Isabel POVI sat on the edge of the couch, the weight of the past few days pressing heavily on my chest.Miguel and Marissa were huddled at the table, their voices low as they reviewed the plan Victor had laid out. It was straightforward in theory: expose the information in the ledger through multiple channels to ensure it couldn't be suppressed. But in practice, it felt like a gamble with stakes far too high.I clutched the coffee mug in my hands, the heat seeping through my fingers as I tried to focus."You're quiet," Miguel said, his voice breaking through my thoughts.I looked up, meeting his steady gaze. "Just thinking.""Care to share?"I hesitated, then set the mug down. "Gideon's too calm. He's always a step ahead. What if this plan isn't enough?"Miguel POVIsabel's words hit harder than I wanted to admit. She was right—Gideon wasn't the kind of man to let things unravel without a contingency plan.Marissa leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "We can't afford to secon
Isabel POVThe door flew open. The sharp crack of gunfire filled the air almost immediately."Stay down!" he barked, his voice cutting through the noise.I bent low, my hands trembling as I held the knife Miguel had given me. Miguel POVThe ambush was worse than I'd anticipated. Gideon's men were already inside, their positions fortified. They weren't here to scare us—they were here to finish the job.I fired again, the shot hitting one of the men in the shoulder. He dropped his weapon with a grunt, collapsing behind a desk."Marissa, status!" I shouted over the din. "I'm pinned, but I'm fine!"I swore under my breath, scanning the room for Isabel. She was exactly where I'd left her, crouched behind the cabinet, her wide eyes watching everything."Hold on!" I called to her.Isabel POVThe air was thick with smoke and adrenaline, every second dragging on like an eternity. Miguel and Marissa moved.But Gideon's men weren't amateurs. They moved in calculated patterns; their firepower r
Isabel POVMiguel moved ahead of us, his eyes scanning the dark streets for threats, while Marissa brought up the rear, her weapon always ready."We need to find cover," Miguel said, his voice low but firm.Marissa nodded. "There's a construction site a few blocks from here. It'll buy us some time."Miguel glanced at me; his expression unreadable. "Can you keep up?"I nodded, swallowing the lump of fear in my throat. "I'm fine."Miguel POVThe construction site wasn't ideal, but it was the best option we had."Stay close," I said as we slipped through a gap in the chain-link fence.Inside, the air was heavy with the scent of dust and damp concrete. Marissa took point, her movements silent as she scouted ahead. I stayed close to Isabel, my hand resting on the grip of my gun."We'll rest here," Marissa said when she returned. "But not for long."Isabel POVI sat on a cold slab of concrete; my knees drawn to my chest as I tried to calm my racing heart. Miguel paced nearby, his eyes dart
Isabel POVThe firelight danced in the rearview mirror as we sped away from the burning warehouse. "We hit them hard tonight," Miguel said, his voice breaking the tense silence.I glanced at him. "Do you think it's enough?""No," Marissa answered bluntly. "But it's a start."Miguel POV"We need to regroup," I said, pulling onto a side road. "Victor's safe house is compromised. We can't risk going back.""Where do we go?" Isabel asked, her voice quieter than usual.I hesitated, my mind racing through our options. "There's a place. Remote enough to keep us off their radar for a while."Isabel POVMiguel didn't elaborate, and I didn't press him. Exhaustion weighed heavily on me, the adrenaline that had kept me going earlier now fading fast. I leaned my head against the window, the cool glass soothing against my skin. "We need to talk strategy. Gideon's going to retaliate, and it won't be subtle."Miguel nodded. "We'll rest when we get there. Then we plan our next move."I closed my eye
Isabel POVThe firelight danced in the rearview mirror as we sped away from the burning warehouse. "We hit them hard tonight," Miguel said, his voice breaking the tense silence.I glanced at him. "Do you think it's enough?""No," Marissa answered bluntly. "But it's a start."Miguel POV"We need to regroup," I said, pulling onto a side road. "Victor's safe house is compromised. We can't risk going back.""Where do we go?" Isabel asked, her voice quieter than usual.I hesitated, my mind racing through our options. "There's a place. Remote enough to keep us off their radar for a while."Isabel POVMiguel didn't elaborate, and I didn't press him. Exhaustion weighed heavily on me, the adrenaline that had kept me going earlier now fading fast. I leaned my head against the window, the cool glass soothing against my skin. "We need to talk strategy. Gideon's going to retaliate, and it won't be subtle."Miguel nodded. "We'll rest when we get there. Then we plan our next move."I closed my eye
Isabel POVMiguel moved ahead of me.I followed close, clutching the knife he'd given me earlier. Miguel signaled for me to stop; his hand raised. Two more guards stood at the far end of the hallway, their conversation faint but distinct."I'll handle this," he whispered, his tone leaving no room for argument.I nodded, pressing myself against the wall as he advanced.The guards were distracted. Miguel moved quickly, stayed low. The first man never saw him coming. Miguel arm snaked around his neck, cutting off his air and dragged him into the shadows.The second guard turned, his eyes widening in alarm. Before he could shout, Miguel struck. He crumpled silently to the floor.He motioned for me to join him."Clear," he said, nodding toward the door ahead.The door creaked open. The hum of machinery buzzed in the background, and the faint glow of screens cast eerie shadows on the walls.Miguel scanned the room, his eyes narrowing. "This is where they're processing recruits," he murmure
