As Ethan, Ava, and Gabriel hurried toward the chamber where Lydia was defending the relic, gunfire and shouting reverberated around the compound. Tension was palpable, every bend a possible ambush. The approaching peril sharpened their senses, so they went fast yet carefully.
Lydia was huddled over the artifact as they rounded the last bend, her face a mask of concentration. The head of the Order, a towering, icy man with calculating eyes, stood in front of her.
The leader said, "Stay back," his voice slick but intimidating. "You will not leave here alive; this relic belongs to us."
Stepping forward with his g*n pointed at the leader was Ethan. Say who you are. How would you like the relic used?
The leader grinned, a shiver running down Ava's back. I go by Malachai. A new global order
