Chapter 36: The Shadow's End

The air was thick with the stench of gunpowder, and Emily's ears rang with the lingering sound of gunfire. 

Every second that passed felt like an eternity, the battle between them and Rook's men only intensifying. 

She could feel the sweat trickling down her back, the adrenaline coursing through her veins, heightening her senses as her team fought to keep Rook's forces at bay.

"Damien, we need that extraction route now!" Emily shouted, ducking behind a steel pillar as another barrage of gunfire ripped through the air. 

The sharp sound of bullets ricocheting off the walls sent chills down her spine, but she remained focused, her gun steady in her hand.

"I'm working on it!" Damien's voice crackled through her earpiece, strained with the stress of the moment. "I've overridden the last few security protocols, but the system's not responding as fast as I'd like!"