“They found us,” the colonel hisses. “Move!”
We rush back up the spiral stairs. The lights flicker as shouts echo through the corridor above. As we reach the top, three men in black tactical gear burst through the entrance, weapons raised.
Before I can react, the cube pulses again. A blast of invisible force knocks them backward like rag dolls. The colonel grabs my arm, pulling me through a side door.
We sprint through narrow passageways until we reach a maintenance exit. We burst into the cold night, breathless. Sirens howl in the distance.
The colonel looks at me, breath ragged. “You just activated something ancient. There will be more of them. They won’t stop.”
I hold the cube against my chest. “Then we don’t stop either.”
He nods slowly. “There’s a safehouse two hours from here. We regroup, plan, figure out what Thresher wants to show you. After that…”
“We find out what Grandpa died for.”
As we disappear into the shadows, I glance down at the cube. Its glow softens. For the first time, I feel like I understand who my grandfather really was—and who I was always meant to be.
And I know this: my life will never be the same again.
