The morning sun had barely crept past the horizon when Damien entered the war room, his boots echoing against the cold stone floors. His face was still taut from lack of sleep, the dark circles under his eyes a constant reminder of the weeks of relentless searching, strategizing, and the pain of nearly losing everything he cared about. Yet his resolve was stronger than ever. The mission was far from over, and neither he nor his team could afford to stop.
Luke was already there, flipping through a set of reports when Damien stepped inside. The heavy scent of coffee lingered in the air, the only sign of life in the otherwise cold room. Luke looked up from the papers and gave Damien a small nod of acknowledgment.
“Any updates?” Damien asked, his voice deep and steady.
Luke folded the paper
