Chapter 504

Night Rescue

The night hung low as salty sea winds lashed against jagged rocks. Vivian Laurent stood at the submarine hatch, conducting her final equipment check.

Three vials of specialized serums hung from her belt. A custom silicone mask obscured her features - meticulously designed to evade all facial recognition databases.

"Signal activated," Lucas Lefèvre's voice crackled through her earpiece. "Surveillance blackout in thirty seconds."

Vivian took a deep breath and plunged into the frigid water. Her black wetsuit made her indistinguishable from the darkness.

Metallic clangs echoed through the corridor outside Central Control. Before the guard could react, a precise strike to his neck sent him collapsing. Vivian caught the unconscious body and lowered it silently against the wall.

"Alert! Power system failure!" blared the emergency speakers.

The island plunged into darkness. Vivian pressed her wrist device, releasing electromagnetic pulses in concentric waves.

Five minutes until backup generators engaged. Three hundred seconds to locate Liam.

The electromagnetic pulse rendered electronic locks useless. The basement door swung open with ease, releasing a wave of coppery blood scent.

Her flashlight beam illuminated a torture rack. Chains bit into swollen flesh, the wounds already necrotic.

"Liam!" Her voice trembled.

The man raised his head slowly. His cracked lips parted. One eye remained swollen shut, but the other burned with startling intensity.

Three turns of the lockpick released the shackles. Liam collapsed forward into Vivian's waiting arms.

"Stay with me." She pressed a micro pistol into his palm. "We fight our way out."

His fingertip brushed her wrist in silent acknowledgment. That tiny gesture made her eyes burn.

Gunfire erupted down the corridor. Leaning against Vivian, Liam's mouth curved in that familiar smirk. He'd always known she'd come.

Shadow never disappointed.