Mia’s POV
Dr. Elara Kane’s voice echoed through the stronghold like a death sentence. The command center — what remained of it — fell into stunned silence. Victor, still bleeding on the floor under Damien’s boot, let out a weak, triumphant laugh. Sophia clutched her wounded shoulder, eyes gleaming with dark satisfaction.
Damien’s grip on his gun tightened until his knuckles turned white. His other arm stayed locked around my waist, pulling me flush against his side in the smoke-filled room. Forced proximity had never felt more suffocating. Our three children’s pods hummed softly behind reinforced barriers, but the new threat — Victor’s sister, the true architect — made everything feel fragile.
“Elara,” Damien snarled at the speakers. “Show yourself.”
A video feed flickered to life on t
