Chapter 49: The Edge Of Deception

The air inside the safe zone was thick with tension. 

The reinforced walls, though sturdy, felt like a fragile barrier against the chaos brewing outside. 

Emily scanned the room, her eyes adjusting to the dim light. 

It was sparse—a few crates stacked against one wall, a flickering monitor displaying a grainy feed of the forest perimeter, and a map spread out on a metal table in the center.

Damien wasted no time. He moved to the table, his fingers tracing the map with practiced precision. "We've got a few hours, if that," he said.

 His voice was low, measured, but Emily could hear the exhaustion creeping in.

"Until what?" Emily asked, her tone sharper than intended. 

The adrenaline that had kept her moving was ebbing, leaving behind a raw edge of fear and frustration.

"Until they find us," Damien replied. "The Council knows this area. They won't stop until we're either dead or captured."