The desert station's main room had become a tomb of waiting.
Three days had passed since the confrontation at the warehouse. Three days of hiding, healing, and watching. The team was exhausted, their bodies pushed to the breaking point, their minds clouded with fatigue. But they couldn't stop. Not now. Not when Elias Vance was still out there.
"We need to talk," Dr. Cross said, her voice low. "There's something I haven't told you. Something about the True Origin's backup plan."
Axel turned, his eyes tired. "What is it?"
"The Ascension Protocol wasn't the only weapon Elias Vance created. There's another one. A failsafe called the Ghost Protocol."
"The Ghost Protocol?" Vance leaned forward, his interest piqued. "What is it?"
"It's a dead man's switch. If Elias Vance is killed or captur
