“Look at you, Marcus,” the official sneered, circling him like a predator. “A fallen soldier reduced to nothing. You think you can stop what’s already in motion?”“Nothing is in motion that I can’t stop,” Marcus shot back, his fists clenched at his sides.The official lunged forward, throwing a punch that Marcus narrowly dodged. “You think you’re still a hero? You’re just a washed-up has-been!”“Better a has-been than a coward hiding behind a desk,” Marcus replied, pivoting to land a kick to the official’s side.The man grunted but quickly recovered, grabbing Marcus’s arm and twisting it behind his back. “You’re strong, I’ll give you that. But strength won’t save you now!”Marcus shifted his weight, breaking free from the hold. “You underestimate me. You’ll regret this.”With a swift motion, he turned and aimed a punch at the official’s jaw. It connected, sending him staggering back. “Regret? I thrive on it!” the official spat, wiping blood from his mouth.“Then you’ll love what’s com
The soldiers crashed into the warehouse, weapons drawn. “Search the place!” one of them barked, scanning the shadows. “Marcus, we need to move!” Trask urged, glancing toward the back exit.“Not without answers,” Marcus insisted, keeping his eyes on the official.The official smirked, trying to maintain some composure. “You think you can intimidate me? You’re already outnumbered.”“Outnumbered doesn’t mean outmatched,” Trask shot back, taking a defensive position. “We have to be smart about this.”“Smart?” the official laughed. “You’re both fools. You have no idea what you’re up against.”“Then tell us!” Marcus shouted, stepping closer, ready to press him further.“Enough games!” Trask snapped, his gun aimed at the entrance. “We need to get out of here before they find us!”“Let me handle this,” Marcus said, determined. “What’s your plan for the bioweapon?”The official narrowed his eyes. “You really think I’m going to give you my plans? You’re wasting your breath.”“Then let’s make t
Marcus and his team barely made it out alive. The ground shook beneath their feet as the base was consumed by a massive explosion, taking the bioweapon and all evidence of the conspiracy with it. The team, exhausted and bruised, sat in the military helicopter, flying away from the destruction. The air was thick with tension, each of them silently processing how close they had come to death.Marcus looked out of the window, his eyes still on the smoke rising from the explosion in the distance. "That was too damn close. Everyone accounted for?"Cole, sitting next to him, checked their crew. "Yeah, we're all here. Barely made it... but we’re alive. I don’t know how we survived that."Jaxon groaned from the back, holding his side. "I wouldn’t say we’re exactly ‘alive,’ Cole. Pretty sure I’ve got a few broken ribs.""Hang in there," Marcus said, turning to Jaxon. "We’ll get you patched up soon."Cole chuckled nervously. "You always say that, but we keep coming out of this more broken than
The wind howled through the dilapidated airstrip as the team regrouped after the comms call from HQ. Marcus's brow furrowed, the weight of betrayal settling heavily on him."Marcus, we can't stay here much longer," Jaxon said, scanning the horizon. "They'll know we're out here.""I know," Marcus replied, pacing. "But we need a plan first."Eva leaned against the helicopter, arms crossed. "We need to think strategically. They’ll be tracking our movements."Cole nodded. "So, what’s the play? We can’t just sit and wait for them to come for us."Marcus stopped pacing, turning to face his team. "We split up, like we discussed. But it’s not just about escaping. We need to gather intel on who’s really behind this.""Agreed," Eva said, her eyes sharp. "I can set up surveillance in the north. There’s a safe house I can reach before nightfall."Jaxon grimaced. "And what if they’ve already compromised that location?""We have to take that risk," Marcus stated firmly. "We need to find out who’s p
The cold night air whipped through the trees as Eva pushed herself faster, her heart thudding in her chest. Her comm buzzed again, Marcus’s voice low and urgent."Eva, what’s your status? We’ve got movement down here.""I’m on my way," she panted. "I’ve got the evidence, Marcus. This is bigger than any of us thought.""How much bigger?" Marcus’s voice was tense, betraying the weight of the situation."Catastrophic," she replied grimly. "Meet me at the old warehouse. We need to move, now.""Understood. Keep your head down," Marcus responded, cutting the line.Eva’s mind raced as she maneuvered through the forest, avoiding well-lit paths. If Carter’s intel was right, they were all walking targets, and time was slipping away faster than she could run.Marcus crouched behind a large rock, peering through the scope of his rifle. He scanned the area below, where a convoy of military-grade vehicles crept along the narrow dirt road. Jaxon and Cole were flanking him, setting up a makeshift tra
"Where the hell have you been?" Jaxon shouted as Marcus and the others arrived.Marcus dragged Sinclair forward, his face hard and unyielding. "Getting the package."Cole glanced at the bloodied and battered General, then back at Marcus. "You brought him? Are you out of your damn mind?""We need him alive," Marcus shot back, his eyes flashing with determination. "He's the key to everything."Jaxon fired a few shots toward the advancing guards, barely pausing to look at Marcus. "I hope you’ve got a plan, because we’re not gonna last much longer out here!"Eva crouched beside a fallen log, reloading her weapon. "Marcus, we need to move. Now.""Working on it," Marcus muttered, his eyes scanning the chaos around them. The perimeter was closing in fast, and their window for escape was rapidly shrinking.Sinclair, still restrained, let out a dark chuckle. "You’re not getting out of here alive. You might as well surrender now."Marcus turned to him, eyes cold and calculating. "You’d like tha
The explosion had barely died down when Marcus turned his attention to Eva, her chest heaving as she wiped the dirt and sweat from her brow. They were safe, for now, but the adrenaline coursing through his veins was still relentless."Eva," Marcus called, his voice softer this time.She looked at him, her eyes fierce, but something in the way she was breathing—slower, more deliberate—showed that the danger had passed, and relief had finally settled in."I’m fine," she muttered, though she couldn’t hide the slight tremor in her voice. "You don’t have to look at me like that."Marcus chuckled, stepping closer. "Like what?""Like you’re waiting for me to collapse. I’m tougher than I look, remember?""I know you are," Marcus replied, a smirk tugging at his lips. "But that doesn’t mean I can’t worry."Eva met his eyes for a beat longer than usual, her gaze softening. "Worry about yourself first.""I do." He reached out, lightly brushing a strand of hair that had fallen across her forehead.
The morning sun filtered through the blinds of the base, casting sharp lines of light across the room as Marcus sat at the small table, mindlessly stirring his coffee. The adrenaline rush from the previous day had faded, leaving behind an unsettling calmness that felt more like a prelude to a storm."Hey," Eva’s voice cut through the quiet, and he looked up to find her standing in the doorway, dressed in her tactical gear, her expression unreadable."Morning," he replied, trying to gauge her mood. She looked stronger today, the uncertainty of last night’s conversation hidden beneath her professional facade."Ready for the briefing?" she asked, crossing her arms, her posture confident but her eyes flickering with something deeper."Always," he said, standing to join her. "What’s on the agenda?"As they walked down the hallway, the atmosphere in the base was tense. Other members of their team, including Jaxon and Leah, were gathered in the briefing room, exchanging worried glances.When