  As the soldiers secured her team, Nova turned her attention back to Leanna. Her expression was as cold and impassive as ever, but her words were sharp enough to draw blood. “You always had potential, Leanna. A shame you squandered it chasing fantasies. But don’t worry—I’ll ensure you learn the meaning of loyalty before this is over.”

  Leanna’s jaw tightened, her anger simmering just beneath the surface. She wanted to scream, to fight, to break through the barriers that Nova had built around herself. But for now, all she could do was endure.

  Nova had thrown three of them together in a maximum security prison. She specifically requested the guard to keep an eye out for them.

  Viola leaned against the wall, her arms crossed casually over her chest. "Well, this is a real treat," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "A family reunion, complete with matching orange jumpsuits and armed guards for company." She glanced at Minka and Leanna, a wicked grin playing at her lips: "You two want me to teach you how to make a shiv?" she then winked at Leanna.

  Leanna, her arms folded across her chest, looks down on the floor in shame. "Sorry." Leanna mutters. "If I hadn't been so stubborn, maybe we wouldn't have ended up here." Her eyes met Minka's, a mix of guilt and frustration reflected in her face.

  Minka shook her head, her expression softening despite the dire situation. “Leanna, this isn’t on you,” she said firmly, her voice low but resolute. She placed a comforting hand on Leanna’s shoulder. “We all knew the risks coming into this. And honestly? I’d rather be here with you two than out there alone.”

  Viola snorted, rolling her eyes as she slid down the wall to sit cross-legged on the floor. “Touching. Truly. But unless you’ve got a brilliant escape plan stashed in your hair, we’re going to be here for a while.”

  Leanna looked up, a flicker of hope piercing through her guilt. “There has to be a way out. Nova—she’s just testing us. She won’t actually leave us here forever.”

  Viola raised an eyebrow, her grin fading into something sharper, more calculating. “You think Mommy Dearest locked us up to teach us a lesson? Hate to break it to you, Leanna, but she doesn’t do ‘lessons.’ She does control.”

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  Leanna flinched, her shoulders slumping under the weight of Viola’s words. “I just—” She cut herself off, taking a deep breath before continuing. “She’s not completely heartless. She’s... she’s still my mother.”

  “Sure, and she’s my fairy godmother,” Viola shot back, gesturing to their cell. “This? This isn’t how you treat family, Leanna. This is how you treat threats.”

  Minka stepped between them, her calm presence diffusing the tension. “Enough,” she said, her voice firm but not unkind. “We’re all frustrated, but fighting each other isn’t going to help. What we need is a plan.”

  Viola leaned back against the wall, her expression skeptical. “And what exactly do you propose, oh fearless leader? This place is locked down tighter than a vault at the Imperial Treasury, and those guards look like they eat glass for breakfast.”

  Minka’s eyes narrowed, her sharp mind already working through possibilities. “We start with the guards,” she said, her tone decisive. “Nova wouldn’t have thrown us in here without extra precautions. That means they’re watching us closely.”

  “Obviously,” Viola drawled. “And you want to use that to our advantage?”

  Minka nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. “They’re expecting trouble from us. But if we give them the opposite... if we pretend to be broken, defeated, maybe they’ll lower their guard.”

  Viola tilted her head, her sharp eyes narrowing as she considered Minka’s words. “Pretend to be broken? That’s not exactly my style, but... I can work with it. Maybe throw in a tear or two for dramatic effect.”

  Leanna looked up from her spot on the bench, her brow furrowing. “You really think they’ll buy it? Nova doesn’t take chances. She’ll have picked guards who know what they’re doing.”

  Minka’s expression didn’t falter. “It’s a risk, but it’s better than sitting here waiting for her to decide we’re expendable.” She leaned in slightly, her voice lowering to a near whisper. “They’re watching us, sure. But no one watches all the time, not without slipping up. If we act defeated, we might get an opening.”

  Viola smirked, sitting forward. “Fine. I’ll play along. I’m great at faking helplessness.” She mockingly draped a hand over her forehead, feigning a dramatic swoon. “Oh no, I’ve lost all hope! Someone save me!”

  Minka shot her a warning look. “Tone it down. We need subtle, not satire.”

  Leanna rubbed her temples, a spark of determination reigniting in her eyes. “Alright. I’m in. But what happens when we get that opening? What’s the actual plan?”

