The wind whipped through the dense forest as Luciana adjusted her earpiece, her eyes scanning the dark treeline ahead. It was heavy with tension; her heartbeat quickened with every second.
"Finlay, report," she whispered, her voice low.
Static crackled before his voice came through. *"North quadrant clear. You?"
"Nothing yet. Stay sharp."
Behind her, Kayden shifted uneasily, his hand resting on the hilt of his knife. *"We're being watched. I can feel it."
Luciana shot him a glance. *"Paranoia won't help right now. Keep moving."
"
"It's not paranoia if it's true," he muttered under his breath.
They moved in silence, their boots crunching softly on the forest floor. The mission was simple: retrieve the encrypted drive hidden at the drop point and get out. But something felt off, and
