Chapter 64: After the Chaos

The elevator hummed quietly as it descended, the adrenaline still pulsing through Ava’s veins. The sound of the gunfight, the tense moments of hacking into Meridian’s systems, and the flash of Lucas’s determined expression as he turned off Phase Two replayed in her mind. They had won this battle. But even as the weight of that victory settled in, Ava knew it wasn’t the end. The war with Meridian was far from over. The elevator doors opened with a soft ding, and the team quickly exited into the underground parking garage. The space was dimly lit, shadows cast by the few fluorescent lights hanging above. Their extraction vehicle was waiting for them, with Diaz and Price scanning the area for any sign of reinforcements. “Let’s move,” Ava said, her voice tense. “We’re not in the clear yet.” Lucas nodded silently, his jaw clenched as he moved beside her. He hadn’t spoken much since they escaped the control room, but Ava could feel the weight of his emotions—the grief, the anger, the unr