Reynold stared intently at the entrance of Hollowgate, his arms stiff at his sides and his jaw set. Every second stretched unbearably as soldiers shuffled into formation, rifles ready, eyes fixed on the cracked doors. The Chief of Staff, tall and commanding with a permanent sneer etched across his face, gave the signal.

"Time’s up. Let’s go!" the Chief barked.

The order rolled through the ranks like a drumbeat. Boots shifted, rifles raised, and the first line of men stepped forward.

But just as they did, a voice broke through the tension, sharp and commanding.

"We surrender!"

The shout echoed against the old concrete. Cassius stepped forward out of the shadows, hands raised high. Behind him came Sophia, her tablet clutched tightly; Dr. Farah with her satchel; and Brent, pale and hollow-eyed, but still walking with his fists clenched.

Reynold’s breath caught, his fists curling until his knuckles blanched white. He wanted to move, to shout, but his body refused.

The Chief’s lips twisted into a smirk. He raised one hand and made a sharp downward gesture. The soldiers froze in place, halting their advance.

"Well, well," the Chief said, his voice dripping with amusement. "Looks like the Watcher knows when he’s beaten."

Reynold ground his teeth, fury swelling inside him, but he stayed silent.

The Chief motioned toward his men. "Pin them down. I want them secured."

Two soldiers rushed forward, grabbing Cassius by the arms. Others seized Sophia and Dr. Farah, forcing them against the wall, rifles pressed into their backs. Brent resisted for half a heartbeat, rage flashing across his face, before another soldier twisted his arm behind him.

Cassius straightened against their grip, his voice sharp. "What do you mean by this? We already surrendered."

"Yes, you did," the Chief replied smoothly, stepping close enough that his sneer was plain. "But so what? You are still my prisoners. You will cooperate if you want to remain alive."

Brent’s fists trembled. His body surged forward, and for a moment it seemed like he would strike the Chief square in the jaw. His teeth clenched, his nostrils flared, but Cassius shot him a warning look, subtle but steady. Brent forced himself to stay still, though his glare could have burned through steel.

Sophia stood quiet, her face unreadable, though her eyes flickered briefly toward Cassius as if gauging his plan.

"Move them back inside," the Chief ordered. "The lab. I want them where they belong."

The soldiers shoved the group forward. Cassius turned his head just slightly, his eyes hard, but he did not resist. They were outnumbered, surrounded, and the Chief knew it.

Reynold’s body tensed to move. Jeric, at his side, shifted forward too, ready to follow, but the Chief cut them off with a raised hand.

"Stay here," the Chief commanded, not even glancing back. "I’ll handle this."

Reynold’s eyes narrowed. "We should be with them."

The Chief turned his head just enough to sneer. "I said stay."

Jeric’s fists curled, his shoulders hunched as if ready to argue, but Reynold gave a small, sharp shake of his head. "Okay," he muttered, voice low and reluctant. Jeric echoed him, though both men’s fists remained clenched tight as they watched Cassius’s group disappear back into the Hollowgate’s depths.

The moment the Chief and the others were out of sight, Jeric exhaled sharply. He turned to Reynold, his voice tight. "Should we trust them?"

Reynold’s gaze lingered on the darkened entrance, his expression carved in stone. "We have no other choice but to trust the Chief," he said, though his voice carried little conviction.

Inside Hollowgate, Cassius deliberately slowed his steps, guiding the group not toward the nearest lab entrance but through a winding corridor. He traced a long route through half-lit passages, choosing paths that doubled back on themselves, each step measured.

The Chief followed close behind, his soldiers in tight formation. His smirk never faded. He saw through the stalling, but let it play out. To him, it was almost amusing. Cassius might try to buy time, but time meant nothing. The Chief believed he had already won.

As he walked, his mind turned inward. For years he had served under Cassius, obeying his orders, watching as the Watcher carried himself with quiet command. The role of Watcher had always galled him. Why Cassius? Why not him? He was stronger, sharper, better at combat, better at tactics. His family had worked just as closely with The Archive’s founding. Cassius’s bloodline alone gave him privilege, nothing more.

The Chief’s lip curled in contempt. Tonight, that would change. Tonight, he would see Cassius broken, and when it was done, he would take the title of Watcher for himself.

