The world didn’t just detonate; it turned into a blinding, deafening sheet of white-hot pressure.
The thermite charges inside the concrete pillars tore through the structural foundations of the basement with a concussive roar that shattered the air itself. The shockwave ripped outward, instantly obliterating the wooden chairs, the iron chains, and the flickering fluorescent bulb, plunging the entire underground facility into a terrifying, dust-choked darkness.
In that final split second before the ceiling collapsed, Dominic’s massive 6'4" frame slammed down over her petite five-foot body in the narrow drainage trench. He became a literal human shield, his broad, corded shoulders absorbing the violent impact of falling debris, shattered brick, and burning concrete dust.
Vivian was pinned