Isabel POVThe room was suffocating. Marissa stood to the side, her knife glinting faintly under the dim light, while Miguel leaned against the wall."You've done the smart thing," Miguel said, his voice cold and detached. "But you're not off the hook yet. If you're lying—""I'm not," Alex interrupted, his voice hoarse. "Gideon's summit is happening in two days. Everything—his allies, his resources—will be there.""And the location?" Miguel pressed.Alex hesitated, his eyes darting between us before he muttered, "An abandoned resort. Edge of the city, near the cliffs."Miguel POVI pushed off the wall, stepping closer to him. "You've just bought yourself time. Don't waste it."He gave me a weak nod, too exhausted to respond.Marissa sheathed her knife with a smirk. "Guess we've got work to do."I turned to Isabel, who stood near the doorway, her expression unreadable. "This is it," I said. "We hit him at the summit."Isabel POVMiguel moved with purpose; he began detailing the plan to
Isabel POVGideon stood at the center of it all, his smirk razor-sharp as he faced us down. His guards flanked him, their eyes cold and calculating."You're persistent, and very relentless. I'll give you that," Gideon said, his voice smooth despite the chaos around us.Miguel didn't lower his weapon, his tone unyielding. "It's over, Gideon. Don't make this harder than it has to be." He said his voice very firm as he stood his ground.But Gideon's smirk only widened. "Oh, I think it's just getting started." He took a few steps backward.He reached into his jacket, and for a split second, I thought he was going for a weapon. But what he pulled out was far worse—a small remote with a red button in the center."No, this can't be what I think it is " I whispered, my hands flying to cover my mouth Miguel POVMy heart sank as Gideon held up the device in the air. "Don't do anything stupid," I warned, my voice steady despite the spike of panic shooting through me."Stupid?" Gideon repeated,
"Feeding off what?" Caleb asked, his rifle sweeping the area.Before Finn could answer, a low growl echoed through the village. The team froze, their weapons trained on the source of the sound. From the shadows emerged creatures unlike any they had faced before. Their forms were barely humanoid, their bodies composed of writhing tendrils and jagged shards of obsidian. Their glowing eyes burned with malice."Contact!" Ruby shouted, firing the first shot.The creatures attacked with terrifying speed, their movements unnatural and erratic. Caleb fired at the nearest one, his bullets shattering its obsidian exterior but failing to slow it down. Selene charged forward, her blade glowing as it sliced through a tendril that lashed out at her."Aim for the cores!" Finn yelled, his device beeping wildly. "The glowing spots in their chests!"Ruby adjusted her aim, firing at a creature's core. The shot landed true, and the creature let out a guttural scream before collapsing into a pile of ash a
breath felt empty like the air was too thick to breathe. ''I'll feel better if I sleep, I told myself.Ghb yuu yuu y7u rrd tre oil uiuBut immediately as I was about drifting into sleep, I heard a sound that made me jump right up from bed.Asher's ears sparked in defense, his growl filling the whole room. The sound alone sent a chill running through my spine, but I couldn't look away from the window. There was a shadow outside that seemed to shift, stretching and bending unnaturally than they should have.I stood in fear, not being able to feel my legs which felt heavy. All I could hear was the sound of my heartbeat which kept on thundering in my chest. A loud bang at the door made me jump from my bed. I gasped out of shock, crawling on my knees in order to peep through the door. before I could even make it, the door burst open with enough force to slam against the wall. Two figures stood in the doorway, covered in dark shadows.GyyTheir eyes were glowing with yellow, a sight that
"Another kilometer," Finn replied, adjusting the scanner. "But the energy is… erratic. It's like the cluster is unstable, but it's pulling resources from somewhere."Ruby nodded, her grip tightening on her rifle. "Stay alert. The Shadow never makes things easy." The whole team were on high alert as they lifted their weapons higher ready to attack at the slightest movement The cluster appeared suddenly, nestled within a narrow gorge. Tendrils of dark energy snaked along the ground, pulsating faintly. At its center was a twisted structure, a crude spire of shadow and stone that seemed to breathe with unnatural life."Looks like a smaller version of the core," Finn murmured. "But it's… fractured. If we can destabilize it, the whole thing should collapse."Ruby surveyed the area. "Let's make it happen. You handle the spire. I'll cover you."As Finn approached the structure, the ground trembled. Creatures emerged from the shadows, their forms misshapen but vicious. Ruby fired a quick burs
