The sounds of the city echoed in Jake’s ears as he sprinted through the broken streets. The convoy was regrouping, but they hadn’t seen him yet. His heart raced, but it wasn’t fear that pushed him forward—it was resolve. He couldn’t afford to fail. Not when they were so closeHis comm beeped again, the shrill tone cutting through the silence. He didn’t hesitate to answer.“Jake, we’ve made it to the extraction point,” Elena’s voice came through, strained but relieved. “We’re ready to go. But we need to know where you are.”“I’m almost there,” Jake said, keeping his voice steady despite the rush of emotions flooding his mind. “Hold tight. I’ll be there in five.”“Jake—”“Just five minutes, Elena,” he said, cutting her off gently. “We don’t have time for anything else.”There was a beat of silence, then Elena’s voice softened. “Be careful.”“I will,” he replied quietly, ending the call before she could say anything more. There wasn’t time to waste.Jake moved quickly, his pace never fal

They had been walking for hours, their pace slowing as the tunnel curved and twisted. The farther they went, the more the world above seemed to fade into memory. The noise, the chaos, the lights—everything seemed distant. It was almost peaceful down here. Almost.But Jake couldn’t shake the feeling that peace was something they hadn’t earned yet.He glanced back at Elena and Reeva. Both of them were moving quietly, their faces unreadable, but Jake could feel the strain in their movements. They were all exhausted, physically and mentally. The escape had been frantic, and now that they had a moment to breathe, reality was settling in like a weight on their shoulders.“Elena, Reeva,” Jake said, his voice breaking the silence, “We’re getting closer. The exit should be up ahead.”Elena nodded but didn’t speak. Reeva gave him a curt nod, her eyes scanning the shadows ahead of them. They knew this part of the tunnel well enough to be cautious, but the deeper they went, the more it felt like

The safehouse was quieter than Jake had expected. With the smell of dust, the dim light from the single bulb overhead casting long shadows across the room. It was a far cry from the bustling streets of the market district, where people had passed by, unknowingly moving through their own lives while Jake and his team fought to stay one step ahead of the Council.The old wood floor creaked underfoot as Jake paced back and forth. He was alone now, Elena and Reeva having retreated into the adjoining rooms to rest, or perhaps to think. The only sound was the occasional drip of water somewhere in the shadows, and the hum of the distant city outside.Jake stopped at the window, peering through the cracks in the worn blinds. His eyes traced the empty street, the few flickering streetlamps casting long, eerie shadows on the cracked pavement. The market was just a few blocks away, but it felt like a lifetime. No one had followed them into the safehouse, at least not yet. But Jake knew better th