Sniper rifle slung across his back.
One eye swollen half shut from a fresh fight.
His gaze lands on Gabriel first.
Then me.
And his entire face changes.
Shock.
“Hannah?”
Oh God.
He knows me too.
Gabriel exhales hard beside me.
“Thought you were dead, Mason.”
The man barks out a rough laugh.
“Almost was.”
More survivors emerge from the SUVs.
Bruised.
Bleeding.
Exhausted.
One woman limps heavily while reloading an assault rifle.
Another man has blood soaking through bandages around his ribs.
Warehouse survivors.
Not all of Gabriel’s people died.
Relief crashes through me so suddenly my knees almost give out.
Wu’s expression darkens slightly for the first time.
Interesting.
He didn’t expect this.
Mason raises his weapon toward Wu directly.
“You really should’ve finished the job in the warehouse.”
Wu’s voice remains calm.
“You continue choosing emotional irrationality over operational survival.”
“Yeah?” Mason spits rainwater onto the pavement. “Funny thing about survivors. We stop caring about survival after a while.”