Cassius, unaware of the Chief’s boiling resentment, kept his gaze ahead, eyes scanning every corner, every shadow. He walked with calm purpose, but inside, his thoughts were racing. The group behind him stayed silent, following his lead. Sophia’s eyes darted across the dim halls, searching for signs of what Cassius planned. Brent muttered under his breath, barely holding in his anger, while Dr. Farah clutched her satchel like it was her lifeline.

Finally, the Chief’s patience snapped. "No matter how much time you buy," he said coldly, "no one is coming to rescue you. I already gave orders to my men. They’ll kill anyone who comes close. Your precious Nulls will never make it past the perimeter."

Cassius stopped for a fraction of a second, his jaw tightening.

The Chief stepped closer, his smirk growing wider. "Oh, and speaking of Nulls, guess which team took the bait? Team Bacon. Your favorite little protégés. I wonder if my men already killed them."

Sophia’s eyes shot wide. She turned her head toward Cassius, fury sparking beneath her calm facade. Cassius’s glare burned, but his face quickly smoothed into a mask. He said nothing.

Inside, rage warred with fear. He cursed himself silently. He had forgotten to block the mission notice. Kendrick and Zephany were out there, walking into this hell. He forced his breathing steady. The Chief only knew he favored them, not the truth of his ties to Kendrick. That secret was still intact.

He prayed Kendrick would be cautious. He prayed they would survive.

The Chief watched him carefully, then sneered. "Still hopeful? Struggle all you like, Cassius. This time you cannot win against me."

Before Cassius could answer, a deafening blast shook the air. A thunderous explosion roared outside, rattling the walls. The Chief’s smirk faltered for the first time.

Then came the gunfire. Sharp, relentless bursts of automatic rifles. The Hollowgate echoed with the chaos of war.

The battle had begun.

---

Outside, Reynold had just pulled out his phone, intending to call Zephany, when his instincts screamed. A shadow arced through the air, tumbling end over end before landing yards away.

"Jeric, move!" Reynold roared. He grabbed his partner by the arm and yanked him into a sprint.

The bomb hit the ground and detonated with a violent crack. Fire ripped through the air, the shockwave knocking several soldiers off their feet. Screams followed as the nearest men were torn apart by the blast.

Reynold and Jeric dove behind a broken wall, their breaths ragged, ears ringing. Jeric’s face was pale, his chest heaving. "That was close!"

"Stay down," Reynold snapped.

Gunfire erupted around them. Bullets rained across the courtyard, shredding through stone and flesh alike. One by one, soldiers dropped, hit by sniper rounds from unseen angles.

Above, the thumping roar of helicopter blades filled the air. Gunships swarmed, spitting bullets into the chaos below. Explosions lit the ground as soldiers fired back, their rifles blazing skyward in desperate defense.

Reynold peeked around the corner, jaw clenched. They were caught in the middle of a massacre.

Jeric pressed close to the wall, gripping his weapon tight. "We’re pinned. What do we do?"

Reynold scanned the field, his mind racing. "Survive. First, survive."

---

Not far away, Zephany and Kendrick slowed their motorcycle. The low growl of the engine quieted as they approached a ridge overlooking the Hollowgate grounds. Smoke rose in thick plumes, lit orange by flames.

Kendrick’s eyes narrowed as he took in the chaos. "Looks like a battlefield down there."

Zephany leaned forward, her face pale as she scanned the flames. Her voice trembled. "Reynold’s location is still pointing there. What if he’s in the middle of that?"

Kendrick kept his eyes forward, unable to answer immediately.

Zephany’s voice cracked as she forced the words out. "What if someone just snatched his phone? What if he’s not really there?" Her hands trembled slightly on the handlebars.

Kendrick turned his head toward her. The worry etched across her face cut him deeper than any wound. But he had no words of comfort, nothing he could promise. If Reynold was there, surrounded by that chaos, his chances were slim.

Kendrick’s lips parted, but nothing came out.

Zephany tightened her grip on the handlebars, her knuckles white. "We can’t just sit here. But if we go down there now, we’ll be torn apart."

It was a losing battle.

And yet, both Zephany and Kendrick knew there was no turning back.