If we survive tonight—
Nothing between us is ever going back to the way it was before.
26
Clay
The word tunnel hits the room like a last prayer.
And I don’t like last prayers.
I like plans.
Weapons.
Exits.
Bodies between Hannah and anything trying to take her.
But right now, all we have is smoke, gunfire, screaming civilians, and Gabriel pointing toward the far end of the warehouse like he hasn’t been keeping secrets since the second he walked into this nightmare.
Russ moves first.
“Lucas, Miles—civilians with us. Tight formation. No gaps.”
“Copy,” Lucas snaps.
Miles is already hauling the little girl into his arms, pressing her face against his shoulder so she won’t see the body that just dropped ten feet away from us.
Another sniper round punches through the haze.
Concrete explodes inches from Hannah’s head.
I drag her down against me.
Her body slams into my chest, her breath ripping out in a broken gasp.
For one second—one impossible second—I feel her heartbeat against mine.
Fast.
Terrified.
Alive.
Mine.
“Clay—”
“I’ve got you.”
My voice comes out too rough. Too raw.
I don’t care.
Sentinel can hear it.
Gabriel can hear it.
