23- The Siege of Shadows
The voice echoed through the Network like a dark pulse, vibrating through every corridor, every chamber, every nerve in my body.
"Bring the Source to me. Bring her, or I will tear the Network down piece by piece."
The world shifted beneath me. The familiar hum of the Network, the safety of the Med Dome, the solidity of the walls—all of it felt like a fragile illusion stretched thin.
I pressed my hands against the cold floor, struggling to steady my breathing. The words burned in my mind as if branded there, but deeper than mere sound. This voice was not external—it was embedded, invasive, like a virus worming its way inside me.
Julian crouched beside me, his eyes dark with worry and something fiercer—determination. Cassian was already moving toward the exit, his body taut with urgency.
Vivienne's command cut through the chaos like a blade. "Secure the perimeter! Activate defensive protocols on all access points. No one in or out without clearance."