  Minka glanced around the cell, taking in every detail—the small ventilation grate in the corner, the bolted-down cot, the steady hum of surveillance cameras. “We need to disable the cameras first. If they lose sight of us, it might force a guard to come in and check.”

  Viola nodded, her smirk turning into a more serious expression. “When they do, we make our move. Quick and quiet. Take one down, get their access card or keys.”

  Leanna’s eyes flickered with unease. “And if more guards come?”

  Minka’s voice was calm but firm. “We deal with it. Together. Once we’re out of the cell, we’ll have more options. We can find weapons, or at least something to even the odds.”

  "Nice plan." Kevin Terra's voice came from outside of the cell. The trio looked at the source of the voice and Leanna's eyes widened when she saw him: "You... It was you who called Nova right?" Leanna said.

  Kevin nodded. "I was protecting you Leanna." He said.

  "By throwing us in a cage?!" Viola interjected, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You sure know how to show your affection, don't you, Kev?" She stood up slowly, her posture relaxed but her eyes sharp as daggers.

  Kevin's gaze shifted to Viola, his expression remaining calm despite her cutting tone. "I did what I thought was best for Leanna. You're too volatile, too reckless. And now look where that's gotten you all." He turned back to Leanna. "I'm sorry it came to this, Leanna. But you left me no choice."

  Leanna's jaw tightened, her fists clenching at her sides. "Choice? You think you're doing what's right for me, Kevin, but you're not. You're just doing what Nova wants, like always. A tin man doing her bidding." She then looks at Viola: "Also Viola, are you for real? Kevin and I were never a thing." Leanna said, she's pretty disgusted.

  Viola leaned back against the wall, her smirk widening into a grin. “Oh, really, Leanna?” she drawled, raising an eyebrow. “Kevin’s not your type, huh? Can’t imagine why. Tall, brooding, loyal to a fault… sounds like someone you’d fall for. Or wait—” She turned her gaze to Minka, her grin positively wicked. “Maybe your type is someone a little closer to home?”

  Minka stiffened, shooting Viola a sharp look. “Viola. Don’t.”

  But Viola wasn’t about to stop. “I mean, come on. The way you two are always looking out for each other, finishing each other’s sentences. And the tension—oh, it’s palpable.” She wiggled her fingers in the air for emphasis.

  Leanna groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Viola, I swear—”

  “What? I’m just saying what everyone else is too scared to admit,” Viola said innocently, though the sparkle in her eyes betrayed her amusement. “The galaxy’s most stubborn rebel and her ever-patient strategist? It’s a story for the ages.”

  Minka crossed her arms, her tone dry. “And you’re just the narrator, huh?”

  “Absolutely,” Viola said, feigning an air of importance. “Gotta keep things interesting here somehow.”

  Leanna glared at her, her face tinged with pink. “Can we not do this right now? We’re in a cell. Locked up. By my mother. Maybe focus on that?”

  Viola shrugged, completely unfazed. “I mean, if we’re gonna be locked up, might as well have some fun. Besides—” She leaned closer, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “You can’t tell me you haven’t thought about it.”

  Leanna sputtered, and Minka sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Viola, please.”

  “Okay, okay,” Viola relented, though her grin remained firmly in place. “I’ll stop… for now. But when we get out of here, I’m definitely bringing this up again.”

  Leanna shot her a withering glare. “I’ll make sure we leave you behind next time.”

  Viola snickered, waving her hand dismissively. “Sure you will, Captain Denial. Sure you will.”

  Kevin, who had been silently observing the exchange with a mixture of confusion and mild irritation, finally spoke up. “Are you three always like this?”

  Viola moves close to the bars and looks at Kevin. "Why? Are you jealous of us? Wish you were part of our little orgy?" she said, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

  "WHAT?" Minka flustered.

  "Ew, Viola." Leanna said.

  Kevin cleared his throat, his expression morphing from surprise to mild amusement. “You’ve got quite a... unique way with words, Viola.”

  Kevin took a measured step back from the cell bars, regaining his composure. “Though I can’t say I’m envious of the dynamic you all have,” he said with a faint smirk, “it’s certainly… unique. Probably explains why you’re in here and not out there making smart decisions.”

  Viola leaned casually against the bars, her grin never wavering. “Smart decisions? Like calling Nova to throw us into this lovely box? Yeah, we’re all taking notes from you, Kev. Real inspirational.”

