Max sat in the dimly lit safe house, staring at the flickering monitor in front of him. The screen was filled with news reports, security alerts, and live footage of military convoys moving through major cities.Every government agency. Every intelligence network. Every law enforcement unit in the world.They were all looking for one man.Him.“Maxwell Montgomery is now the world’s most wanted fugitive,” the news anchor declared. “Following an attack on an Interpol cyber facility in Singapore, he has been officially classified as a global terrorist—”Max clicked the screen off.His jaw clenched.Elliot had played him perfectly.Red Fang paced the length of the room, his expression unreadable.“We can’t stay here,” he said. “Not for long.”Emily sat cross-legged on the couch, arms folded tightly against her chest. Her eyes flicked to the closed blinds.“The moment we step out, we’re dead,” she muttered. “Every security camera, every border checkpoint—hell, even private contractors will

The screen on Viktor’s phone lit up.A live news broadcast.Max turned his head slightly—and felt his blood go cold.His own face flashed across the screen.BREAKING NEWS:“Interpol confirms Maxwell Montgomery is in possession of a classified bioweapon. Global alert issued. Immediate capture or termination authorized.”Max’s heartbeat thundered.No.Elliot’s voice hummed through the line.“You see, Max… while you were busy looking for me?”The smirk was almost audible.“I made the world believe you’re the real threat.”Viktor gave him a mocking shrug.“Sorry, Max. It’s just business.”Gunfire roared through the abandoned warehouse, bullets sparking off rusted steel beams as Max dove for cover behind a stack of shipping crates. The acrid stench of gunpowder filled the air, mingling with the heavy scent of betrayal.Red Fang was already firing back, his rifle barking as he clipped one of Viktor’s men.But it wasn’t enough.They were outnumbered.And worse—Emily was gone.“Max, we gotta

Max’s hands shook as he stared at the blinking red display on Emily’s chest.0:59He swallowed, forcing his mind to slow down.“Emily, don’t move,” he said, his voice tight.She held her breath. “Wasn’t planning to.”The bomb’s wiring was intricate, laced with a failsafe mechanism designed to detonate if tampered with incorrectly.0:45Molly’s voice crackled through the earpiece.“Max, I’m in the system—there’s a wireless detonation trigger, but I can’t hack it remotely. You have to disable it manually.”Red Fang’s tone was grim. “How much time?”Max exhaled shakily. “Not enough.”0:30His fingers moved with surgical precision, tracing the primary detonation circuit. One wrong move, and Emily would—No.Focus.Emily’s eyes locked on his. “Max.”0:15“Almost there,” he muttered.0:10Max found the kill switch—but it was wired to a secondary charge.Damn it.He had one chance.One cut.He sliced through the wire.0:03The countdown stopped.A sharp, piercing silence filled the room.Emi

The bunker loomed before them, half-buried beneath ice and reinforced steel. The frozen wind howled across the tundra, but Max barely felt it.He could only see one thing.The entrance to Project Nemesis.Red Fang, Emily, and Orlov’s strike team flanked him. The Russian general’s men were hardened operatives, armed to the teeth.“Thermal scans show minimal movement inside,” Molly reported through the comms. “But that’s impossible. Elliot wouldn’t leave this place unguarded.”Max’s jaw tightened.“He’s waiting.”Emily’s hand hovered over her gun.“So what’s the play?”Max stepped forward.“No more tricks,” he said. “I go in alone.”The bunker’s inner doors slid open, revealing a massive, circular chamber bathed in dim, blue light.And at its center—Elliot.Standing alone, dressed in a black combat shirt, his expression calm.Waiting.“You made it,” Elliot said smoothly. “Was starting to think you’d given up.”Max stepped forward, muscles coiled.“No more games.”Elliot smirked.“No. J