Chapter 25
Wren
My shoulder feels like it’s on fire.
Every time the man behind me tightens his grip, the pain shoots down my arm like electricity.
But pain can be useful.
Pain means nerves still work.
Pain means I’m still conscious.
Pain means I’m still in the fight.
The cold mountain air burns in my lungs as I force myself to breathe slowly.
In.
Out.
Boone stands ten yards away in the gravel driveway.
Completely still.
But I know him well enough now to see the truth.
He’s not calm.
He’s calculating.
Waiting.
The same way predators wait before they strike.
Mara sees it too.
That’s why her gun is pointed at him now instead of me.
“You move again,” she says quietly, “and she dies.”
Boone’s voice comes back low and steady.
“Then don’t give me a reason.”
Behind me the man shifts his weight.
Bad leg.
I felt it earlier when he stumbled.
His grip tightens again around my arm.
Too tight.
Too desperate.
Which means he’s hurting.
Which means he’s losing strength.
I glance toward Mara.
Her eyes flick between Boone and Adam.
Not me.
That’s the mistake.
I suck in a sharp breath.
Then let my knees buckle suddenly.
My full weight drops backward.
The man swears as the shift throws off his balance.
“Hey—!”
My elbow slams backward into his ribs again.
Hard.
He grunts.
His grip loosens just enough.
That’s all I need.
I twist sideways and drive my heel down on his injured leg.
He screams.
His arm jerks away.
For half a second—
I’m free.
“Now!” Russ shouts.
Everything explodes at once.
Boone moves faster than I’ve ever seen a man move.
One second he’s ten yards away.
The next he’s already halfway across the gravel.
The wounded man grabs for me again.
Too late.
Boone hits him like a freight train.
The impact knocks both of them to the ground.
The man’s rifle flies across the dirt.
Russ is on it instantly.
“Got it!”
Adam moves in from the side, weapon trained on the man’s chest.
“Don’t move!”
The attacker tries to reach for a knife on his vest.
Boone’s fist connects with his jaw.
Once.
Hard.
The man goes still.
Breathing.
But done fighting.
Russ grabs his arms and flips him onto his stomach.
Zip ties snap tight around his wrists.
“Well,” Russ mutters, “that was exciting.”
Adam turns toward Mara.
But she’s already backing away.
Slowly.
Gun still raised.
Not at me.
Not at Boone.
At the ground between us.
“Stop,” Adam says.
Mara shakes her head slightly.
“You know I can’t.”
“You’re outnumbered.”
“Yes.”
She glances at me.
Then at Boone.
Her voice softens just a little.
“You were right about one thing.”
Boone stands slowly.
“What’s that?”
“You don’t stay controlled very well.”
Russ snorts.
“Understatement of the year.”
Adam’s rifle never wavers.
“You’re not leaving.”
Mara’s eyes move toward the forest behind her.
The dark line of trees stretching into the mountains.
Then back to Boone.
“I hope you survive what’s coming.”
“Stop talking and drop the gun.”
She hesitates.
Just for a moment.
Long enough for me to see the conflict in her face.
Then she lowers the pistol.
Not dropping it.
Just lowering it.
“I’m not your enemy,” she says quietly.
Russ raises an eyebrow.
“You kidnapped our analyst.”
“That was leverage.”
Adam’s voice hardens.
“You hurt her.”
Mara looks at me.
Something like regret flickers again.
“Yes.”
Then she turns back to Boone.
“But if you think stopping the Architect will save anyone…”
Her voice drops.
“…you still don’t understand the system.”
Before anyone can move—
She steps backward into the darkness.
Adam shifts his rifle.
“Don’t—”
Too late.
Mara disappears into the trees.
The forest swallows her in seconds.
Miles exhales slowly.
“Well.”
“That’s annoying.”
Adam lowers his rifle slightly.
“We’ll deal with her later.”
Boone turns toward me.
His eyes move quickly across my face, my arms, my shoulder.
Checking for injuries.
“You okay?”
I try to nod.
Pain shoots through my shoulder again.
I wince.
“Mostly.”
His expression tightens.
“Mostly isn’t good enough.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not.”
He steps closer.
Careful now.
Gentler.
Like I might break.
“You’re bleeding.”
I glance down.
My sleeve is torn.
Blood soaking through the fabric near my shoulder.
“Just a scratch.”
Russ walks over.
“That’s not a scratch.”
Adam looks toward the cabin.
“Inside.”
“Now.”
Boone places a hand lightly on my back.
Guiding me toward the porch.
Not pushing.
Just steady.
The way someone does when they don’t want you falling apart.
As we reach the door, the radio on Russ’s vest crackles again.
Wren.
No.
Not Wren.
The system.
The laptop inside the cabin begins beeping loudly.
Alarm after alarm.
Adam freezes.
“That’s not good.”
We step inside.
The screen is flashing red.
The countdown timer is still ticking.
But something new has appeared.
A second message beneath it.
PHASE THREE ACCELERATED
The timer suddenly jumps.
10 hours becomes—
6:00:00
My stomach drops.
Boone stares at the screen.
“What the hell?”
Adam exhales slowly.
“I think the Architect just sped things up.”
And suddenly the race to stop the collapse—
Just got a lot shorter.