The helicopter hovered above the factory compound, its rotors churning the night air into a violent storm. Dust, loose gravel, and scraps of rusted metal spiraled upward, rattling against the corrugated rooftops below. The harsh white beam from the aircraft’s spotlight cut through the darkness like a blade, sweeping across the abandoned yard as if searching for prey.
Before the rope ladder could even be released, Matthew Powell leapt.
There was no hesitation—no pause, no warning.
He dropped from the aircraft like a falling star.
The impact shook the ground.
A thunderous boom exploded across the courtyard as his boots slammed into the concrete. Cracks spread outward in jagged lines, racing across the surface like lightning scars. For a split second, the air itself seemed to recoil, as
