Chapter 26

Fire and Blood

The gunshot echoed through the hallway, deafening and final. Marcus lunged, shoving me to the ground as bullets tore through the air. Pain exploded in my shoulder as I hit the cold floor, but there was no time to process it.

"Go!" Marcus shouted, returning fire.

I scrambled to my feet, pressing a hand to my shoulder. Blood seeped through my fingers, warm and sticky, but I forced myself to move. Victor's men fired relentlessly, their bullets tearing into the walls and shattering lights overhead.

Marcus took down one of them with a precise shot to the chest, but Victor barely flinched. His eyes locked onto mine, and for the first time, I saw something new in his expression. Amusement.

"You think this ends with a few files?" he called out, his voice calm even as chaos erupted around him. "You think exposing us will change anything?"

I glared at him, gripping the wound in my shoulder as I backed toward the stairwell. "It already has."

His smirk widened. "Then why are you still running?"

A second explosion rocked the building, and I staggered as smoke and fire erupted from the lower floors. The Shadows weren't just here to kill me—they were wiping out everything.

Marcus grabbed my arm. "We have to get to the servers. If they destroy that data, it's over."

I nodded, ignoring the pain as we turned and ran. Behind us, Victor's laughter followed like a ghost.

---

The server room was in flames.

I stopped short, my stomach twisting as I took in the destruction. Flames licked at the walls, thick black smoke choking the air. The computer terminals—the ones holding the last copies of our evidence—were either destroyed or in the process of melting.

Marcus swore, covering his mouth with his sleeve. "We need another way to expose them."

I clenched my fists, thinking fast. The flash drive. It was still in my pocket. "The files—I backed them up online before we left."

His eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

He nodded, determination hardening his features. "Then we just need to get out of here alive."

The sound of approaching footsteps sent a chill down my spine.

Victor wasn't done yet.

---

We ran, dodging debris and gunfire as the Shadows closed in. My vision blurred from the blood loss, but I refused to stop. Every breath was a battle, every step a war.

The exit was close—just beyond the main hallway. But as we reached the final turn, Victor stepped into our path, gun raised.

"You never should have started this, Sarah," he said, voice almost regretful. "Now I have to finish it."

My grip tightened on the flash drive in my pocket. I had the truth. I had the proof.

And I had nothing left to lose.

Victor pulled the trigger.

And I leapt straight at him.