en: Blood i

d didn't

nrav

n picked up by five independent news networks. Not

up with headlines no on

rica - SIRS Tied to A

Secret Empire Beneath N

elligence Collusion,

enied involvement. By one p.m.,

d in the center of it all-h

ching the television from a rooftop café they'd commandeer

ffee, unmoved. "The

reen. "It's working. T

h. "They're not panickin

m., the bu

near Ebute Metta-scouting an extraction route through the undergro

pop-

llets tore through cracked t

nd a pillar, gu

eath. "Sniper. South bu

acked. Stone exp

crawling low. "Too mess

uttered. "This

moved

cul

t out abruptly-whoever was shooting didn't want to overplay

ched the

retreati

ped the shoulder. The figure staggered, t

he called in

ed. "Someone else will pi

ted. "We l

hem run scared. Word spr

es, disguised as an abandoned artist studio. The metal door was rusted, the

. Her shoulder ached from diving behind broken

ng, staring out the

aid, pulling her jacket off. "M

d. "The leak made them vulnerable. They

ad. "Killing us p

tight smile

channel. Messages were pouring in-anonymous, en

OWN S

risen. Cut the fa

"We've got

brow. "You kn

was part of an old disavowed operation: Project Mamba.

s fami

ed at th

someone inside SIRS i

crouched in front of he

us to walk into th

ough to see the burn scar across Leo's chee

dn't f

ink I'm lying to

answer i

nk you even know t

xhaled

r of t

they slept

r hip, eyes trained on every sound. The city was restless beneath them-sirens

., a ping c

S. Not

ne was

DA B

t to end like this. You'v

he message, hear

behind her.

reen toward him.

showing her f

baiti

arnin

embled-not with

what I was capable of. S

and step

ppens when her creation fal

d. "You think

s too late i

't sleep

open a wound she thought bur

am

ises. The tests that broke bones and blurred lo

u how to dest

om the far side of

een the damage before-both of them

he city had c

works had pick

andal was being "reviewed internally." And a dozen names connected to b

motion. Professiona

der disguised

the build

Not loud enough to bring the whole warehouse do

his gun. "Th

ough the skylight. She climbed to the roof as Leo kicke

oftop, she

lack

litary-tinte

ancers. Killers. Pr

est corner, two SUVs

voice came l

ready on the trigger

e lit

them. Leo came from behind the alley, kneecapping the lead in t

until the last b

at the ware

gainst the ra

going to st

ed at th

ing to start bleedi

her a fres

e fight to

You're talking ab

ady signed our death warran

d down at

sti

irwell, arms folded, eyes staring th

move as he

eside her

You're not afraid of

d. "You're not wh

d to him,

if

d her in

burn them

ent, she didn't

wea

t like

od a man with gaso