CHAPTER 166 ROWAN'S POINT OF VIEW The air crackled with gunfire. The narrow hallway reverberated with shouts while explosions outside caused the walls to shake. My heart raced against my ribs, but I made myself remain composed. We couldn't afford to panic—not now."They're closing in!" Logan's voice broke through the chaos. My fingers clenched firmly around the pistol. The heat of the moment produced beads of sweat that raced down my neck. Each inhalation seemed like a separate fight.Sarah bent down next to me as her gaze shifted between the door and the floor map. Sarah's hair looked disheveled with visible dirt, yet her mind remained incredibly sharp."We hold this point," she said. "No one gets past us." Leo muttered a curse as he inserted a fresh clip into his rifle. If breaking through proves impossible, they will try to smoke us out. We need to move—" "No." Sarah's voice cut through him. Moving now will cause us to lose all gathered intelligence. We hold."I took in a dee
CHAPTER 167 SARAH'S POINT OF VIEW Only the light from various monitors, which showed maps and encrypted codes as well as surveillance footage, illuminated the dark room. The faint machine hum matched the rhythm of my pounding heart. The group felt tense as the seriousness of our situation weighed down heavily on us.Ethan whispered about Steven transporting the data beyond the city limits as his fingers moved rapidly over the keyboard. We only have a brief time left before he vanishes.I pressed my arms together firmly while I examined the flickering screen intently. "Where would he take it? His usual hideouts are already compromised." Blake rested against the wall as he rhythmically tapped his knife on his thigh. He would choose a location without surveillance or connectivity to avoid detection. The docks, maybe. An old warehouse." My mind raced. Steven was always three steps ahead. The wrong move would let him escape with the stolen secrets while keeping the entire secret societ
CHAPTER 168 JERVIS STONE'S POINT OF VIEW The narrow alleyways echoed with the howling wind, which transported the pungent odor of metal and sweat. The entire city seemed to pause in breathless anticipation. We took cover next to the decaying wall and waited for our signal.My heart pounded in my chest. Every second stretched out like an eternity.Sarah whispered through the earpiece. "Movement spotted at the north gate." She spoke with serenity, yet I understood the truth beneath her composed exterior. Her nerves matched those of everyone on our team.I glanced at Callum. His gun grip caused his knuckles to turn white. He gave me a small nod. “Let's move.”We slipped through the shadows, keeping low. Ahead loomed the fortress, which emanated darkness and cold while armed guards swarmed throughout it. Steven Flint's stronghold. A place built for keeping secrets buried.The closer we approached our destination, the heavier each step became. The black mask in front of my face became
CHAPTER 169 SARAH MOON'S POINT OF VIEW The pounding of my heart became so intense that I believed everyone in the room could hear it. The air grew heavy as though the walls were holding their breath in anticipation. Across the room stood Steven Flint as he stared at me with unwavering focus. His face displayed the same icy smirk he had shown me since our first meeting.You traveled this entire distance only to face defeat, Sarah? In the tense atmosphere, his voice moved stealthily while remaining low and mocking.My fists tightened at my sides while my nails dug into my skin. Not this time.He stepped forward, slow and calculated. Each step echoed through the darkened space. The lights flickered while shadows stretched behind him, which made him appear larger than his real size."I don't lose." My voice sounded steadier than I felt.Steven's eyes narrowed. "No? Then why do you look so scared?" I swallowed deeply while working to keep my voice steady. Your predictability creates you
CHAPTER 170 SARAH'S POINT OF VIEW The atmosphere was filled with the scent of scorched metal and gunpowder. The destroyed warehouse held smoke trapped inside its cracks. Every breath I took tasted like ash.I pressed myself against the wall and focused on regulating my breath. My ribs ached from the fight. My shirt bore blood stains from both myself and others."Are they all gone?" My voice hovered at a whisper when I asked the question.Logan's footsteps crunched over shattered glass. "Yeah...for now. Steven's men scattered like rats. But they'll regroup. They always do." I squeezed my eyes shut. Images of the entire night flickered across my eyelashes. The gunfire. The screams. Steven Flint's rule came to an end with the final shot.Dead. He was finally dead. Somehow I couldn't grasp the feeling of triumph.My head pounded. The quiet atmosphere in the room created a stronger pressure than everything we experienced during the battle. Everything we lost bore down on us with immens
CHAPTER 171 SARAH MOON'S POINT OF VIEW The hall resonated with music as a warm buzz of laughter and clinking glasses surrounded everyone. After months of following us, this tension finally disappeared. The victory swept over the people as they smiled. While I stood with them, I kept scanning the room with my eyes as my heart pounded beneath my calm exterior.Callum murmured next to me, "We did it," while lifting his glass. "Finally."I smiled against my will when I clinked my glass against his. "For now."He caught the doubt in my voice. His grin faded. "You're thinking too much again. Relax, Sarah. We earned this." Relax? How could I? All our victories always brought us heavier consequences. Too many bodies left behind. Too many whispers in the shadows. Steven Flint had disappeared, but I understood the secret society wouldn't fall apart so simply."Perhaps you're correct," I breathed quietly while my gaze remained fixed on the crowd.A swift and delicate motion briefly drew my at
