The night air smelled like burning metal and static electricity. We were so close to the Citadel that I could see the glow of its security lights and hear the faint hum of its power grid thrumming beneath the city ruins. The plan was set. We were going to infiltrate, extract what we needed, and bring the Overseers’ entire system crumbling down from the inside.
But something felt wrong.
It wasn’t just the usual tension that came before a mission like this. It was deeper—like a wire pulled too tight, ready to snap.
I shifted my grip on my rifle and glanced at Kane. She stood at the edge of the ruined street, scanning the area with sharp, restless eyes. Her fingers twitched near her belt, an old habit she had whenever something was off.
“You feel it too?” I asked, keeping my voice low.
S
