The battle was over, but the war was far from won, Emily stood at the edge of the ruined cityscape.
Her breath coming in shallow gasps as she scanned the darkened skyline.
Snowflakes drifted lazily from the sky, their fragile beauty at odds with the destruction around her.
The gunfire had stopped, but the echoes still rang in her ears.
Lena was gone.
And Victor Hale had let them live.
That fact gnawed at her more than anything else, the enemy commander wasn't the kind to waste opportunities If he had spared them, it was for a reason.
Emily didn't trust that reason.
She adjusted the strap of her rifle and turned back to her team.
Damien was already assessing the damage, checking Holt's injuries while Reyes kept watch from a higher vantage point.
Theo stood a few paces away, his face grim as he wiped blood from his hands.
No one spoke.