The guard had no time to react as Elian’s weight slammed into him. The dampening cuffs, flickering under the erratic power fluctuations of the Citadel, sent a jarring surge through Elian’s wrists. It wasn't the clean, controlled resonance he once knew. It was a jagged, desperate arc of electricity that scorched the metal links. The cuffs shattered, falling to the floor with a rhythmic chime that sounded like a funeral bell for the room’s composure.
"Get him!" Hayes roared, his voice losing its polished veneer as he scrambled behind a console.
Elian didn't wait for the guards to recover. He pivoted, his body moving with a fluid, predatory intensity. He grabbed the broken rebar of the cuffs and jammed them into the primary power interface of the command deck. The resulting short circuit w
