The tunnel was dark and narrow, the walls slick with moisture, the air heavy with the smell of earth and decay. Antar led the way, his movements sure and silent, his dark eyes gleaming in the dim light of Ali's headlamp. Behind him came Ali, his equipment pack strapped tight, his fingers already working on the tablet that controlled the prison's security systems. Laith followed, his speed armor humming softly, his good hand resting on his blade."We're close," Antar whispered. "The tunnel opens into the prison's lower levels. There's a maintenance access point that leads directly to the cells."Ali nodded, his eyes fixed on the tablet. "I'm reading the security feeds. The cameras are down in this sector. We have a window.""Then we move."They emerged into a narrow corridor, the walls painted a drab grey, the floor slick with the residue of years of neglect. The maintenance access point was exactly where Antar had said it would be—a heavy metal door, rusted but functional.Ali knelt b

The safe house was quiet when Hadi slipped out. His footsteps were silent on the worn floorboards, his movements careful not to wake the others. They needed rest. They had been running, fighting, grieving for days. He would not disturb their fragile peace.Outside, the night air was cold and sharp. Hadi pulled his coat tighter and walked toward the rendezvous point—a small café on the edge of the city, closed for the night, but familiar to his legal team. They had used it before, in quieter times, when the threat was political rather than mortal.His team was already there. Three of them—Samira, Khalil, and Rami—huddled around a small table in the back, their faces pale, their eyes tired. They had been working for days, fighting the legal battle while the Knights fought the physical one.Hadi sat down heavily, his body aching with exhaustion."I'm tired," he said, his voice raw. "I tried so hard to prevent this. I spent years building the case. I presented evidence, testimonies, every

The safe house was silent when Hadi's team arrived. Samira's face was pale, her eyes red-rimmed. Khalil's hands were trembling. Rami stood by the door, his jaw tight, unable to speak.Haitham rose from his chair. "What happened?"Samira's voice cracked. "It's Hadi. He's been captured. We don't know where they took him. The judge—he was killed. Hadi was shot at, his car crashed. When we got there, he was gone."The room erupted.Laith slammed his fist against the wall. Ali's face went white. In the corner, still recovering from his own ordeal, Antar struggled to his feet."Who?" Hazem's voice was quiet, too quiet. "Who took him?""We don't know. Military, probably. They took the documents too. Everything the judge gave him."Hazem was already moving toward the equipment locker. Laith intercepted him."What are you doing?""I'm going to get him.""Alone? Like you always do?" Laith's voice was sharp. "Hazem, you can't keep doing this. You can't keep running off on your own, trying to be

The safe house was quiet, but Ali's mind was anything but. For hours, he had been hunched over his equipment, scanning satellite feeds, intercepting communications, running algorithms that would have taken a team of analysts weeks to complete. His fingers flew across the keyboard, his eyes bloodshot, his jaw tight with concentration.Laith paced behind him. Hazem stood by the window, staring out at the dark city. Haitham sat at the table, his hands folded, his face calm but his eyes betraying his worry."Anything?" Hazem asked for the tenth time.Ali didn't look up. "I'm close. I can feel it."Hours passed. The night stretched on. And then—"I found him."Everyone froze.Ali turned from his screen, his face pale but his eyes bright. "I found him. He's alive. They transferred him to a secret base in the desert. About a hundred kilometers south. It's not on any map. It's not even supposed to exist."Hazem was at his side in an instant. "Are you sure?""I'm sure. I've got heat signatures

The plan was simple. It had to be. There was no time for complexity, no room for error. Hadi was out there, alone, dying, and every second they waited was a second he couldn't afford.Hazem stood at the center of the safe house, his armor strapped tight, his blade at his side. Laith was beside him, his speed armor humming, his body vibrating with barely contained energy. Ali was at his equipment, his fingers flying across the keyboard, his face pale with concentration."The base is forty kilometers east," Ali said. "Heavily guarded. I've mapped the patrol routes and identified a blind spot near the eastern wall. If you move fast enough, you can get in without being detected.""And Hadi?" Hazem asked. "Where is he?""Sub-level two. Maximum security wing. Cell twelve." Ali looked up, his eyes meeting Hazem's. "He's alive. But he's in bad shape. The interrogations have taken their toll."Hazem nodded, his jaw tight. "Then we don't waste any time. Laith, you're with me. Haitham, you coord