Chapter 84: Unraveling the Trap

The cold, empty room felt suffocating. Ava’s heart sank as she realized they had been set up. Meridian’s leadership was nowhere to be found, and now the team was stranded deep in enemy territory with nothing to show for it. The safe house had been a decoy designed to lure them into a false sense of security. Lucas stood frozen in the center of the room, his eyes narrowing as the reality of their situation sank in. His hands clenched into fists, the frustration radiating from him in waves. Ava almost felt the tension rolling off him, a storm brewing beneath the surface. “Damn it!” Lucas snarled, slamming his fist against the wall. His eyes flashed with fury as he paced back and forth, the anger that had been simmering inside him now threatening to boil over. Ava’s chest tightened as she watched him. She had known this mission was a risk, but seeing Lucas like this—on the verge of losing control—made the stakes feel even higher. They had come so far, fought through so much, only to fi