Page 63 of Knot Broken

“Straight ahead, then left,” Romano instructs calmly. “I’m tracking guard movement—move now.”

We surge forward, quick and precise. Fox silently takes down a guard ahead of us, catching the limp body before it hits the ground. Dare nods approvingly, gaze sharp and watchful as we push onward.

We enter the server room smoothly, Romano’s voice steady. “Plug it in. Get it done fast.”

Fox attaches the drive, and the data transfer begins, agonizingly slow. Each second stretches painfully.

A sudden sharp curse from Romano sends adrenaline spiking down my spine. “Shit! Alarms triggered—guards incoming!”

Red lights flare, blinding and pulsing violently. Fox rips the drive free just as the door crashes open. Gunfire erupts, deafening in the enclosed space. We dive for cover, returning fire swiftly. A bullet grazes my shoulder, searing pain briefly acknowledged then ruthlessly ignored.

“Jex! Fox!” Dare bellows, laying down suppressing fire, sharp and brutal. “Move now!”

We retreat swiftly, firing as we sprint down the corridor toward the exit. My comm crackles, Kingston’s voice cutting sharply through chaos. “We’ve got company outside! Voss and Fallon holding perimeter—move your asses!”

We burst into the open air, immediately diving for cover as bullets ricochet off concrete. Kingston and Fallon provide cover fire, faces grim and determined. Violet is crouched beside Voss, eyes blazing fiercely as she reloads her weapon with practiced ease.

“Jace, extraction point now!” Kingston barks urgently. “We’re boxed in!”

“Already on it,” Jace snaps back, voice tight with tension. “Thirty seconds, hold tight!”

The fight grows deafening, sharp pops of gunfire mixing with adrenaline-soaked curses. Fallon snarls beside Kingston, firing in precise bursts, her body poised and lethal.

Violet pivots suddenly, eyes widening. “On your left!”

I spin sharply, dropping another enemy who’d nearly flanked us. Violet nods once, eyes bright and unafraid despite the chaos.

A vehicle roars up behind us—Jace, sleek black SUV skidding sideways, door flung open urgently. “Get in!”

We sprint for the SUV, bullets snapping past us. I push Violet ahead of me, protective instinct flaring fiercely as Dare and Fox cover our backs. Fallon slides inside, pulling Violet with her; Voss shoves in after them, grunting sharply as a bullet grazes his leg.

We tumble in quickly, hearts hammering, ears ringing. Romano leaps into the front, fingers flying over his laptop as Jace punches the gas, tires squealing. The facility fades rapidly behind us, sirens wailing into the darkening distance.

“You got the data?” Kingston demands harshly, breathing ragged.

“Got it,” Fox confirms, voice gritty with adrenaline. “Everything.”

A tense silence follows, punctuated only by our harsh breathing.

Violet’s hand curls tightly around mine, fingers trembling slightly from adrenaline but fierce and resolute. I glance at her, absorbing the quiet bravery etched deeply into her features.

“We did it,” she breathes softly, eyes glowing. “We’re gonna take them down.”

Dare exhales sharply, leaning his head back against the seat. Fox nods silently, jaw clenched. Kingston meets Violet’s gaze steadily, respect glittering clearly in his eyes.

“This isn’t the end,” Kingston warns softly. “But it’s one hell of a start.”

“Then let’s finish it,” Violet whispers, voice steady, fierce, and utterly certain.

The silence afterward is charged—dangerous, victorious, and unyielding. We’re bonded, battle-forged, ready.

This war isn’t over yet. I glance over at Violet, a fierce, adrenaline-laced grin stretching across my face as I hand her the sleek black detonator. “Would you like to do the honors, sweetheart?”

Her eyes spark with delight, mouth curling into an eager, mischievous smile. “Oh, hell yes.”

She slams her small hand decisively onto the button with a triumphant shout. Jace floors the accelerator, the SUV surging forward, tires gripping the road as we rocket away from the facility.

The night is suddenly ripped apart by an earth-shaking explosion behind us, lighting up the sky in a brilliant, violent burst of orange and gold. The shockwave slightly rocks the SUV, reverberating through us all, rattling my bones in the best way.

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