CHAPTER 172 SARAH'S POINT OF VIEW Long shadows spread across the courtyard and devoured all the light as darkness enveloped the area. The sound of my heels striking the stone path resonated through the quiet space. The air seemed denser than normal and carried an intangible sense of disturbance.I should’ve gone straight to my suite. I needed to disregard the minor sensation traveling down my spine. The way that figure remained in the corner of my vision while watching me intrigued me. Waiting.The voice whispered, "Sarah Moon," from the darkness.I stopped cold. The pounding of my heart against my ribs threatened to betray me as I kept my breathing controlled to hide my fear. “Who’s there?"Silence.I rotated at a slow pace as the lanterns' light struggled to penetrate the darkness. The figure remained partially concealed in the darkness while their face stayed hidden under a hood. An inexplicable sensation caused my pulse to race because I sensed something profound beyond mere fea
CHAPTER 173 ROWAN FLINT'S POINT OF VIEW The cold fingers of the night air embraced me as I stood there. A calm hush settled over the street while long shadows reached out beneath the wavering light of streetlights. Sarah led the way as her alert gaze carefully examined each vehicle and window and identified every suspicious figure moving in close proximity. Every thought in my mind was relentlessly haunted by the warning spoken by the mysterious figure."They’re watching... always watching." I couldn't determine whether the cold-induced shiver traveling up my spine stemmed from the chilly air or the gravity of our impending discovery.Sarah's words came quietly to me as she said we needed more than whispered hints. "We need proof." What methods can we use to uncover evidence for something that actively hides itself from discovery? Even though my voice remained calm, my heart violently pounded inside my body.A smirk flicked across her face. "We follow the cracks. People can hide s
Chapter 210SARAH'S POINT OF VIEW As the sun descended, it painted the city with a gentle golden light. A feeling of peace swept through me without any conscious effort. The battles and dangers that once consumed me now existed only in memories from the past. The secret organization that threatened my most cherished things dissolved, and I reclaimed my previous way of life.I smiled and breathed deeply while my fingers grazed the desk's smooth surface. My businesses flourished while my team remained resilient, but above all else, I had Jervis. I felt a deep ache in my heart about the amazing distance we had covered together. After experiencing so many hardships together, we finally reached a place where we could simply exist."How do you feel?" Jervis asked his question while maintaining a gentle and caring tone in his voice.I looked at him and noticed his dark eyes were focused on mine. A newfound depth appeared in his eyes, which showed a trust that had been absent before. This ex
CHAPTER 209Sarah's Point of View!I couldn’t believe it. The recent years had unfolded as an unending nightmare, but I was finally free from it. The secret society had been destroyed, and the battle, which demanded numerous lives and emotional sacrifices, came to an end.The lobby of Heaven Hospital witnessed my realization of the massive changes that time had brought. My initial urge to help small things had expanded into a mission that far exceeded my expectations.“Sarah,” Blake interrupted my thoughts with his voice and brought me back to reality. By the entrance, Blake stood holding a tablet, wearing his usual serious expression. The burden of our experiences remained visible on his shoulders.“What is it?” I questioned while attempting to clear the fog from my mind.When Blake passed me the tablet, I noticed a Flint Pharmaceuticals report displayed on its screen. The company successfully avoided trouble at this time, but we had to implement measures to prevent similar events fr
CHAPTER 208SARAH MOON'S POINT OF VIEW The last mission was hard. Too hard. I stand amidst the remnants of the secret society’s headquarters and experience an odd sense of relief. I convince myself that everything is finished, although smoke still lingers in the air while the structure remains intact only through sheer luck.Our final task remains for the team and me to complete. One final piece of evidence. The puzzle remains incomplete without this final piece. We can’t afford to leave anything behind. They can’t be allowed to rise again.The silence around me lets me hear my own breathing. The silence feels eerie now that we've experienced so much."Sarah, over here!" Jack’s voice abruptly brings me back to reality.My eyes shift towards him, who is already positioned at the debris pile. The flashlight attached to Jack starts to flicker when he moves through the debris. The flickering light produces strange shadows on the walls, which make the atmosphere more disturbing.As I appr
