Emile sat back down, and I inhaled sharply before speaking. “We also need to move quickly. Emile has assured me it’s turned off for now, but we have no way of knowing how long it will stay that way.”
I scanned the map. “We’re splitting into two teams: I’ll head the retrieval, and Sean will handle the extraction. Emile and Enya have gathered as much intel as they could, but we’ll need to adapt and collect more on the ground. Losing this Amplifier again is not an option, and we can’t delay any longer—we can’t risk it being moved, nor can we risk it being activated.”
The room nodded in agreement, determination and apprehension visible on their faces.
“Sean,” I called out, and he stood up. “Assemble your team.”
He nodded and swiftly summoned the seven individuals I knew beforehand he would pick, though he switched out Kate for Saoirse, the latter now drooling on Rocco’s shoulder.
“Excellent,” I said, studying his team. “As you’ll be handling the extraction, I need a comprehensive strategy for transporting the damn thing out of the mountains withandwithout translation.”
My eyes found Emma’s—she already knew what was coming.
“We know the Radicals have acquired a LiaPrism,” I continued, my fingers thrumming on the table once. “Only one of us can bypass its protections, which means Emma will be the sole translator once we’re out there. She and I will portal directly into Hunza, where she’ll handle all magic and lead us through the peak to retrieve the Amplifier.”
The room erupted into gasps and murmurs, as I’d expected.
“Only…only the two of you?” Enya’s voice was barely a whisper, her tone laced with disbelief.
“Emma’s the only one who can translate without setting off the LiaPrism. I’ll be there as her backup if needed, but we can’t risk more people. The situation is precarious enough with the limited intel we have.”
I paused, making sure I had their full attention for this next part. “We’ve managed to keep Emma’s translation a secret so far, but after this mission, the Radicals might discover hertranslation is untraceable. If that happens, she’ll become the biggest target in the history of magi. If we need to go into hiding, I’ll take her to a safehouse myself. Bringing more people would complicate that as well.”
Emma swallowed hard, her shoulders tensing slightly. I caught her gaze for just a second, trying to convey reassurance with a single look. Her eyes flickered with uncertainty, but I hoped my silent message was clear—I would be by her side, and we’d face whatever came next together.
Staring at the clock, a constricted knot formed in my stomach. “It’s nearly two a.m.,” I said, as I rose back to my feet. “Since they are four hours ahead, the sun is already rising in Hunza, which means we need to be portaling out, right the fuck now.”
Emma nodded; her expression resolute as the team began discussing the exit strategy.
I strode over to her, my focus dark and intense. “Emma, once we’re in the Human World, we must remain undetected. Your haze needs to be invisible. Our success depends on it, I can’t stress enough how critical this is.”
She met my stare with unwavering determination. “I understand.”
I nodded, recognizing her resolve, and then turned to the rest of the team. “Let’s finalize our preparations. Sunrise is approaching, and we need to be in position.”
Sean approached Emma, looking like concern and apology. “I hope you’re ready for this, it’s going to be intense.”
Emma’s response was steady, her voice betraying no hint of the pressure she must have been feeling. “I’m ready.”
That’s my girl.
We portaled into Hunza not ten minutes later, and Emma—as usual—nailed the landing. We arrived inside an old fort clinging to a cliff’s edge, like it had been placed there by someone with a death wish and a view fetish. The air hit cold and thin, biting with altitude, and the scent of dust and moss lingered in the chill.
The place had been abandoned for centuries, but it still held its spine. Thick stone walls, chipped and weathered, rose around us like the ribs of some ancient beast. Wooden balconies sagged on rusted nails, creaking softly in the breeze, and the narrow corridor we’d landed in looked one good tremor away from caving in.
I stepped forward, boots crunching softly over a scatter of fallen mortar, and followed Emma through an archway into a ruined lookout tower. From there, we could see everything.
The Hunza River cut through the valley below, like something straight out of a travel brochure. The water shimmered under the early morning sun, which would’ve seemed peaceful if it hadn’t been for the nuclear weapon lying around.
The mountain ahead didn’t just hide the Amplifier. It was guarding it—cold, silent, and unforgiving.
“We’re about seventy kilometers from Batura Sar,” Emma whispered, pointing toward the distant snow-capped peak visible on the horizon, partially shrouded in mist.
I couldn’t help but tease her. “The metric system, Emma? Damn, you sure know how to turn a guy on.”
Emma stared at me; shock edged in her features. “Flirting right now?Seriously?”
I shrugged nonchalantly. “If we’re going to die today, I want to go out as me.”
