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There’s just us.

Decision.

Understanding.

“Okay,” she says.

No hesitation.

No argument.

Just that one word.

And somehow that hits harder than anything else.

“Okay?” I repeat.

“We help them,” she says firmly. “We get as many people out as we can.”

Gods, I love this woman.

The beast roars again, closer now.

A massive shadow sweeps across the ground as it turns toward another group of contestants.

“Move!” I shout.

We break into a sprint.

Not toward the finish line.

Toward the chaos.

A piece of debris crashes down in front of us.

I grab Tilda and yank her sideways just before it slams into the ground.

“You good?” I bark.

“I’m fine!”

“Stay behind me.”

“Not a chance.”

We reach a group of contestants frozen near a collapsed barrier.

“Hey!” I shout. “Stop standing there!”

One of them blinks at me.

“It’s part of the event, right?”

“No!” I snap. “That thing is not scripted!”

Another roar echoes across the arena.

The ground trembles again.