The explosion ripped through the facility, shaking the walls as fire and debris rained from above. Leon and Elena sprinted through the collapsing corridors, dodging falling beams and electrical sparks. The blast had destabilized the entire underground compound—exactly as they had planned. **But they weren’t out yet.** Leon’s heart pounded as he pushed forward. His body ached from the battle, his mind reeling from the truth Victor had revealed. **Iteration 13.** He shoved the thought away—there was no time to process it now. “Elena, status?” he shouted over the alarms blaring through the speakers. Elena glanced down at her wrist device, scanning the projected map. “We’re close! Emergency tunnel should be—” **A metal door slammed shut ahead of them.** Leon skidded to a stop. “Damn it.” “The whole place is on lockdown.” Elena gritted her teeth, scanning for an alternate route. “We need to find another way out before this place turns into a grave.” Leon exhaled sharply. “W

The cold light from the chamber’s display screens cast an eerie glow over the lab, making the floating figure within look almost ghostly. Her dark hair fanned out around her, her pale skin untouched by time. Electrodes ran along her arms, temples, and spine, connecting her to the machinery keeping her alive. Leon felt his breath catch. This wasn’t just another experiment. This woman—whoever she was—had been here a long time. Elena stepped forward, her hands clenched at her sides. “Who is she?” Victor’s voice crackled over the intercom before Leon could answer. “You’re standing in the heart of my greatest creation, Leon. And you don’t even understand what you’ve found.” Leon turned sharply, scanning the room for speakers or hidden cameras. “You never could resist the sound of your own voice, could you?” Victor chuckled. “You’re angry. But you should be grateful. You’ve finally made it to the truth.” Leon ignored the taunt and focused on the chamber again. “Who is she, Vic

Leon stood at the window, his muscles tense as he scanned the darkened street below. The encrypted transmission had been clear—Victor knew they had breached the Austrian estate. A bounty had been placed on his head. He exhaled sharply, turning back to Marcus, who was rapidly typing away at his console. The tech wizard’s fingers moved in a blur over the keys, running security sweeps and tracking any incoming signals. “We’ve got a problem,” Marcus muttered, his eyes glued to the screen. Leon crossed the room in two strides. “What kind of problem?” Marcus turned the laptop around, revealing a series of heat signatures moving in from multiple directions. “They’re here.” Leon’s stomach clenched. **Too soon.** Victor must have anticipated their movements, or worse—**they had a mole.** “Damn it,” Leon cursed. “How many?” Marcus swallowed. “At least fifteen operatives. They’re boxing us in. We don’t have much time.” Across the room, Elena stood frozen, her fingers still clut

Leon barely had time to process the weight of Victor’s bounty before the first shot rang out. The bullet shattered the window of the safehouse, missing him by inches. Glass rained down as he threw himself to the ground, rolling behind an overturned table. His earpiece buzzed with static before Marcus’s frantic voice cut through. **"Leon! We’re compromised! You need to move—now!"** No kidding. The attack had come too fast. He had expected Victor to retaliate, but not this soon. Not this aggressively. Leon peeked over the edge of the table, spotting movement outside. Shadows flickered beyond the wreckage of the broken window—silent, efficient. Professionals. This wasn’t just some random bounty hunter looking to cash in. Victor had sent his best. He pushed the thought aside and focused. There was no time for hesitation. He had to get Elena out. Across the room, Elena had taken cover behind an old cabinet, clutching the stolen files in one hand and a silenced pistol in the o

The city skyline stretched before Leon as he stood in the penthouse office of his newly established tech headquarters. The move had been necessary—not just for safety but to establish a new foundation for everything he was building. Vienna had been compromised, and with Victor’s bounty on his head, staying in one place too long was a death sentence.Now, he had relocated to Prague, a city rich with history, innovation, and—most importantly—distance from Victor’s immediate grasp. The headquarters was nestled in a discreet yet modern high-rise, blending in with the city's booming tech scene. From here, Leon was spearheading his next venture: the rapid expansion of his high-end technology chain, selling cutting-edge security software and devices under an alias. Officially, he was just another entrepreneur capitalizing on the AI boom. Unofficially, he was laying the groundwork for something bigger.Clara entered the office, her arms crossed, concern written across her face. "You really th