Chapter 62: The Weight of Sacrifice

The morning sun was beginning to break through the thick canopy of trees as Ava, Lucas, and the team sprinted through the forest, their breaths coming in short, ragged bursts. The Meridian bunker loomed behind them, now a fading shadow of the chaos they had just escaped. Ava’s heart pounded in her chest, her legs burning with exhaustion as they raced more profoundly into the woods. Every instinct screamed at her to keep moving, to put as much distance between them and the bunker as possible. The sound of gunfire still echoed in her ears, and the image of Leon standing alone in the control room, buying them time to escape, burned into her mind. Leon was gone. He had stayed behind, sacrificing himself to give them a chance at stopping Phase Two. But even as they ran, Ava couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t enough—that Meridian’s plan was still in motion, and their victory was far from complete. Beside her, Lucas was silent, his face set in a stone mask. He hadn’t said a word sin