The roar of fire filled the air as the laboratory exploded behind them, a shockwave hurling debris across the compound. Natalie stumbled forward, her body scraped and battered, coughing through smoke and the stench of burning chemicals. She screamed for Adrian, her voice lost in the chaos. Somewhere behind her, she heard the cry of a baby—Ethan. Her legs moved before her mind caught up.
She sprinted toward the overturned vehicle, glass crunching underfoot, and yanked open the crushed door. “Ethan!” she gasped, pulling him free, clutching him tightly against her chest. His small cries became her strength. She turned just in time to see Adrian crawling out from the wreckage, blood running down his temple, his jaw set in grim determination.
“Natalie—move!” he shouted. He stumbled toward her
