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My phone buzzed again, an intrusion that was both unwelcome and necessary. The screen showed a message from Wild Trust, the non-profit where Arlet had found her calling. My pulse quickened as I read.
“We’re moving in. EPA and feds on board for a surprise crackdown at dawn. Keep her safe until then.”
Relief flooded me momentarily; their intervention would create the chaos I needed to find Arlet. Tinged with urgency—the clock ticked, and dawn wasn’t far off.
I pressed deeper into the heart of the complex, where concrete behemoths loomed like silent sentinels. The message from WildTrust had given me an edge—a looming storm I could use to my advantage.
A diversion would come with the first light of day, but until then, I was on my own in enemy territory. And so I crept, silent as a thought, along the walls and beneath windows, ever watchful for a sign of her.
The industrial compound sprawled before me was a maze of buildings and machinery, but I knew that somewhere within this labyrinth, Arlet was waiting—her spirit undimmed even by the darkness that sought to engulf her.
My ears tuned to the hum of generators and the distant murmur of voices—guards likely unaware that their world was about to unravel. My fingers grazed the cool metal siding as I rounded a corner, seeking any sign of where they might keep her.
Time slipped away like sand through my fingers as I searched for an entry—a vent, an unlocked door—anything that might grant me passage without alerting those who prowled these grounds.
A service door beckoned from the shadow of an overhang. It was unremarkable save for its slightly ajar state—a mistake or perhaps carelessness on their part. It mattered little; it was an opening I intended to exploit.
I slid through with an ease that belied my size, finding myself in a dimly lit corridor lined with doors on either side. My heart thundered against my ribcage, not with fear, but with determination.
My senses strained—listening for her voice or any hint of movement beyond these walls. But there was only silence punctuated by the distant sound of footsteps and hushed conversation.
As I advanced down the hallway, my mind raced with plans and contingencies. Wild Trust’s allies would soon storm this place; my window to act without interference was closing rapidly.
Each door presented a possibility—a chance that behind it lay Arlet—but also a risk of discovery. Yet hesitation had no place here; each moment wasted was one where Arlet remained in their grasp.
My hand settled on a doorknob, its metal cool under my touch. A decision loomed before me—open this door or move to the next—but I couldn’t afford the luxury or time for doubt.
With one fluid motion born from countless such decisions on distant worlds, I turned the knob and stepped into an unknown fate that awaited beyond it.
An explosion thundered above, jarring the silence of the compound and shaking dust from the ceiling. The feds and EPA had made their move, their arrival heralding the chaos that rippled through the structure’s veins. It was now or never.
I barreled into the room, my presence alone enough to send the door flying off its hinges. The dim light spilling in from the hall clawed at the shadows, revealing Arlet crumpled against the far wall. Her face, pale and drawn, squinted toward the violent intrusion of light and noise.
“Arlet!” My voice was a growl of relief and urgency as I swept across the room.
She blinked, recognition flaring in her eyes as she registered my form towering over her. “Hayze?” Her voice was weak but tinged with hope—a hope I intended to fulfill.
Without a word, I scooped her into my arms, feeling her slight weight as though she were only a whisper of humanity against my bronze skin. Our reunion was a breath—a heartbeat—in this tempest of danger.
I had to get her out before anyone discovered us together. My mind raced through escape routes as I held her close, Arlet’s fingers clutching at my shoulder with a strength that belied her fragile state.
“We need to move,” I said, my tone leaving no room for argument.
Arlet nodded against me, her body tensing to prepare for whatever came next. We shared a look—a silent understanding that this was far from over, but that together we were an unstoppable force.
I turned on my heel and dashed back into the hallway, the sounds of chaos growing louder as agents stormed through West Corp’s defenses. Their arrival provided the perfect cover for our escape but also added layers of complication to an already perilous situation.
The corridor was a labyrinth designed to disorient and trap, but I had committed its twists and turns to memory during my infiltration. I took each measured and precise step—calculated to avoid detection while making swift progress toward freedom.
Arlet’s breaths came in shallow bursts against my chest as we moved together through the darkened passageways. Her trust in me was absolute; it coursed through me like fire—igniting my resolve and honing my focus.
As we neared an exit point, a sudden burst of light flared down the corridor—a warning sign of approaching agents. Instincttook over; I veered left into a narrow alcove just as a pair of feds rounded the corner.
The adrenaline pounding muffled their voices in my ears as they passed by—unaware of our presence mere feet away. Arlet’s grip on me tightened—a silent thank you for evading capture once again.
We waited for the pulse of their footsteps to fade before emerging from our hiding spot. The exit was close now with the night air beckoning just beyond these walls that had held Arlet captive.
I adjusted my hold on her, ensuring she was secure before continuing our flight toward escape. Each step forward was one closer to safety—to the life she had fought so hard to build and that I had sworn to protect.
