Page 66 of Knot Your Fated M.U.S.E.

The sound of raised voices comes through my earpiece, making me wince. Subdivision B's lead alpha is arguing tactics with C's enforcement specialist, while D's whole unit seems content to watch the chaos unfold.

I adjust the volume, filtering through the frequencies until I can focus on just my pack's voices:

Atlas, his calm authority cutting through the noise:"The primary target is in the lower levels. We'll need coordinated entry points."

Dante, probably studying the blueprints I provided:"These ventilation shafts could work. They're tight but manageable."

Kieran, his tone carrying that edge it gets before a fight:"Underground access through the maintenance tunnels gives us more coverage."

A burst of static makes me flinch, reminding me to stay focused on my own preparations rather than getting lost in their planning.

I have my role to play, and it's just as crucial as theirs.

My fingers dance across the keyboard, running final checks on all systems.

The van's modifications have turned it into a mobile command center that would make military intelligence drool —— state-of-the-art surveillance equipment, computer systems capable of hacking most known security protocols, and enoughprocessing power to run real-time analysis of multiple data streams simultaneously.

This is where I shine.

Not in physical combat anymore - though the injector promises a temporary return to those capabilities - but in the digital realm where intelligence and strategy matter more than brute strength.

I pull up the thermal imaging of Ravenscroft's lower levels, studying the heat signatures that move through the facility like blood through veins. Each dot represents a life, a potential threat or ally, a variable in the complex equation of extraction.

The layout reminds me of a chess board —— pieces moving in predictable patterns, following established rules. But unlike chess, this game has no clear moves and no guaranteed strategies for success.

Just controlled chaos and calculated risks.

My hand brushes against the injector again, its presence both comforting and terrifying. The last time I used one of these, the pain afterward kept me bedridden for weeks.

The temporary mobility it provides comes at a steep cost —— one that increases with each use.

But having it here, knowing I have the option if things go wrong…is like carrying a last-resort weapon.

Something that could mean the difference between success and failure, between life and death for my pack.

Through my earpiece, I hear the planning session starting to wrap up. The other subdivision units are finally falling into line, probably realizing that Atlas's strategy is their best shot at success.

I check the time; less than an hour until the operation begins.

My legs spasm again, harder this time, as if protesting their current uselessness. I grip the edge of my desk, riding out the wave of pain and frustration that follows.

This used to be so different.

I remember missions where I was right there with them, moving through shadows with lethal grace, my body a weapon honed by years of training. Now I'm relegated to support duty, watching through cameras while others do the physical work.

But that doesn't make me useless.

I pull up another screen, this one showing the power grid layout for Ravenscroft's lower levels. In the digital realm, I'm still deadly. Still capable of the precision and timing that made me valuable to the pack in the first place.

Atlas specifically ordered me to stay in position unless there's an emergency. He knows what using that injection could cost me, and knows how it might accelerate the disease's progression.

But he also knows I'll use it if they need me.

Because that's what pack means -— being willing to sacrifice everything if it means keeping your family safe.

Even if that sacrifice comes in the form of borrowed time and strength, paid for with pieces of your future.

The voices in my earpiece grow more focused now, moving from planning to final preparations. I hear weapons being checked, communications tested, and positions assigned.

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