By nightfall, the streets around Harrow Hall were quiet but tense. Security vans moved in slow loops along the perimeter, their headlights cutting sharp lines across the iron gates and stone walls. Guards stood at intervals, their radios crackling softly in the dark, their eyes scanning the grounds for anything out of place.From inside the repair shed, Jaxon watched the monitors while Ethan worked at the keyboard, his fingers moving quickly across the keys. The screens showed multiple camera feeds from the main gate, the east lawn, the service entrance, the interior corridors. Ethan was adjusting the feeds, creating a loop that would last exactly five minutes. Five minutes of blind time where the cameras would show empty hallways and undisturbed grounds while Jaxon moved through them."Five minutes," Ethan said without looking up. "That is all you get. If you are not inside by then, the system resets and they will see you.""I understand," Jaxon said."And if you are caught, I do

Jaxon reached the old tunnel near the riverbank just before sunrise. The sky was still dark, but there was a faint grey light beginning to creep along the horizon. The air was damp and cold, clinging to his skin, making every breath feel heavy. The sound of water echoed through the tunnel walls behind him, a steady rush that mixed with the distant chirping of early morning birds. Ethan waited near the entrance with his van, the engine idling quietly. His eyes scanned the path behind Jaxon, checking for any sign of pursuit, before he lowered the ramp at the back of the vehicle. "Get in," Ethan said, his voice low and urgent. "Quickly." Jaxon climbed into the van without a word, his legs aching from the run through the woods, his clothes still damp with mud and water. He tossed the folder onto the workbench that ran along one side of the van's interior, then leaned back against the wall, trying to catch his breath. Ethan closed the ramp and locked it, then moved to the drive

The sound of the approaching engines grew louder, echoing through the empty warehouse until the building seemed to shake with it. Then the lights flashed red. The outside sensors had been triggered, bathing the interior walls in harsh crimson pulses that made everything look distorted and unreal.Ethan rushed to the laptop, his fingers moving frantically across the keyboard. "I need to disconnect the systems. If they access the network, they will trace everything we uploaded.""How long?" Jaxon asked, already moving toward the table where the documents were spread out."Thirty seconds. Maybe less."Jaxon did not have thirty seconds. He grabbed the documents in handfuls, not bothering to keep them organized, and shoved them into a waterproof case he pulled from his bag. The pages crumpled slightly, but there was no time to be careful. The case was designed for field work, sealed against water and impact, with a locking mechanism that would keep the contents secure.Through the side

The upload completed just as the first sirens echoed from the port road. The sound was distant but unmistakable, cutting through the quiet morning air like a warning bell. Jaxon watched the progress bar reach one hundred percent, then quickly ejected the drive from the console. His hands moved with practiced efficiency, wiping the terminal's memory, deleting the login history, erasing any trace that they had been there. "Are we done?" Ethan asked from the doorway, his voice tight with urgency. "Yes," Jaxon said, pocketing the drive. "We need to go. Now." He signaled to Ethan, and they moved quickly through the office, shutting down every light as they went. The building plunged back into darkness, looking abandoned once more. They reached the side door that opened toward the cargo bay, the same entrance they had used earlier. Jaxon pushed it open carefully, checking the area before stepping outside. The docks were busier now than they had been when they first arrived. Secu

The tunnel was narrow, barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side. The walls were slick with algae and rust, the concrete stained dark from years of water damage and neglect. Water trickled down from the drainage grates above, forming thin streams that ran along the floor and disappeared into the darkness ahead. Jaxon pressed his back against the wall, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. His clothes were soaked through, clinging to his skin, and they were now heavy and cold. Every muscle in his body ached from the jump, from the swim, from the constant running. But he forced himself to stay alert, listening for any sound that did not belong.Footsteps. Voices. The scrape of metal against concrete.Ethan leaned beside him, shaking water from his hair. His face was pale, his breathing ragged. He still clutched the case tightly against his chest, as though letting go of it might cause everything to disappear."Give it here," Jaxon whispered, holding out hi