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“Sound off!” I shout.
“Good!” Trigger.
“Up!” Beast.
“Alive!” Blaze coughs.
I push up, checking Tessa. “You hit?”
“No—” she coughs. “I’m okay—”
Good.
Because we’re not done.
Not even close.
I help her up, my hand staying on her longer than it should.
Grounding.
Checking.
Alive.
“Trap,” she says.
“Yeah.”
I scan the room.
The laptop still flickers through the smoke.
“They knew we’d come,” she adds.
“They’re staying one step ahead.”
I don’t like that.
Not one bit.
“They’re watching us now,” she says quietly.
Yeah.
They are.
A branch snaps outside.
Every head turns.
Weapons up.
Because this time—
It’s not just a message.
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