Finn's scanner beeped intermittently, struggling to maintain accuracy. "The interference is worse than I expected," he admitted, frowning at the flickering display. "We're flying blind out here."Selene's eyes scanned the horizon. "Then we rely on instincts. This isn't the first time we've worked without a map."Zoe smirked faintly. "She's right. Besides, if anything jumps out, I'll just cut it down."Ruby kept her rifle at the ready, her voice cutting through the tension. "Stay sharp. Whatever's waiting for us, it knows we're coming."The signal led them to an ancient ruin, partially buried beneath layers of shadow-infused earth. The structure was unlike anything they'd encountered before—crumbling stone walls laced with veins of pulsing dark energy. Tendrils of shadow coiled and twisted through the air, moving as if alive.Finn's eyes widened as he studied the ruin. "This place… it's amplifying the signal. The core's energy is dormant but concentrated here. If we can disable it, we'
Ruby led the way, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Stay together! Keep moving!"A massive tendril slammed into the path ahead, cutting them off. Selene darted forward, her blade slicing through the tendril in a single, decisive strike. "Go! I've got this!"The team pushed forward, the exit coming into view just as the chamber let out a deafening roar. They burst into the open air, the ground beneath them trembling as the chamber collapsed entirely.Finn stumbled to his knees, his scanner clutched tightly in his hands. He stared at the screen, his face pale. "The energy… it's… it's heading somewhere else."Ruby turned to him, her expression grim. "Where?"Finn looked up, his voice shaking. "I don't know. But whatever it is, it's not good."The team's breaths came in heavy gasps as they stared out over the Wastes. The Shadow's remnants weren't just lingering. They were regrouping, gathering strength for something far worse.Ruby's grip tightened on her rifle. "We'll stop it. Whatev
Isabel POVExplosions and gunfire ricocheted off concrete walls, punctuated by shouts and screams. Isabel POVExplosions and gunfire ricocheted off concrete walls, punctuated by shouts and screams. The mechanical voice over the intercom had been haunting in its finality: "Containment protocol initiated. No one leaves."I bolted from the server room with my laptop clutched to my chest, my mind racing. Somewhere in these files was a way out, a weakness in the system I'd unwittingly helped build."Miguel!" I called, spotting him barricading the main corridor. His eyes snapped to me."What did you find?" he demanded, not pausing in his task of positioning wreckages for cover."More data on the project—but it's a mess. They've buried the important files under layers of encryption.""Then unbury them," he snapped. "We're running out of time!"I didn't argue. My hands shook as I knelt beside him, setting up my laptop on a nearby crate. The battle outside raged, but my focus was on the scre
"Feeding off what?" Caleb asked, his rifle sweeping the area.Before Finn could answer, a low growl echoed through the village. The team froze, their weapons trained on the source of the sound. From the shadows emerged creatures unlike any they had faced before. Their forms were barely humanoid, their bodies composed of writhing tendrils and jagged shards of obsidian. Their glowing eyes burned with malice."Contact!" Ruby shouted, firing the first shot.The creatures attacked with terrifying speed, their movements unnatural and erratic. Caleb fired at the nearest one, his bullets shattering its obsidian exterior but failing to slow it down. Selene charged forward, her blade glowing as it sliced through a tendril that lashed out at her."Aim for the cores!" Finn yelled, his device beeping wildly. "The glowing spots in their chests!"Ruby adjusted her aim, firing at a creature's core. The shot landed true, and the creature let out a guttural scream before collapsing into a pile of ash a
Miguel's POVThe headlights caught her face fully now, and there was no mistaking it.Our mother.Her face was pale, lined with the kind of exhaustion that only comes from years of pain, yet her eyes held that same piercing intensity I remembered as a child.Fifteen years. Fifteen years without a word. Without an explanation.I pushed open the car door. Cold air hit me, but my chest burned hotter than ever."Stay in the car," Dad ordered, his voice taut with authority."Like hell I will." I stepped out, heart pounding. "Fifteen years. And you think showing up now—like this—is enough?"She took a step forward."Miguel, please. There's so much you don't—"I cut her off, my voice trembling. "Then explain it. No more riddles. No more secrets. Why now?"Behind me, Isabel's voice cut through the tension."Miguel! Diego's pulse is dropping again! We don't have time for this!"Our mother's face twisted with urgency."Let me help him. Please."I stepped back, blocking her approach."No. You do
The air in the resistance base buzzed with an energy that was equal parts anticipation and dread. Though Ruby and her team had delivered a crippling blow to the Shadow, the cracks in the landscape, the faint echoes of corruption still lingering in the Wastes, spoke to a danger far from eradicated. The Shadow's remnants were more than just scars; they were seeds, threatening to sprout into new horrors if left unchecked.Ruby stood in the command center, leaning over a table strewn with maps and tactical reports. The dim light overhead cast sharp shadows across her face. Evelyn's voice was sharp as ever as she discussed deployments with the council."We've dispatched scouts to all regions marked by Finn's residual energy readings," Evelyn said, her fingers tracing the map. "But reports from the south are troubling. A village near the Wastes border… it's gone dark. No communication. No survivors seen leaving."Finn adjusted his device, the holographic map flickering to life above the tab