The sun had barely risen when Jake’s mind snapped to attention. The hours of waiting had stretched longer than he'd anticipated, and the stillness was suffocating. He couldn’t keep sitting back, watching the world go by. Lina was the first to break the silence, her voice low but deliberate. “We’ve got eyes on us. Not just the Council, but others too. We’re not the only ones making moves.”Jake stood from the table, the creak of his chair scraping against the concrete floor breaking the silence. His gaze locked on her, the weight of her words settling into him. He’d known there were others out there, people ready to take their piece of the pie, but hearing it from Lina made it real. They were no longer the only game in town.“I expected as much,” Jake said, his voice steady. “We’ve stirred up the hornet’s nest. But if they think we’re easy prey, they’re mistaken.”Lina’s eyes met his, unblinking. “They’re not coming at us directly, not yet. But they’re watching. They know something’s

With the command given, the team moved into position, each one locking into their role like practiced soldiers. No time for second thoughts. They weren’t backing down, not now.Jake, Elena, and Reeva formed the core of the defensive line, weapons raised and eyes sharp. Lina was already scouting ahead, making sure there were no surprises waiting for them.The first wave of Council soldiers closed in from the entrance. Jake could hear their boots pounding down the hallway, their voices low but intent on their mission. They thought they had them cornered. Jake’s grip tightened on his weapon, the familiar weight of it grounding him in the chaos.Elena glanced at him. “Ready?”Jake nodded, his mind fully in the moment. There was no hesitation now, no space for doubt. They’d come this far, and they weren’t going to stop.The moment the first soldier entered the doorway, Elena’s shot rang out, a precise strike to the chest that dropped him instantly. The others scrambled, diving for cover as

Jake sat in the back of the van, arms crossed, staring at the floor. His mind was already running through the next steps—what they needed, where they had to go, who they could trust. He could feel the weight of responsibility pulling at him again, the growing tension of knowing there was no easy way out.Elena glanced back at him, her eyes sharp. “What’s next?”Jake met her gaze. “We keep moving. We can’t stop now. Not until we’ve forced their hand.”She nodded, understanding. There was no stopping. The moment they’d made their move, the Council had to know they were no longer hiding. They were coming for them, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was that they weren’t going to let themselves be hunted anymore.“We need a stronger position,” Reeva said from the front, her voice steady. “We can’t keep running like this. We need to hit them where it hurts.”Jake rubbed his chin, thinking. “We hit their supply lines. If we take out their resources, it’ll weaken them. But we can’t just g

The silence in the safehouse felt heavier than before, Jake stood in front of a cracked mirror on the wall, adjusting his gear. His reflection seemed like a stranger now—less hopeful, more worn. The man staring back at him didn’t resemble the leader he used to think he’d become. No, this was a man who had lost too much and had too little left to lose.Elena approached him, her presence silent but strong, just like always. She didn’t say anything at first, just stood next to him, her eyes scanning the room.“They’ll be back,” Jake muttered, his voice low. “And when they come, it’s not going to be with just soldiers. It’s going to be everything they’ve got.”Elena nodded, a determined look in her eyes. “We’ll be ready. But you know we can’t fight forever like this. Sooner or later, we have to find a way to end this. To take them down.”Jake’s eyes flicked to hers. “I know. But right now, we can’t think about the end. We have to think about the next step. The next move. We can’t let them

Elena landed first on the next rooftop, rolling to absorb the impact before springing back to her feet. “Keep moving!” she called, already scanning for the next gap.Jake pushed Lina ahead of him, his breath burning in his chest. Behind them, the sound of boots and shouting grew louder. The Council’s squads had followed them up, their beams cutting across the rooftops, flashes of light chasing their every step.Reeva fired a quick burst over her shoulder, forcing the soldiers to duck back. “They’re right on us. We need to break their line!”“There,” Jake pointed, spotting the elevated transit rails two buildings over. The steel tracks glinted faintly in the distance, the network stretching into the heart of the city. If they could reach it, they could vanish into the maze of tunnels below.Elena didn’t hesitate. “Two more jumps!” she shouted.The first gap was wide, the rooftop opposite slightly lower. Elena went first, sprinting hard before leaping across, landing in a crouch. She wa