George pressed the buttons on the console, one after another, his fingers moving in frantic succession until a sharp click echoed through the checkpoint booth. The sound was unmistakable—the current flowing through the massive iron gate had been cut off, and the locks disengaged with a dull thud. For the first time since his ordeal began, freedom was within his grasp.He quickly stepped out of the checkpoint building, his movements brisk yet cautious, as though he feared someone might appear to snatch this slim chance away. Without hesitation, he rushed to the gate, placed his hands firmly against its cold metal, and heaved it open manually. The iron groaned under his effort, but it yielded, and as the gap widened, George slipped through with a surge of relief that coursed through every vein in his body.Stepping outside that cursed facility, George drew in a deep breath of the cool night air. He felt the weight of confinement leave his chest. Yet, his relief was short-lived. Just as