CHAPTER 207SARAH MOON'S POINT OF VIEW The surrounding walls seemed to press against us as though they were closing in. The security systems hummed in my ears while every alarm within my mind screamed louder than the one I stood on the brink of activating. I was ready. My heart pounded in my chest, but I stood my ground. Not now. We were this close to completing all our initiated tasks, and yet we weren’t finished. Tonight marked the end for the secret society, or our end. Under no circumstances would I allow this to become my second option.The group maintained silence throughout the last several minutes. The silence surrounded us as though we were all mentally getting ready for the approaching storm we'd face.I murmured, “Is everyone clear on their tasks?” as my query carried more significance than just procedural formality. We had invested too much effort to let this mission fail now.My most trusted ally and the person who had always supported me gave me a strong affirmation wit
CHAPTER 206SARAH MOON'S POINT OF VIEW I knew it was coming. The endgame. This critical moment will determine whether all our efforts succeed or fail. With the failsafe removed, our only option became a direct confrontation with our adversaries. I felt the weight in my chest knowing that we stood one final step away from destroying the secret society forever.As the team assembled, I heard the gentle buzz that filled the war room. Blake conducted discussions with his team members while managing connections with international law enforcement organizations. We assembled all available experts to ensure that no aspect of our operation was overlooked. It had to be perfect.The clock on the wall showed its ticking to me while the seconds slowly passed away, bringing us nearer to the upcoming battle. The plan was set. We aimed to dismantle the entire secret society structure by targeting all their networks and operations as well as their leaders. We planned to destroy everyone connected wit
CHAPTER 205 SARAH MOON'S POINT OF VIEW The clock was ticking. Each passing second felt as if I were receiving a blow to my chest. The system's low hum resonated through the chilly walls while the blinking red lights on the control panel quickened my heartbeats.Leo quietly said, "Time is running out," as he stood beside the door, gripping his gun tightly.My mind was spinning. Two options—both risky, both dangerous. Shutting down the failsafe would alert the secret society to our location. Or... I had the ability to find a different approach to get around the system, but this route would take additional time, leaving us vulnerable."Sarah... what are we doing?" Ethan asked, voice shaking. The condition of my team was clear as I saw their bruised bodies and their worn-out faces filled with fear. All of them had chosen to enter this nightmare alongside me without hesitation. They were my responsibility. Breathe, Sarah.I shut my eyes briefly to block out the throbbing pain in my hea
CHAPTER 204 ROWAN FLINT'S POINT OF VIEW The dense night atmosphere gave me the impression that everything in the universe paused momentarily. The silence swallowed every step as my heartbeat drummed in my ears while we stealthily moved through the shadows. The dim light from streetlamps stretched only to the warehouse's boundary and threw jagged shadows across its deteriorating concrete walls."We don't have much time," Sarah whispered. A wave of her breath swept across my neck, which caused an involuntary shiver to travel down my spine."I know."My voice sounded steadier than I felt. The exact nature of the failsafe plan remained unknown, and it was ready to activate at any time. Failure to shut it down would allow the secret society to erase all evidence of their operation through smoke, ash, and bodies.The clock started ticking inside my mind.Get in. Find the server. Disable the failsafe. Don't die.Simple plan. Too bad everything about it screamed disaster.I glanced at Sarah
CHAPTER 203 SARAH MOON'S POINT OF VIEW The courtroom buzzed with whispers. The courtroom was packed with spectators while the trial's oppressive atmosphere loomed heavily above everyone like a storm cloud ready to release rain. The room felt claustrophobic while the tension made the air feel dense.I clung tightly to the table edge until my knuckles turned white. My heart pounded hard against my ribs. This was it. After months of preparation and many sleepless nights, we arrived at this crucial moment."All rise."Entering the courtroom, the judge presented an expression that was as hard as stone. Everyone stood. My breath caught in my throat. Sit down. Focus.The desk before me displayed various evidence, including documents and photographs alongside voice recordings. The documents displayed evidence of every action taken by the secret society. Their corruption. Their crimes. Every sick, twisted secret.I looked across the room to where they stood.They were there. These men who
CHAPTER 202 JERVIS STONE'S POINT OF VIEW The cold air filled the room with its weight and clung to all surfaces as though it were alive. The machines emitted a low hum, which permeated the silence, while each beep signaled the relentless march of time. Sarah walked back and forth in front of the glass wall with her arms crossed tightly against her chest. She shifted her gaze rapidly among the unstable holographic images above the table. Our blueprints and countermeasures stood exposed with striking clarity.My throat felt dry. Once we initiate the system deployment, we commit to an irreversible course of action.Sarah looked at me with a pointed yet unsure stare. Her lips parted, but no words came. Her eyes displayed an internal maelstrom. We all felt the immense pressure of it.She finally said with a barely audible voice that turning back was not an option anymore. What we choose to do depends entirely on the distance we are prepared to travel.A muscle twitched in my jaw. The blu