I hit the ground hard—but I’m already moving.
Already firing.
Daniel dives behind the console, still trying to pull data from the system.
“We need a copy!” he shouts.
“You’ve got five seconds!” I yell back.
Jase is in front of me now.
Returning fire.
Controlled.
Precise.
Lethal.
“They’re not stopping!” Jonah shouts over comms. “You need to move!”
“We’re not leaving without it!” I snap.
Jase glances back at me.
And for a split second—
Everything else fades.
The bullets.
The chaos.
The war.
It’s just him.
His eyes.
That look.
Like I’m everything.
Like losing me would break him.
“Stay with me,” he says.
Not a command.
Not a joke.
A promise.
I nod once.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
Daniel slams his hand against the console.
