Justin – POV
"Stop."
My voice cut through the air like a blade. Cold. Final.
The control room went quiet. The team, already halfway to the doors, froze mid-step. Rico turned toward me, confusion flickering in his eyes like static.
"I said stand down," I repeated, louder this time.
"You sure?" he asked, hesitant. "We've got her heat signature—we can get to her in under twenty minutes."
I didn't answer right away. I stared at the live feed on the screen—her figure, small and shivering, moving quickly through the trees like a ghost. Her hood drawn tight. Her hands clenched into fists. Not running wild with fear… but not running home either.
Not running back to me.
I shut my eyes.
It shouldn't have hurt as much as it did.
But it did.
"She left," I murmured. "She chose to leave."
I turned slowly to face them all—these soldiers, survivors, the only people I trusted left in the world. My chest felt tight. Like a rope was wrapped around it, pulling tighter with every breath.
