Clara slammed her hands onto the table, forcing herself to think fast. "There is an emergency medical section in the back of this bunker! Adrian built it! Find it... Everything you need to perform basic surgery is in there. You just have to remove the bullet yourselves and stop the bleeding."She grabbed a spare tactical rifle from the rack, checking the magazine with an icy, terrifying look in her eyes. "I'm going after Valthera."Without waiting for their reply, Dorian and Henry carefully lifted Thomas's shaking body, carrying him as fast as they could into the back medical room. Dorian was no certified doctor, but after years of surviving in the criminal underworld, he had removed dozens of bullets from his own body. Operating on another person was simple enough; he just had to extract the lead and stabilize Thomas until real medical help became an option.Meanwhile, on the upper levels of the city, Valthera stepped through a set of massive, dust-covered stone doors. She entered t

Without a word, the great and terrifying Butcher, the man who had skinned countless enemies alive, submissively turned on his heel, walked down the grand stone stairs, and retrieved a crystal decanter from the dark vaults below. He returned moments later, carrying a heavy glass tumbler. He poured the amber liquid and handed it to her.Valthera took a slow, deliberate sip, letting the rich warmth settle in her throat. She closed her eyes for a brief second, sighing in pure satisfaction. "Ahhh... I have missed this, honestly. Good boy."She set the glass down on the stone armrest, her expression turning deadly serious once more. "Now, I want you to go fetch me that Flower of Life.""My strike teams have already raided the King’s primary vault, and the herb isn't there. That means the old bastard had a secret, secondary vault hidden somewhere in this city. Find it, break into it, and bring the flower straight to me."The Butcher nodded, adjusting the collar of his suit coat. "Consider it

Alberto looked up from the dirt, his eyes wide with disbelief, but his stubborn, arrogant pride refused to back down even in his final moments. "Go to hell!" Alberto yelled, coughing up spit. "You are useless! You aren't even worthy to wipe my—"BANG!A single, deafening gunshot echoed through the massive chamber.The bullet struck Alberto directly between the eyes. His head snapped backward, and his body went completely limp, collapsing onto the dusty floor as a thick pool of dark blood began to rapidly expand across the cold stone.Nicholas stood over his father’s corpse, his breathing heavy and ragged, the smoking barrel of his pistol pointed straight down. He lowered the gun slowly, wiping a smudge of dirt from his forehead.Up on the dais, Valthera sat back down on her single throne, crossing her legs with a wide, dark smirk on her face. She was the absolute master of the game. She hadn't even needed to pull the trigger herself; all she had to do was show Nicholas what his fath

Two Crimson gang mercenaries instantly stepped into her path, extending their assault rifles across her chest to block her from reaching the dais.Valthera chuckled softly, setting her glass down on the armrest. "Well, I am tired of it, darling. But I wouldn't have to repeat myself over and over again if you weren't so stubbornly naive.""Oh, I listened to you, Valthera!" Clara shouted, her voice trembling with emotion. "I listened to every single word you ever said! You talked about family! You talked about honor! You talked about respect! But the one thing you never bothered to speak about was raw, bloody power! Oh, well... I guess I forgot who I was talking to!""Well, you see, power is the only thing that actually matters," Valthera said, leaning forward, her eyes flashing with ancient, cold malice. "Power is vital. You have to court it, Clara. You have to steal it. You have to hold it down by any means necessary, regardless of who gets crushed underneath."Clara felt hot tears ga

On the other end of the line, there was no cheer. There was only the sound of heavy, panicked panting and hollow echoes."Clara..." Dorian’s voice came through, raw and utterly heartbroken. *"They're gone, Clara... The children are no longer here. The facility is empty."The world seemed to stop turning."What?" Clara whispered, her voice dropping into a hollow, terrified gasp. Her heart shattered into a million pieces inside her chest.She slowly lowered the phone from her ear. The victory in her eyes instantly died, replaced by raw, unadulterated shock. The color completely drained from her face, leaving her ghost-pale.Beside the throne, Valthera began to grin. It started as a small, cruel twitch of her lips, expanding into a wide, wicked smile that echoed through the vast stone hall.Around the room, the Crimson gang mercenaries lowered their heads in silent despair. The heavy rifle barrels stayed locked directly onto Clara’s head and heart. The tables hadn't turned. The trap was