The drive to the sanctuary felt like a race against an invisible clock that was ticking down in seconds. Ethan’s knuckles were white as he forced the SUV through the flooded streets, the engine whining under the strain of the relentless pace.
"They're blocking the main road," Bella said, her voice strained, pointing toward a line of dark figures materialized in the middle of the highway. They weren't wearing standard tactical gear; they were dressed in matte-black suits that seemed to absorb the light of the few remaining streetlamps.
"I'm not stopping," Ethan growled, bracing himself against the steering wheel. He slammed the SUV into a lower gear, the tires spraying muddy water as he swerved onto the soft shoulder, narrowly missing a concrete barrier.
The figures opened fire. Th
