The ticking grew louder.
Not in the ears—inside the bones.
Matthew felt it before he heard it, a pressure crawling up his spine as Aiden stumbled forward through the thinning gas, coughing, eyes burning, but moving with stubborn intent. Every instinct Matthew had screamed to run to him, to shield him, to tear the world apart if that's what it took.
But Kieran was smiling again.
Not wide. Not manic.
Satisfied.
"You always did underestimate how much people love you," Kieran said calmly, his voice carried by hidden speakers. "It's your greatest flaw."
"Kieran!" Matthew roared. "Call it off. Now."
The ticking accelerated.
Vinny's fingers tightened around Matthew's hand, grounding him. "Look at me," Vinny said urgently. "Breathe. We get him out. That's the priority."
Rafe's voice crackled in their ears, sharp and clipped. Gas neutralizers are live. Two minutes max before full dissipation. We're cutting through the east wall.
Two minutes was an eternity.
