Chapter 50: A New Dawn

The atmosphere in Zenith Tower was different now. The once-unrelenting tension that had permeated every corner of the war room had lifted. The Nexus was gone, their command structure shattered, and their grip on the world reduced to whispers of what it once had been. Yet, as Ethan Carter stood in his office, staring out at the glittering city skyline, he couldn't shake the feeling that the battle was far from over.

Sophia Brooks entered the room, her steps deliberate and her eyes sharp. "The team is debriefing now," she said, her tone lighter than usual. "Mark is already planning to overhaul our global security protocols. Jessica… well, I think she's slept maybe five minutes since the operation."

Ethan turned slightly, his trademark smirk faint but present. "Jessica thrives on chaos. I'd worry about her if she wasn't trying to outthink an entire planet."