⚡ Chapter 21 –
My lungs refused to work. My mind refused to believe.
"You…" My voice cracked, raw from the smoke. "You're dead."
The figure stepped closer, boots crunching over broken glass like they had all the time in the world. Their smile didn't falter."Dead? No. Forgotten? Almost."
Every instinct screamed at me to run, but my legs were jelly. I forced myself upright, heart thundering."Where's Ethan? Lena?"
"They're alive," the figure said, tilting their head. "For now. Your father, though…" They chuckled softly. "He made a mistake letting me live."
My eyes darted around the destroyed warehouse — no sign of movement, just fire eating the shadows. The smell of burning metal was thick, making it hard to breathe.
"Why are you here?" I asked, my voice low.
"To finish what we started." Their tone hardened, smile fading into something sharper. "You think your father is the enemy? He's just the beginning."
The ground rumbled — not from the fire, but from something deeper, heavier. The sound of distant engines. Multiple. Closing in.
"They found us," the figure said calmly. "And you have about ten seconds to decide whether you're coming with me… or dying here."
Nine.Eight.Seven.