Twenty Five

POV Fiora

The night sky was still dark as we began our journey toward Devlin’s main facility. There was no sound except the wind blowing through the gaps in the cliffs and our soft footsteps on the rocky ground. I knew that, despite the quiet world around us, danger lurked in every corner. We walked through a hidden path that I recognized from overhearing conversations among the guards at Devlin’s facility. This route was rarely used, filled with brush and large rocks, but it was the only way we could avoid the highly organized patrols.

I glanced at Brynmor, who was walking behind me, taking careful steps. His face remained tense, though he tried not to show his concern. His wounds hadn't fully healed, and I could see how difficult it was for him to keep moving. Yet, he kept walking, not complaining.

"If we keep going like this, we'll reach it in a few hours," I said softly.

Brynmor simply nodded, his eyes focused ahead, keeping watch on the path we were following. "Keep your distance. If they detect us, we have to be ready to split up."

I swallowed hard. I knew what he meant. If we were both caught, only one of us would make it out alive. He wanted to make sure I stayed safe, even if it meant sacrificing himself. That was typical of Brynmor—always protecting others before himself.

I couldn't let that happen. I was weak enough to let fear shadow me, but we couldn't keep running from our lives, from Devlin, or from whatever else threatened us. This time, we would fight, and we would fight together.

"Fiora," he called softly. "Remember what we discussed. We can't get separated. We need a backup plan in case everything fails."

I paused for a moment, looking at him. He had warned me enough, but I knew, like me, he also understood that we only had one shot. "We’ll succeed, Brynmor. I’ll make sure of it."

He didn’t say anything else, but I could feel the tension in him. We continued in silence, moving closer to Devlin’s facility. Our footsteps blended with the forest, and I felt each step becoming heavier than the last.

After hours of walking, we finally arrived at the side of Devlin’s main facility. My heart raced as I looked at the massive structure looming ahead—buildings protected by layers of tight security. This facility wasn’t just an operations center; it was also where all the research on Core DNA Reset technology was being conducted. We couldn’t let that continue.

We hid behind a cliff, peeking toward the facility’s gate. Several guards were patrolling the area, and a few vehicles were parked where we could see them. They were on high alert. I knew that if we were caught, we would face the full force of Devlin’s army. There was no defeating them once they were organized.

"Give me five minutes," I told Brynmor, who was already gripping his weapon tightly.

He only nodded, his gaze full of worry. "Be careful."

I nodded and began moving quickly, slipping through the shadows. Each step had to be perfect, because if I made a mistake, it could all end. I crawled carefully between large rocks, approaching a more open area.

From where I hid, I could see two guards standing near the main gate. One of them appeared younger, possibly on his first assignment here. The other was more experienced, his demeanor showing that he knew exactly how to handle dangerous situations. I had to divert their attention.

I reached for the sound diversion device we had brought and pressed the button. In an instant, a loud noise came from the far side of the facility. Several guards began moving toward the source of the sound. I took this opportunity to slip inside.

When I reached the back door of the facility, I paused for a moment, holding my breath and double-checking our plan. Brynmor was still in a safe spot, waiting patiently for his turn. I knew he was anxious, but we didn’t have many choices other than to keep going.

I pulled out the access key we had stolen earlier from one of the guards we had encountered on the way, then entered the code. The door creaked open, and I stepped into the facility. Silence enveloped the room, broken only by the sound of my footsteps echoing through the empty hall. I pulled out the holographic map we had prepared and began moving toward the main control room. This was the moment we had been waiting for.

Within no time, I reached the main control room. I looked at the large screen in front of me, which displayed the security system of the facility and the critical points that needed to be destroyed to stop the genetic reset process.

However, I found that the security was much more sophisticated than I had anticipated. This system was far more complicated than I had imagined, and I knew that it wasn’t going to be easy to destroy it with just a few buttons. I needed more time to hack it—time we didn’t have.

Outside the room, I could hear the footsteps of approaching guards. I had to act fast.

"Fiora, are you in?" Brynmor's voice came through the small communication device we had installed in our ears.

"I’m in the main control room. It’s harder than we thought. I need a few more minutes."

"I’ll guard the back door. If there’s any trouble, I’ll let you know."

I knew that was more than just a warning. He was ready to face whatever came, even if it meant fighting more guards. I knew he wouldn’t give up easily.

With trembling hands, I started entering commands to stop the reset process. However, just as I was nearing the end, an alarm blared loudly. I froze for a moment, stunned by the sound that echoed throughout the facility.

"What’s happening?" Brynmor’s voice came through, panic evident.

"They know," I said, my voice cracking. "Brynmor, we have to move fast. Our time is up."

I yanked the connection cable from the terminal, staring at the system that was beginning to shut down. "I need one more minute."

But before I could finish the final command, the control room door opened, and five guards entered with weapons raised. I didn’t have time to hide.

"Fiora Starfire," one of the guards said coldly, his eyes sharp as knives. "We’ve been waiting for this."

I felt my blood run cold. They knew. We had walked straight into a trap, one far worse than I had imagined.