Rain poured relentlessly across the ruined checkpoint.
Smoke drifted through the air in thick waves while flames from the destroyed industrial yard behind them painted the darkness orange and red. Sirens screamed somewhere beyond the complex now, growing louder every second.
Time was running out.
Victor's cleanup crews kept advancing through the wreckage despite the explosions, their silhouettes appearing and disappearing through smoke and fire near the checkpoint entrance.
And Noah still stood there looking at the fuel lines beneath the road.
Thinking.
Calculating.
Planning something suicidal again.
Aiden grabbed the front of Noah's soaked jacket before he could move.
"No."
Noah's eyes shifted toward him calmly.
"If we collapse the checkpoint route—"
"No."
"They won't follow the convoy."
"I said no."
Matthew looked between them briefly before checking the advancing cleanup crews again. "Reyes, we need a decision now."
Noah stayed silent.
