THE LAST EXTRACTION

e darkness wasn't comforting-it was a predator. Somewhere ahead, Asset Orion waited, and with him, the secrets that could

barely audible over the crackle of twigs

ed details. Every instinct in his body told

snake of water cut across their path, reflecting the faint moo

Ethan said. "One

han's mind, a reminder of why they were risking everything. A

They held their breath. From the darkne

voice shouted, thick

d the weapon from the man's hand. The figure collaps

an muttered, hel

ged through the mist: a towering, rusted structure with flickering lights. This was no ordinary resea

es, motion sensors, cameras... probably automated t

We're not sneaking in

inked.

a grim smile, "we're getting

distant gunfire. A convoy of armed men patrolled the far side of the comp

ntrance is impossible. They'll see us

a ventilation duct slightly ajar on

y, or fear. Ethan led, Mara following, every step deliberate. The shadows inside were almost

tched across the duct, almost invisible. He reached out s

e?" she whispered, admir

plied. "You get used

t ended above a dimly lit lab. Ethan peered through the

" Mara

visibly on his shoulders. Around him, monitors flickered with images of continents, digital maps, and stre

Mara to stay low.

. They hadn't seen Ethan and Mara yet-but one step in the

signal," Et

ck, silent, precise. A punch, a choke, a

han grabbed Orion's arm. "We

nd fear etched into every li

s," Ethan interrupted

ights, warnings of security breaches they had yet to trigger. But outside,

said, panic creepi

d. "Good. Let's make

he path was blocked. Heavy doors, reinforced s

ck into the shadows.

pile of canisters used for che

rd the opposite side. They exploded in a brilliant fl

llets whizzing past. Every second was

forest waited like a sanctuary-and a trap. Behi

t Orion. "You r

d hard. "I...

then at Orion. "We'l

ound cut through the air-a low, distant r

ast, and moving with terrifying precision. These weren

h. "No way out," he mu

ided with shadows, bullets flew past like deadly rain, a

a waited, merciless and alive, as the