The night had fallen over the safe house like a thick, oppressive blanket. The forest surrounding them was quiet, eerily still, as if even nature itself held its breath in anticipation. Gregory sat at the small, makeshift table, the flickering light from a single bulb casting shadows on the walls. The plans were laid out before him—maps, pictures, blueprints—and his mind raced as he thought of every possible way to make sure Voss wouldn’t catch them off guard again.“We move at dawn,” Gregory said, his voice cutting through the tension in the room. His eyes never left the plans. “I know where Voss is holding his most valuable assets. If we take that place out, we take him down.”Amelia nodded, already examining the maps, her mind working just as fast as Gregory’s. “It’s risky, but it’s our best shot. If we can hit their central command, we cripple their operations. They won’t be able to make their next move.”Crane, sitting in the corner with his arms crossed, watched them with a calc

The lights flickered for a moment before they went completely out. The compound was now plunged into darkness, but that didn’t stop Gregory from moving. The plan had worked—they had successfully disabled the communications, and now the compound was in disarray. Guards were shouting at each other, but their orders were lost, echoing through the empty halls with no direction.“Move!” Gregory hissed, grabbing Amelia’s arm as he pulled her toward the back exit. The others were close behind, but the silence in the compound felt suffocating. The only sound was the pounding of their footsteps and the occasional distant shout. The chaos was their ally now—Voss’s empire was crumbling, and they were the ones at the center of it.Mara led the way through the maze of corridors, her senses heightened, every muscle tensed for the inevitable clash. The danger wasn’t over; it had only just begun. There were still guards on the inside, and Voss’s reinforcements would be on their way soon. Time was run

The dense woods stretched out before them, the trees casting long shadows as the team pushed through the underbrush. The only sounds were the rush of their footsteps and the occasional distant crack of a branch underfoot.Gregory’s heart pounded in his chest, the adrenaline surging as the realization of their escape began to settle in.They were still alive, but for how long?The crackle of gunfire echoed from the compound, a constant reminder that they were not safe yet. Voss’s men were closing in fast, and the dense woods couldn’t hide them forever.They had to keep moving, stay ahead of the soldiers chasing them.“We need to get to the extraction point,” Gregory said, his voice strained but firm. “If we don’t make it there, we won’t make it out of here at all.”“We’re not exactly in the best position for that,” Mara replied, her voice tight with frustration. “They’ll be tracking us, and we won’t last long if we keep running.”“We don’t have a choice,” Gregory shot back, his gaze da

The low hum of the helicopter echoed through the trees, growing louder with each passing second. Gregory’s heart hammered in his chest as he crouched low in the brush, trying to stay as still as possible.The searchlights from the chopper cut through the dark, casting harsh beams of light across the clearing and into the surrounding woods.His eyes scanned the treeline, searching for any sign of movement. Every second felt like an eternity.They were running out of time. The extraction team had confirmed their position, but Voss’s men weren’t far behind, and the choppers were getting closer. They couldn’t afford to be found.“Keep your head down,” Gregory muttered to Crane, who was crouched beside him, his body tense with anticipation.Crane gave a short nod, his eyes flicking nervously between the helicopter and the trees. “We can’t outrun them like this. They’ll find us.”“We don’t need to outrun them,” Gregory replied through gritted teeth. “We just need to outlast them.”The sound

Everything was a blur—screams, the thunderous crack of gunfire, and the heavy beat of his own heart. Gregory’s body hit the ground with a violent thud, and for a split second, the world spun wildly around him. His vision flickered, edges of the world dimming, but then the sharp, acrid scent of smoke cut through the haze. He had no time to linger in his daze.His instincts kicked in.Gregory’s hand shot out to grab the dirt beneath him as he pushed himself to his knees, his head swimming with the effort. His right side felt like it was on fire, the impact of the bullet hitting him in a sudden, excruciating jolt. He gasped, clutching at the torn fabric of his shirt, feeling the warm trickle of blood.“Crane!” he called hoarsely, but his voice came out weak. He pushed harder, ignoring the pain, dragging himself to his feet. The explosion had thrown him off balance, but he wasn’t about to stop now.The world around him was chaotic—trees splintered and falling, the chopper’s spotlight swee