We did it

The room was a tense silence, punctuated only by the faint hum of the machinery and the sound of their breathing. Marco's voice still echoed in their ears, but it was clear that their focus was unwavering. They had come this far, and there was no turning back now.

"We need to shut this down," Alexander said, his voice cold and determined as he scanned the room, looking for any sign of the approaching guards.

Mia nodded, her pulse quickening. Every moment was a race against time. She moved swiftly toward the control panel, her fingers already dancing over the keys to access the shutdown sequence. The urgency in the air was palpable—every second that passed brought them closer to disaster.

But just as Mia's fingers brushed the final key, a voice interrupted her.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the heroes themselves."

Marco appeared in the doorway, flanked by two heavily armed guards. His presence was commanding, and his dark eyes gleamed with twisted satisfaction as he surveyed the room.

"You've played right into my hands, Alexander," Marco continued, his voice dripping with venom. "You and your little team are too late. This weapon is already primed, and nothing can stop it now. You think you've won? You think you've outsmarted me? You've only delayed the inevitable."

Alexander stepped forward, his body tense with anger. "You're wrong, Marco. This ends tonight."

"Does it?" Marco smirked, stepping into the room, his guards keeping their guns trained on the group. "You really think you can stop what's already been set in motion?"

Victor's voice cut through the tension, his hands shaking as he tried to deactivate the system from his station. "We'll see about that," he muttered under his breath, his eyes never leaving the screen in front of him.

Mia's heart raced as she locked eyes with Marco. She could see the cold calculation behind his smug expression, the way he believed he had already won. But she refused to let him win. Not this time.

Without warning, she lunged toward the control panel, her fingers moving with a speed and precision born of desperation. Marco's eyes flashed with surprise, and for a brief moment, Mia thought she saw doubt cross his face.

"No!" Marco shouted, but it was too late. The countdown had begun.

The room was filled with a loud beeping sound as the machine activated, the screens flashing red with warnings of imminent release. Mia's pulse raced in her ears as she frantically typed in the override codes, her mind working faster than ever. She could hear Marco's voice rising in anger, but she blocked it out. This was her moment. She wouldn't let him destroy everything.

"A few more seconds," Victor muttered, his eyes darting between his screen and the approaching guards. His hand hovered over the final command.

But just as Mia thought they had done it, the alarms blared, signaling the arrival of more guards. Marco's face twisted into a sneer. "You've made a mistake, Mia. You should've stayed out of this."

Alexander moved in front of her, his body a shield, ready to face the threat head-on. His voice was a low growl. "Not happening."

With a swift motion, he drew a gun from his holster, and without hesitation, he fired at one of Marco's guards, taking him down with a single shot. The other guard lunged toward him, but Mia's instincts kicked in. She grabbed a nearby metal rod, using it to knock the second guard off balance, giving Alexander the opening he needed to neutralize him.

Marco's smirk faltered as he watched his men fall. His eyes darkened with rage. "You'll regret this, Alexander. You and your pathetic team. The game is over."

But Mia wasn't listening anymore. She was too focused on the control panel, her fingers moving faster as she completed the final override. And then—silence.

The alarms stopped.

The countdown ceased.

And the machine powered down.

For a brief, surreal moment, everything was still. No one moved. No one breathed.

Then, with a heavy sigh, Mia collapsed into Alexander's arms, her body trembling from the exertion and the adrenaline that had coursed through her veins. She had done it. They had done it.

"Is it over?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Alexander held her tightly, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "It's over. Marco's plan is finished."

But Marco, still seething with fury, took a step forward. "You think this is over? You think I'm just going to let you walk away from this?" His eyes gleamed with venom as he reached for his own weapon. "I'll make you pay for this, both of you."

Mia's hand shot out, grabbing Alexander's arm. "No." She was shaking, but her voice was steady. "We're not done yet. We finish this now."

Victor stepped forward, the last of Marco's plans now completely exposed. He didn't need to say a word. He just stood tall, his eyes unwavering, as the others moved to take Marco into custody.

With a final defiant look, Marco was subdued. His empire was crumbling, and he was powerless to stop it.

Mia allowed herself a moment to breathe as they handcuffed Marco and began securing the rest of the facility. The weight of everything that had happened—the danger, the threats, the battles—finally seemed to lift, and a wave of exhaustion washed over her.

"We did it," Mia murmured, her voice trembling.

Alexander nodded, pulling her into his arms once more. "We did. It's finally over."

But even as he held her, both of them knew that the world wasn't done with them yet. There would be more challenges to face, more battles to fight. But for now, as they looked at each other, their hearts swelled with relief. They had survived. They had won.

And they would face whatever came next, together.