The air around the camp had shifted. It wasn't something I could see, but something I could feel. Like the quiet just before a storm—still, heavy, unnatural.
I stood on the edge of the watchtower, eyes scanning the horizon, but my mind wasn't on the distant treeline. It was inside the camp.
Someone was watching me.
And they weren't watching like a loyal scout or curious ally. No. This gaze was colder. Calculated. Hidden.
Ray stepped up beside me, chewing on a piece of dried meat. "You're restless."
"Someone here doesn't belong."
He followed my gaze toward the campfire circle where small clusters of survivors shared food and whispered stories.
"You think the UNO finally sent someone?"
"I know they did. We've been too successful, too fast. No way they're not watching us."
Ray grimaced. "Then we need to root them out."
I nodded slowly. But rooting out a spy wasn't like facing a creature in the dark. This enemy hid behind familiar faces. They used trust like a knife.
And the worst part? They might already be someone I cared about.
---
System Notification: [High-Risk Threat Detected: Internal Infiltration Suspected] [Reward: Truth Scanner - One-Time Use Per Mission]
Description: Truth Scanner can expose lies and deceit in a small area for five minutes. Range: 15 meters.
---
The Truth Scanner appeared in my inventory as a sleek black disc, no bigger than my palm. It pulsed softly, waiting.
I slipped it into a hidden compartment in my tactical jacket. I wouldn't use it immediately. The first attempt had to count.
So I watched.
For two days, I kept to routines. Talking. Eating. Patrolling. All while watching how people moved, who avoided eye contact, who asked too many questions.
Vivian noticed.
"You're acting like a hawk over a rat nest," she said, crossing her arms.
"Do you trust everyone here?" I asked.
She didn't answer immediately. That told me enough.
"I trust what people do, not what they say."
"Wise. Keep your eyes open."
That night, I gathered a small group. Vivian. Ray. Mason. And Erika, the newest logistics coordinator who had quickly proven herself invaluable.
"We're compromised," I said simply. "The UNO sent someone in."
Their faces went cold.
"I've seen the patterns," Mason said. "Missing supplies. Mismatched intel from our outer scouts. Someone's feeding them info."
"I'll be rotating assignments," I added. "Mixing up patrols. The moment someone slips, we act."
---
Three Nights Later
I activated the Truth Scanner.
Location: Supply tent. Time: 2:43 AM.
Vivian and Mason were with me, posing as guards changing shifts. I called in five people for a midnight resupply drill, something we occasionally ran to simulate emergencies.
The scanner emitted a faint blue pulse that rippled outward, invisible to the others.
They entered one by one.
Erika was first. Calm. Collected. She joked about the cold and rubbed her hands.
No pulse.
Then came Jared, one of the newer riflemen.
A red blink. Faint. Faint enough to question.
Then Leah—someone I once pulled from a flood zone.
Red pulse. Strong.
My stomach twisted.
Next was Thom, a quiet engineer.
Nothing.
Then Kayden—a communications officer.
Strong red.
My eyes narrowed.
Two pulses. Leah and Kayden.
I smiled, pretending nothing had changed. "All clear. Grab your gear and head out."
Vivian met my gaze as they left.
She knew.
I waited until the next morning. Let them feel safe. Then I called a council meeting.
---
"We have reason to believe information is being leaked to the UNO," I announced.
The room went still.
"We won't announce names yet. But we are watching."
Eyes darted. Paranoia seeded itself like a virus. But that was necessary. Until the threat was neutralized, trust was a luxury.
---
That night, I followed Kayden. Alone.
He slipped out near the comms tower, a quiet walk with purpose. I stayed in the shadows.
He paused by an old supply locker and pulled out a transmitter—compact, high-range.
I stepped forward.
"Couldn't wait for morning, could you?"
He spun, eyes wide.
"James, I—"
I leveled my rifle. "Don't lie. The Scanner already told me."
He froze. "They promised safety. For my sister. She's underground with them."
That hit like a punch to the gut.
I lowered the weapon slightly. "You could've come to me."
"They said if I did, she'd disappear."
I radioed for Ray. Kayden didn't resist. He knew it was over.
---
The next morning, I stood before the camp.
"We caught a spy. One of our own. He confessed to feeding information to the UNO."
Gasps. Murmurs.
"He won't be executed. Not yet. We'll try to retrieve his sister. If we succeed, he'll face judgment. If we fail, he'll answer for his betrayal."
The crowd nodded. Some reluctantly. Some with rage. But all understood the message.
No more secrets.
---
What would you have done?
Imagine running a camp in a dying world, where every life depends on unity and trust. But then someone betrays that bond. Do you show mercy? Do you punish them to set an example? Or do you dig deeper to find the root?
James chose the hard path. He didn't kill Kayden outright. He sought the story. The reason. And maybe that's what keeps him human.
But in a lawless world, is mercy weakness? Or is it the last thing that keeps you from becoming the very monster you fight?
Let me know: If you were in James's place, would you have made the same choice?