The heavy steel doors hissed open just as Knox and Aria stumbled inside, their clothes torn and streaked with dust, blood, and sweat. Marcus slammed the panel behind them, locking the vault with reinforced layers of steel.
Inside, the air was cool, sterile. The hum of hidden servers and reinforced security systems filled the silence.
They had reached the nerve center — the one place Viktor needed most.
Aria’s chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, her mind still replaying Sokolov’s words.
Viktorovna.
Knox placed both hands on her shoulders, steadying her. “You good?”
“No.” Her voice was ragged. “But I will be.”
Marcus approached quickly, tossing Knox a fresh weapon. “They’re regrouping. We have ten minutes max before they breach again.”
Aria’s eyes darted toward the main co
