Chapter 39: Aftermath

The wreckage of the compound lay behind her like a distant nightmare, fading into the horizon as Emily and her team sprinted away from the heart of chaos. 

The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the barren landscape, as if the world itself were retreating into the darkness after the battle. 

Emily's chest burned with each breath, her body heavy with exhaustion, but there was a sharp clarity to her mind, a sense of resolve that had sharpened during the confrontation with Rook.

The operation was a success, but it wasn't the end. Not yet.

Her comms buzzed in her ear, breaking the silence that had settled over them. Damien's voice crackled through.

 "Emily, you need to get to the extraction point, now. The entire facility is going down. I can't guarantee we'll have time to get you out if you don't move fast."

Emily glanced at the others, each one moving with purpose, their faces grim.