  Leanna groaned, still mortified. “Can we please stop talking about this? Or anything? Viola, just… be quiet for five minutes. Please.”

  Viola held up her hands in mock surrender. “Fine, fine. I’ll behave. For now.”

  Kevin tilted his head, crossing his arms. “You know, for someone locked up, you’re awfully flippant. Maybe that’s your problem. None of you take things seriously.”

  “Oh, we take things seriously,” Minka interjected, her tone sharper than usual. “We just know how to handle pressure. Something you might want to consider before judging.”

  Kevin turned his attention to Minka, his brow furrowing slightly. “And what exactly are you handling, Minka? Besides getting yourselves into a situation you can’t escape from.”

  Minka met his gaze evenly, her calm exterior giving away nothing. “We’re handling the mess you and Nova are too blind to see. Or too scared to admit exists.”

  Leanna, her face still pink but now fueled by frustration, stepped forward. “You don’t get it, Kevin. You’re playing along with her, with the whole system, while the rest of us are trying to fix what’s broken. Don’t you care what’s really going on here?”

  Kevin’s jaw tightened, a flicker of something—hesitation, guilt, maybe both—crossing his face. “I care about keeping you safe, Leanna. Even if you don’t understand that.”

  Leanna’s voice rose, the weight of her anger breaking through. “Safe? You think locking me up keeps me safe? You’re just keeping me in line. Like her.”

  Kevin didn’t respond immediately. His gaze flicked between the three of them before he finally spoke, his voice quieter but no less firm. “You can hate me all you want. But at least I know where I stand. Can you say the same?”

  The room went silent for a beat, tension thick enough to cut. Viola, ever the opportunist, broke it with a low whistle. “Well, that got heavy. Almost like watching a really awkward family dinner. Except, you know, with bars.”

  Leanna shot her an exasperated look. “Viola.”

  “Hey, just trying to lighten the mood,” Viola said, grinning again. “Gotta keep morale up while we plan our grand jailbreak.”

  Kevin sighed, his patience visibly wearing thin. “There is no jailbreak. Not for you.”

  “Famous last words,” Viola quipped, smirking as she leaned back against the wall.

  Kevin gave her a final, lingering look before turning toward the door. “You’d all do well to stop joking and think about what happens next. Because you won’t like it if you keep pushing.”

  As the door hissed shut behind him, Viola waited a beat before looking at Leanna. “So, are you sure he’s not your type? Because that tension was palpable.”

  Leanna threw up her hands, her voice laced with exasperation. “I hate you so much right now.”

  Minka sighed, sitting on the floor and rubbing her temples. “Can we focus? Please?”

  Viola laughed softly, clearly pleased with herself. “Sure, sure. But only because you asked so nicely, Minka. And speaking of tension...” She winked at Leanna again, her grin widening.

  “Viola,” Leanna growled, her patience stretched to its limit. “If you don’t stop, I’m going to make your life a living hell once we get out of here.”

  Viola’s grin only widened. “Oh, so kinky~. Is that a threat or a promise?”

  Leanna groaned, her face flushing a shade darker. “I hate you.”

  Viola winked. “No, you don’t. But keep saying it. It makes this so much more fun.”

  Leanna groaned. "What are you trying to prove? There's nothing between us."

  "Us? As in with Kevin or..." She glanced at Minka, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "Or perhaps someone else?"

  Leanna's cheeks burned red, her voice a mix of frustration and embarrassment. "Viola, I swear—"

  Viola held up her hands in mock surrender, a smug grin on her lips. "Alright, alright. I'll drop it." She winked at Leanna, her tone teasing. "But seriously, you two would be adorable together."

  Leanna shot her a withering glare, her cheeks still flushed. "Can we please focus on the actual problem? Like how to get out of here, not my non-existent love life."

  Viola shrugged, leaning casually against the wall. "Hey, I'm just trying to lighten the mood. No need to get all defensive."

  Minka, who had been silently observing the exchange with a bemused expression, finally spoke up. "Viola, you're not helping," she said, her tone gentle but firm. "Leanna's right. We need to figure out a plan."

  Leanna nodded gratefully, her voice softening. "Thank you, Minka."

  Minka smiled, a warmth in her eyes that seemed to ease some of the tension in the room. "Of course," she replied. "We're in this together. We need to act like it."

  Viola sighed dramatically, sliding down the wall to sit on the floor. "Fine, fine. I'll behave." She looked up at Leanna, her grin returning.