Thane POVMartins and I trudged through the snowy mountain pass. The wreck of the jet still smoldered behind us, a distant reminder of how close we had come to death. Every step on the icy ground threatened to send us tumbling down the cliffs, but we pressed forward. Russell’s fortress loomed ahead—an abandoned, fortress-like compound buried under layers of snow, jagged rocks, and frozen trees.“Sir,” Martins said, his breath visible in the freezing air, “this place is worse than we expected. Look at those guard towers. Snipers have perfect lines of sight from up there. If they see us, we’re done before we even reach the walls.”I tightened my jaw, scanning the fortress with a cold, measured gaze. “That’s why we go quiet. No alarms, no noise, no mistakes. Every soldier, every guard thinks they’re safe—but they’re about to learn what happens when they threaten my bloodline.”Martins nodded, checking his weapons. “Understood, sir. Entry points?”“East wall,” I said, pointing to a narrow

Thane POVThe video came through my secure device, encrypted, time stamped, and marked urgent. My heart skipped a beat when I saw her face, Theresa. And beside her, Shawn. Both of them are in the small safe room of the White House bunker, illuminated by a single lamp, shadows dancing on the walls.My hands shook as I pressed play. My gut twisted. Every instinct screamed danger. I had faced the world’s worst before, but this… this was different.Theresa’s eyes met the camera first. She was pale, exhausted written across every line of her face, tears streaked on her cheeks. Shawn clutched her mother’s arm, eyes wide, fearful, and Forger sat beside them, silent, but his small hands nervously twisted a corner of his shirt.The message began with a shaky voice, Theresa speaking directly into the camera.“Kaelor… if you’re seeing this… I…” Her voice broke. She swallowed hard, staring straight into the lens. “…I’m scared. I’m scared you won’t survive this… not this one. The enemies… they are